HMS Caesar (1793)

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HMS Caesar engaging Mont Blanc at the Battle of Cape Ortegal, 4 November 1805
History
Great Britain
NameHMS Caesar
OrderedNovember 1783
BuilderPlymouth Dockyard
Laid down24 January 1786
Launched16 November 1793
FateBroken up, 1821
Notes
General characteristics [1]
Class and type80-gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen2002 7494 (bm)
Length181 ft (55 m) (gundeck)
Beam51 ft 3 in (15.62 m)
Depth of hold22 ft 4 in (6.81 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 80 guns:
  • Gundeck: 30 × 32 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 32 × 24 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 14 × 9 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 4 × 9 pdrs

HMS Caesar, also Cæsar, was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 16 November 1793 at Plymouth. She was designed by Sir Edward Hunt, and was the only ship built to her draught.[1] She was also one of only two British-built 80-gun ships of the period, the other being HMS Foudroyant.

Service[edit]

In 1798, some of her crew were court-martialed for mutiny.[2]

Battle of Algeciras Bay[edit]

Caesar preparing to sail against the combined Squadron of France & Spain, meeting on the Afternoon of 12 July 1801

She was involved in the Battle of Algeciras Bay in 1801, during which her Master, William Grave, was killed[3]

Battle of Cape Ortegal[edit]

The Battle of Cape Ortegal was the final action of the Trafalgar Campaign, and was fought between a squadron of the Royal Navy and a remnant of the fleet that had been destroyed several weeks earlier at the Battle of Trafalgar. It took place on 4 November 1805 off Cape Ortegal, in north-west Spain and saw a squadron under Captain Sir Richard Strachan in Caesar defeat and capture a French squadron under Rear-Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley.

Battle of Les Sables-d'Olonne[edit]

In 1809, she took part in the Battle of Les Sables-d'Olonne.

Fate[edit]

She was converted to serve as a depot ship in 1814, and was broken up in 1821.[1]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 183.
  2. ^ MacDougall, Phillip (2022). "The Naval Mutinies of 1798". The Mariner's Mirror. 108 (4). Society for Nautical Research: 423–438.
  3. ^ McCarthy, The Road to McCarthy. p.10

References[edit]

  • Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
  • McCarthy, Pete (2003) The Road to McCarthy Sceptre. ISBN 0-340-76607-7.

External links[edit]