HMS Camilla (1776)
Encyclopedia
HMS Camilla was a Royal Navy
20-gun Sphinx-class
post ship
. Camilla was built in Chatham Dockyard
to a design by John Williams and launched in 1776. She served in the American Revolution
, the French Revolutionary Wars
and the Napoleonic Wars
, before being sold in 1831.
, and 50 men. She was on a cruise from Boston.This is not the Massachusetts State Navy
brig Independence that captured in November 1796.
On 23 January 1777, 12 miles (19.3 km) north of Charlestown, South Carolina
, Camilla, under Captain Charles Phipps, captured the American sloop Fanny, which was heading to that port from Cap-Français, Hispaniola
, with a cargo of molasses
.
On 20 February 1777, Camilla and , Captain George Keith Elphinstone, captured the 170-ton snow, Adventure. They captured her 99 miles (159.3 km) northeast of Antigua
, British West Indies, as she was going from Newburyport, Massachusetts
to St. Eustatius, Netherlands West Indies, with a cargo of fish, staves, spermacaeti
candles and pine planks. Camilla fired eleven shots before the Adventure would stop. Perseus and Camilla shared the prize money. Eight days latter, Camilla captured the Ranger, William Davies, Master, which was sailing in ballast from St. Lucia.
April 1777 was a busy month for Camilla. On 6 April she captured the brig Willing Maid, bound from St. Thomas
, Danish West Indies, to Ocracoke Inlet
, North Carolina, with a cargo of sugar, rum, and salt. However, the brig sprang a leak and sank. On 11 April 1777, Camilla was patrolling with 44-gun frigate near the mouth of the Delaware River
, just north of the Cape Henlopen
lighthouse, when they came upon the American merchantman Morris. Gunfire from the two British vessels drove Morris ashore, where she suddenly blew up with such force that it shattered the windows on the British vessels. Reports indicate that Morris was carrying 35 tons of gunpowder and that the captain and six crewmen still on the vessel were laying a train of gunpowder to blow her up, when things went wrong. It is not clear whether the powder train burnt too quickly or a shot from Camilla or Roebuck set it off. What is clear is that the vessel disintegrated and all aboard her died in the explosion. Much of her cargo of arms was, however, salvageable, and Americans onshore were able to get it.
On the 15 and 20 April Camilla took two more prizes, carrying rum, molasses and sugar, and molasses, respectively, but there are no details available. On the 21 April, she captured the Perfect, Etienne Codnet, Master, bound from Cape Nichola
, Hispaniola, with a cargo of molasses. Then on the 25 and 26 April she took two more unknown vessels, both carrying rum and rice. She also captured the Fonbonne, W. De Gallet, Master, and W. Galley, Owner, which was sailing from Cap-Français to Miquelon with a cargo of wine and molasses.
Camilla also captured several merchantmen in late 1777 or early 1778. On 15 November she captured the sloop Admiral Montague, sailing from Hispaniola to Rhode Island
with a cargo of molasses and coffee. That same day, she captured the Chance, Thomas Bell, Master, which was sailing to Georgia
with a cargo of flour and rum. Lastly, on 14 March 1778, Camilla captured the Polly, William Thompson, Master, which was sailing to Surinam in ballast.
When Philadelphia fell to the British in 1777, several American vessels found themselves trapped between the city and the British fleet further down the Delaware River. The Americans launched some three fire ship
s towards the British, but gunfire from Roebuck, Camilla, and other British vessels caused the Americans to set their ships on fire too soon, and to abandon them. British boats were able to pull the fire ships on shore where they could do no harm.
On 29 May 1779, Camilla was part of Admiral George Collier
's small flotilla that sailed up the Hudson River
and captured Stony Point
, two months later the site of the American victory in the Battle of Stony Point
. Amongst other services, she exchanged fire with Fort Lafayette
.
That summer, the British Fleet moved north. She was among the vessels sharing in the prize money for the capture, on 14 August, of the American privateer Hunter. Camilla then participated in the battle that on 15–16 August destroyed the American Penobscot Expedition
.
During the autumn Camilla captured the brig Chance, John M'Kay Master, off Cape Cod
. The brig was sailing from St. Eustatius to Connecticut
with a cargo of salt. Around this time she also captured the American vessels Mackerel, Marquis of Rockingham, the bark Adventure, the sloop Fanny, and the schooner Ranger. All were condemned and sold at Antigua. On 12 October she captured the brig Revenge.
In December Camilla sailed from New York to Charleston, South Carolina, with Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot's squadron. Thus, spring 1780, found Camilla, Captain Charles Phipps, participating at the Siege of Charleston
. The city capitulated on 11 May. Camilla shared in the prize money resulting from the naval captures.
On 30 September, Camilla participated in the capture of the brigs Wasp, Potomack, and Portsmouth Hero, and the schooners Providence, Fanny and Betsey. Then on 1 November she took the schooner Henrico.
On 19 April 1781, Camilla took the sloop Ann.
In September 1790, Camilla was reported to have brought the Duke of Sudermania
from Finland to the Swedish Royal Court at Drottningholm Palace
.
was appointed to command Camilla, which formed part of Richard Strachan's
squadron in the English Channel
.
On 29 April 1796, Camilla was in company with , , , , , and , when Acquilon captured the Mary. On 24 December , , Camilla and the hired armed
cutter Grand Falconer, shared in the capture of the Esperance.
On 20 February 1997, Camilla captured the Heros. In March Captain Stephen Poyntz replaced Dacres. The next month, on 19 April, Diamond, Minerva, , the Grand Falconer and Camilla captured the American ship Favourite, which was carrying a cargo of flour. Then on 20 May, Camilla captured the Jeanie.
When Robert Larkan took command of Camilla in September 1797, he brought with him Richard Spencer
, who would go on to become an admiral, be knighted, and become Government Resident in Albany, Western Australia
. On 6 November, Camilla took the Marianne.
On 4 May 1799, after a three week voyage from Philadelphia, Camilla arrived at Cap-Français, Haiti
, with the British General, Thomas Maitland on board. The British government had empowered him to pledge its support to General Toussaint Louverture.
In January 1800 Camilla managed to take three prizes. On 6 January she took the Jeune Aimie. Then six days later she captured Speculation, with the hired armed cutter Fly in sight. On 29 January Camilla took the Vigoteux, with the hired armed cutter Duchess of York in sight. Then on 15 March Camilla left Portsmouth as escort to a convoy for Newfoundland.
During the evening of 29 January 1801, off Le Havre
, Camilla captured the French privateer lugger Vigoureaux. Vigoureaux was armed with three guns, had a crew of 26 men and was 19 days out of Cherbourg, not having taken anything.
Later that year Camilla lost her mainmast in a storm while accompanying a convoy from Newfoundland to Britain. Though the storm scattered the convoy, Camilla arrived in Portsmouth, having found and escorted six vessels to Weymouth and Poole. In December 1801 Captain E. Brace replaced Larkan, only to be superseded in 1802 by Captain H. Hill. Hill sailed Camilla from Portsmouth for Newfoundland on 29 July; she returned to Portsmouth on 29 November.
On 15 August 1805, Camilla captured the French brig-corvette Faune. The 74-gun, third rate had seen three sail and joined the chase, helping Camilla to capture the Frenchman. Goliath, with in company, then sailed off to capture the French ship-corvette Torche on the next day. In December 1805, Taylor moved to a new frigate, the , and Captain Charles Upton replaced him.
Between 1807 and 1808 Camilla was in the Leeward Islands
under the command of Captain John Bowen, who had taken command in July 1806. On 2 March 1808, a party of about 200 marines and sailors from , , and Camilla, all under the command of Captain Pigot of Circe, landed near Grand Bourg on the island of Marie-Galante
. The militia on the island quickly surrendered, together with their 13 guns, plus small arms and gunpowder. In 1825 the crews of the vessels , Cerberus, Circe and Camilla shared in the prize money arising out of the island's surrender.
On 3 November 1809, Camilla, under temporary captain William Henry Dillon, encountered the Drie Bebroeders. She was sailing from Norway under a Danish master and with a cargo of timber. On her deck were a number of wooden trucks for gun-carriages, which were obviously war material. The master stated that he was taking his cargo to Britain so Dillon let him proceed. After two hours, the merchant vessel was plainly heading toward the Dutch coast so Dillon caught up with the vessel and seized it. The master explained that he was sailing toward Holland only to avoid "the Lemon and Oar", a dangerous reef in the North Sea. Dillon knew that the master's explanation was inconsistent with the vessel's position and so sent the vessel to Britain as a prize.
at Sheerness
in 1809, and then used as a floating breakwater. From 1814 to 1825 she served as a receiving ship until she was "laid aground for the protection of the waters". She was sold on 13 March 1831.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
20-gun Sphinx-class
Sphinx class post ship
The Sphinx-class sailing sixth rates were a series of ten post ships built to a 1773 design by John Williams. Although smaller than true frigates, post ships were often referred to incorrectly as frigates....
post ship
Post ship
Post ship was a designation used in the Royal Navy during the Age of Sail to describe a ship of the sixth-rate that was smaller than a frigate , but by virtue of being a rated ship , had to have as its captain a post captain rather than a lieutenant or commander...
. Camilla was built in Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
to a design by John Williams and launched in 1776. She served in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, before being sold in 1831.
Service during the American Revolution
In 1776, Camilla captured the privateer schooner Independence, John Gill, master, of six carriage guns, eight swivelsSwivel gun
The term swivel gun usually refers to a small cannon, mounted on a swiveling stand or fork which allows a very wide arc of movement. Another type of firearm referred to as a swivel gun was an early flintlock combination gun with two barrels that rotated along their axes to allow the shooter to...
, and 50 men. She was on a cruise from Boston.This is not the Massachusetts State Navy
Massachusetts State Navy
The Massachusetts State Navy , a naval militia active during the American Revolutionary War was founded December 29, 1775, to defend the interests of Massachusetts from British forces....
brig Independence that captured in November 1796.
On 23 January 1777, 12 miles (19.3 km) north of Charlestown, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, Camilla, under Captain Charles Phipps, captured the American sloop Fanny, which was heading to that port from Cap-Français, Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
, with a cargo of molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
.
On 20 February 1777, Camilla and , Captain George Keith Elphinstone, captured the 170-ton snow, Adventure. They captured her 99 miles (159.3 km) northeast of Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, British West Indies, as she was going from Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
to St. Eustatius, Netherlands West Indies, with a cargo of fish, staves, spermacaeti
Spermaceti
Spermaceti is a wax present in the head cavities of the sperm whale . Originally mistaken for the whales' sperm , spermaceti is created in the spermaceti organ inside the whale's head and connected to its nasal passage...
candles and pine planks. Camilla fired eleven shots before the Adventure would stop. Perseus and Camilla shared the prize money. Eight days latter, Camilla captured the Ranger, William Davies, Master, which was sailing in ballast from St. Lucia.
April 1777 was a busy month for Camilla. On 6 April she captured the brig Willing Maid, bound from St. Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
, Danish West Indies, to Ocracoke Inlet
Ocracoke Inlet
Ocracoke Inlet is an estuary located in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, United States that separates Ocracoke Island and Portsmouth Island. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pamlico Sound. It is the southern terminus of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It is the northern terminus of the...
, North Carolina, with a cargo of sugar, rum, and salt. However, the brig sprang a leak and sank. On 11 April 1777, Camilla was patrolling with 44-gun frigate near the mouth of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, just north of the Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen is the southern cape of the Delaware Bay along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It lies in the state of Delaware, near the town of Lewes, Delaware...
lighthouse, when they came upon the American merchantman Morris. Gunfire from the two British vessels drove Morris ashore, where she suddenly blew up with such force that it shattered the windows on the British vessels. Reports indicate that Morris was carrying 35 tons of gunpowder and that the captain and six crewmen still on the vessel were laying a train of gunpowder to blow her up, when things went wrong. It is not clear whether the powder train burnt too quickly or a shot from Camilla or Roebuck set it off. What is clear is that the vessel disintegrated and all aboard her died in the explosion. Much of her cargo of arms was, however, salvageable, and Americans onshore were able to get it.
On the 15 and 20 April Camilla took two more prizes, carrying rum, molasses and sugar, and molasses, respectively, but there are no details available. On the 21 April, she captured the Perfect, Etienne Codnet, Master, bound from Cape Nichola
Môle Saint-Nicolas
Môle-Saint-Nicolas is a town in the Republic of Haiti. It is the chief town of the Môle-Saint-Nicolas Arrondissement in the department of Nord-Ouest...
, Hispaniola, with a cargo of molasses. Then on the 25 and 26 April she took two more unknown vessels, both carrying rum and rice. She also captured the Fonbonne, W. De Gallet, Master, and W. Galley, Owner, which was sailing from Cap-Français to Miquelon with a cargo of wine and molasses.
Camilla also captured several merchantmen in late 1777 or early 1778. On 15 November she captured the sloop Admiral Montague, sailing from Hispaniola to Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
with a cargo of molasses and coffee. That same day, she captured the Chance, Thomas Bell, Master, which was sailing to Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
with a cargo of flour and rum. Lastly, on 14 March 1778, Camilla captured the Polly, William Thompson, Master, which was sailing to Surinam in ballast.
When Philadelphia fell to the British in 1777, several American vessels found themselves trapped between the city and the British fleet further down the Delaware River. The Americans launched some three fire ship
Fire ship
A fire ship, used in the days of wooden rowed or sailing ships, was a ship filled with combustibles, deliberately set on fire and steered into an enemy fleet, in order to destroy ships, or to create panic and make the enemy break formation. Ships used as fire ships were usually old and worn out or...
s towards the British, but gunfire from Roebuck, Camilla, and other British vessels caused the Americans to set their ships on fire too soon, and to abandon them. British boats were able to pull the fire ships on shore where they could do no harm.
On 29 May 1779, Camilla was part of Admiral George Collier
George Collier
Sir George Collier was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Seven Years War, the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars. As commander of the frigate HMS Rainbow, he was one of the most successful British naval commanders during the opening stages of war...
's small flotilla that sailed up the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and captured Stony Point
Stony Point, New York
Stony Point is a triangle-shaped town in Rockland County, United States. Rockland County is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The town is located north of the town of Haverstraw, east and south of Orange County, New York, and west of the Hudson River and Westchester County. The population...
, two months later the site of the American victory in the Battle of Stony Point
Battle of Stony Point
The Battle of Stony Point was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on the night of July 15–16, 1779. A select force of Continental Army infantry made a coordinated surprise night attack and stormed a fortified position of the British Army on the Hudson River south of West Point, New...
. Amongst other services, she exchanged fire with Fort Lafayette
Fort Lafayette
Fort Lafayette was an island coastal fortification in the Narrows of New York Harbor, built offshore from Fort Hamilton at the southern tip of what is now Bay Ridge in the New York City borough of Brooklyn...
.
That summer, the British Fleet moved north. She was among the vessels sharing in the prize money for the capture, on 14 August, of the American privateer Hunter. Camilla then participated in the battle that on 15–16 August destroyed the American Penobscot Expedition
Penobscot Expedition
The Penobscot Expedition was the largest American naval expedition of the American Revolutionary War and the United States' worst naval defeat until Pearl Harbor...
.
During the autumn Camilla captured the brig Chance, John M'Kay Master, off Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
. The brig was sailing from St. Eustatius to Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
with a cargo of salt. Around this time she also captured the American vessels Mackerel, Marquis of Rockingham, the bark Adventure, the sloop Fanny, and the schooner Ranger. All were condemned and sold at Antigua. On 12 October she captured the brig Revenge.
In December Camilla sailed from New York to Charleston, South Carolina, with Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot's squadron. Thus, spring 1780, found Camilla, Captain Charles Phipps, participating at the Siege of Charleston
Siege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
. The city capitulated on 11 May. Camilla shared in the prize money resulting from the naval captures.
On 30 September, Camilla participated in the capture of the brigs Wasp, Potomack, and Portsmouth Hero, and the schooners Providence, Fanny and Betsey. Then on 1 November she took the schooner Henrico.
On 19 April 1781, Camilla took the sloop Ann.
Later service
In 1783, a mutiny aboard Camilla on the Jamaica station resulted in five men receiving 800 lashes.In September 1790, Camilla was reported to have brought the Duke of Sudermania
Södermanland
', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...
from Finland to the Swedish Royal Court at Drottningholm Palace
Drottningholm Palace
The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. It is located in Drottningholm. It is built on the island Lovön , and is one of Sweden's Royal Palaces. It was originally built in the late 16th century. It served as a residence of the Swedish royal court for most of...
.
French Revolutionary Wars
After receiving promotion to post-captain on 31 October 1795, Richard DacresRichard Dacres (Royal Navy officer)
Sir Richard Dacres, GCH was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars...
was appointed to command Camilla, which formed part of Richard Strachan's
Sir Richard Strachan, 6th Baronet
Sir Richard John Strachan, 6th Baronet GCB was a British officer of the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral.-Childhood:...
squadron in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
On 29 April 1796, Camilla was in company with , , , , , and , when Acquilon captured the Mary. On 24 December , , Camilla and the hired armed
Hired armed vessels
right|thumb|250px|Armed cutter, etching in the [[National Maritime Museum]], [[Greenwich]]During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Royal Navy made use of a considerable number of hired armed vessels...
cutter Grand Falconer, shared in the capture of the Esperance.
On 20 February 1997, Camilla captured the Heros. In March Captain Stephen Poyntz replaced Dacres. The next month, on 19 April, Diamond, Minerva, , the Grand Falconer and Camilla captured the American ship Favourite, which was carrying a cargo of flour. Then on 20 May, Camilla captured the Jeanie.
When Robert Larkan took command of Camilla in September 1797, he brought with him Richard Spencer
Richard Spencer RN
Captain Sir Richard Spencer KCH was a sea captain of the Royal Navy who served in a number of battles, particularly against the French. Later in life he settled in Albany, Western Australia and was appointed Government Resident in 1833...
, who would go on to become an admiral, be knighted, and become Government Resident in Albany, Western Australia
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
. On 6 November, Camilla took the Marianne.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, with the British General, Thomas Maitland on board. The British government had empowered him to pledge its support to General Toussaint Louverture.
In January 1800 Camilla managed to take three prizes. On 6 January she took the Jeune Aimie. Then six days later she captured Speculation, with the hired armed cutter Fly in sight. On 29 January Camilla took the Vigoteux, with the hired armed cutter Duchess of York in sight. Then on 15 March Camilla left Portsmouth as escort to a convoy for Newfoundland.
During the evening of 29 January 1801, off Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, Camilla captured the French privateer lugger Vigoureaux. Vigoureaux was armed with three guns, had a crew of 26 men and was 19 days out of Cherbourg, not having taken anything.
Later that year Camilla lost her mainmast in a storm while accompanying a convoy from Newfoundland to Britain. Though the storm scattered the convoy, Camilla arrived in Portsmouth, having found and escorted six vessels to Weymouth and Poole. In December 1801 Captain E. Brace replaced Larkan, only to be superseded in 1802 by Captain H. Hill. Hill sailed Camilla from Portsmouth for Newfoundland on 29 July; she returned to Portsmouth on 29 November.
Napoleonic Wars
Captain C. Woolaston briefly replaced Hill. Then in April 1803 Captain Brydges Watkinson Taylor took command of Camilla.On 15 August 1805, Camilla captured the French brig-corvette Faune. The 74-gun, third rate had seen three sail and joined the chase, helping Camilla to capture the Frenchman. Goliath, with in company, then sailed off to capture the French ship-corvette Torche on the next day. In December 1805, Taylor moved to a new frigate, the , and Captain Charles Upton replaced him.
Between 1807 and 1808 Camilla was in the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
under the command of Captain John Bowen, who had taken command in July 1806. On 2 March 1808, a party of about 200 marines and sailors from , , and Camilla, all under the command of Captain Pigot of Circe, landed near Grand Bourg on the island of Marie-Galante
Marie-Galante
Marie-Galante is an island of the Caribbean Sea located at the south of Guadeloupe and at north of Dominica. Marie-Galante is a dependence of Guadeloupe which is a french overseas department....
. The militia on the island quickly surrendered, together with their 13 guns, plus small arms and gunpowder. In 1825 the crews of the vessels , Cerberus, Circe and Camilla shared in the prize money arising out of the island's surrender.
On 3 November 1809, Camilla, under temporary captain William Henry Dillon, encountered the Drie Bebroeders. She was sailing from Norway under a Danish master and with a cargo of timber. On her deck were a number of wooden trucks for gun-carriages, which were obviously war material. The master stated that he was taking his cargo to Britain so Dillon let him proceed. After two hours, the merchant vessel was plainly heading toward the Dutch coast so Dillon caught up with the vessel and seized it. The master explained that he was sailing toward Holland only to avoid "the Lemon and Oar", a dangerous reef in the North Sea. Dillon knew that the master's explanation was inconsistent with the vessel's position and so sent the vessel to Britain as a prize.
Final years
Camilla was laid up in ordinaryReserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
at Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
in 1809, and then used as a floating breakwater. From 1814 to 1825 she served as a receiving ship until she was "laid aground for the protection of the waters". She was sold on 13 March 1831.