Hired armed cutter Idas
Encyclopedia
During the period of the Napoleonic Wars
, two vessels have served the Royal Navy
as the Hired armed
cutter Idas. The name Idas comes from Idas
, a figure from Greek mythology.
from 10 November 1808 to 5 September 1812. She was armed with ten 6-pounder guns and had a burthen of 142 tons (bm
).
On 1 December 1809, Idas was under the command of James Duncan and in company with the hired armed lugger Speculator, when they recaptured the Respect.
On 16 March 1810, boats from Idas and the hired armed cutter King George
brought out a French privateer schuyt, of four guns from the Texel
. They did so despite strong small arms fire from the shore.
In November 1812, the Custom-house officers of Arundel seized Idas while she was at anchor in the Downs and took her into Little Hampton harbour for having carried on an illicit trade.
both before and after her service with the Royal Navy.
, a figure from Greek mythology.
Lieutenant William Wells is the first officer on record as having commanded Idas. Initially she participated in the Gunboat War
. On 19 June 1809 she captured the Danish vessels Fortuna and Joannes. On 4 July she captured the Gunild Cecilia and the Fortuna. On 25 July she captured the privateer Haberbaden and then on 14 August the privateer Flora, of six guns and 30 men. Flora was nine miles from the Skaw
at the time. She had been six weeks out of Copenhagen and had taken only one prize, a Danish sloop, that Idas recaptured. Flora had recaptured the sloop after had captured her.
Then on 14 August Idas recaptured the Danish ship Laurentius and Maria. Next, on 6 September she captured the Margaretha Dorothea in company with the gun-brig . Two weeks later, on 20 September, she captured the Margaretha and the Tra Broders. On 7 October Idas captured the Danish sloops No. 59, Cecilia Maria, and Bonus. On 7 November 1809, she captured the Danish sloop Four Sisters while in company with the hired armed cutter Hero
.In 1811 the Danes would badly damage Hero and sink Hired armed cutter Swan
while the two were operating together near Uddevalla
. Two days later, on 9 November, Idas captured the Danish brig Resolution. A partial disbursement of the prize money Resolution amounted to £1400. Then at some point Idas captured the Haabet.
On 4 June 1810, while under the command of Lieutenant J. Rayson, Idas grounded on the end of Ellebourge Sand at the entrance on the Scheldt
where the French captured her.
The schooner Porgey
came to her rescue while under enemy fire, but also grounded and was burnt to avoid capture. A party from arrived with orders either to free Idas, or burn her if necessary to prevent the French from taking possession. The officer commanding the party, Lieutenant Langley was not in uniform, and though he was two years Rayson's junior, Rayson mistook him for Drakes captain. Langley ordered Rayson to leave with his crew, which Rayson did, understanding that Langley would blow up Idas. Langley left with his men on the last boat, not having set fire to Idas but instead intending to return after he had delivered his men back to Drake. Langley was, however, unable to return due to the swiftness of the currents and fire from the shore. Consequently, the French were able to capture Idas. The court martial for the loss of the Idas reprimanded Langley for his actions.
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...
, two vessels have served the Royal Navy
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...
as 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 Idas. The name Idas comes from Idas
Idas
In Greek mythology, Idas was a son of Aphareus and Arene and brother of Lynceus. He and Lynceus loved Hilaeira and Phoebe and fought with their rival suitors, Castor and Polydeuces, killing the mortal brother Castor. He was also one of the Argonauts and a participant in the hunt for the Calydonian...
, a figure from Greek mythology.
The first Idas
The first Idas was a cutter that served the Royal NavyRoyal 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...
from 10 November 1808 to 5 September 1812. She was armed with ten 6-pounder guns and had a burthen of 142 tons (bm
Builder's Old Measurement
Builder's Old Measurement is the method of calculating the size or cargo capacity of a ship used in England from approximately 1720 to 1849. It estimated the tonnage of a ship based on length and maximum beam...
).
On 1 December 1809, Idas was under the command of James Duncan and in company with the hired armed lugger Speculator, when they recaptured the Respect.
On 16 March 1810, boats from Idas and the hired armed cutter King George
Hired armed cutter King George
The Royal Navy used several vessels that were described as the hired armed cutter King George. Some of these may have been the same vessel on repeat contract.-First hired armed cutter King George:...
brought out a French privateer schuyt, of four guns from the Texel
Texel
Texel is a municipality and an island in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the biggest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea, and also the westernmost of this archipelago, which extends to Denmark...
. They did so despite strong small arms fire from the shore.
In November 1812, the Custom-house officers of Arundel seized Idas while she was at anchor in the Downs and took her into Little Hampton harbour for having carried on an illicit trade.
Letters of marque
This Idas may have served as a privateer under a Letter of MarqueLetter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
both before and after her service with the Royal Navy.
- On 24 December 1807, an Idas, cutter under the command of John May, of 141 tons burthen and fourteen 6-pounder guns, received a Letter of Marque.
- On 12 January 1814, an Idas, cutter under the command of Thomas Newton, of 141 tons burthen and sixteen 9 and 6-pounder guns, received a Letter of Marque.
The second Idas
The second Idas was a cutter of 10 guns and 102 tons burthen (bm) that served the Royal Navy from 21 April 1809 until she grounded and was captured on 4 June 1810.The name Idas comes from IdasIdas
In Greek mythology, Idas was a son of Aphareus and Arene and brother of Lynceus. He and Lynceus loved Hilaeira and Phoebe and fought with their rival suitors, Castor and Polydeuces, killing the mortal brother Castor. He was also one of the Argonauts and a participant in the hunt for the Calydonian...
, a figure from Greek mythology.
Lieutenant William Wells is the first officer on record as having commanded Idas. Initially she participated in the Gunboat War
Gunboat War
The Gunboat War was the naval conflict between Denmark–Norway and the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The war's name is derived from the Danish tactic of employing small gunboats against the conventional Royal Navy...
. On 19 June 1809 she captured the Danish vessels Fortuna and Joannes. On 4 July she captured the Gunild Cecilia and the Fortuna. On 25 July she captured the privateer Haberbaden and then on 14 August the privateer Flora, of six guns and 30 men. Flora was nine miles from the Skaw
Skaw
Skaw is a tiny settlement on the Shetland island of Unst. It is located north of Haroldswick on a peninsula in the northeast corner of the island, and is the most northerly settlement in the United Kingdom...
at the time. She had been six weeks out of Copenhagen and had taken only one prize, a Danish sloop, that Idas recaptured. Flora had recaptured the sloop after had captured her.
Then on 14 August Idas recaptured the Danish ship Laurentius and Maria. Next, on 6 September she captured the Margaretha Dorothea in company with the gun-brig . Two weeks later, on 20 September, she captured the Margaretha and the Tra Broders. On 7 October Idas captured the Danish sloops No. 59, Cecilia Maria, and Bonus. On 7 November 1809, she captured the Danish sloop Four Sisters while in company with the hired armed cutter Hero
Hired armed cutter Hero
Two vessels served the Royal Navy as the Hired armed cutter Hero. Under the command of Lieutenant John Reynolds, the second hired armed cutter Hero captured some 30 merchantmen during the Gunboat War before the Royal Navy returned her to her owners...
.In 1811 the Danes would badly damage Hero and sink Hired armed cutter Swan
Hired armed cutter Swan
During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars the Admiralty also made use of hired armed vessels, one of which was the Hired armed cutter Swan. Actually there were two such cutters, but the descriptions of these vessels and the dates of their service are such that they may well represent one...
while the two were operating together near Uddevalla
Uddevalla
Uddevalla is a city and the seat of Uddevalla Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 30,513 inhabitants in 2005.It is located at the bay Byfjorden, of the south-eastern part of the sea known as Skagerrak...
. Two days later, on 9 November, Idas captured the Danish brig Resolution. A partial disbursement of the prize money Resolution amounted to £1400. Then at some point Idas captured the Haabet.
On 4 June 1810, while under the command of Lieutenant J. Rayson, Idas grounded on the end of Ellebourge Sand at the entrance on the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
where the French captured her.
The schooner Porgey
HMS Porgey (1807)
HMS Porgey was a Royal Navy Ballahoo-class schooner of four 12-pounder carronades and a crew of 20. The prime contractor for the vessel was Goodrich & Co., in Bermuda, and she was launched in 1804...
came to her rescue while under enemy fire, but also grounded and was burnt to avoid capture. A party from arrived with orders either to free Idas, or burn her if necessary to prevent the French from taking possession. The officer commanding the party, Lieutenant Langley was not in uniform, and though he was two years Rayson's junior, Rayson mistook him for Drakes captain. Langley ordered Rayson to leave with his crew, which Rayson did, understanding that Langley would blow up Idas. Langley left with his men on the last boat, not having set fire to Idas but instead intending to return after he had delivered his men back to Drake. Langley was, however, unable to return due to the swiftness of the currents and fire from the shore. Consequently, the French were able to capture Idas. The court martial for the loss of the Idas reprimanded Langley for his actions.