HMS Amethyst
The Penelope class 5th rate 36 gun frigate HMS Amethyst was built in 1797 to a Henslow design, and was launched in Deptford in 1797. She was the second Royal Navy vessel with the name Amethyst (12). HMS Amethyst was wrecked on the 15 February 1811 on the rocks near Mount Batten (4).
Whilst at anchor in Plymouth Sound, the Amethyst was ordered to join the blockading squadron off Brest, taking with her extra provisions, which included a number of live bullocks. On 15th February, her captain Jacob Walton went ashore to hurry up the provisioning, leaving orders that the ship was to be ready to sail early the following day. In readiness, one anchor was weighed, leaving her lying to her best bower anchor only, an action approved by the captain on his return. That night it became windy, with frequent rain squalls, and by midnight she was dragging. Orders were given to let go a second anchor, but before she could be brought up, she grounded on the rocks near Cony Cliff, Mount Batten. She swung beam on to the shore and bilged immediately. The ship's boats were hoised out and her masts were cut away. Signal guns were fired for assistance, rockets thrown and blue lights lit, but the wind was so strong it prevented any other boats being sent until daylight (9).
Messrs Richard Crosby, John Davis, and Michael Bruce, masters of the Lavinia, Diana, and Jane transports, and Thomas Pope, foreman to Mr Blackburn of Turnchapel, were the first four who volunteered to go in a boat; they succeeded in getting alongside the wreck, and brought on shore 5 or 16 men. Mr Thomas Pope then left the boat, and William Robson (a seaman belonging to the Lavinia) went in his place; they reached the wreck a second time and returned with 17 or 18 men; they went off the third time but the people from the frigate anxious to get on shore overloaded the boat, and when about midway between the wreck and the shore it unfortunately overset and it is supposed about thirty perished. Mr Crosby and his lad were miraculously saved on part of the wreck and finally succeeded in getting on board the ship; Mr Davis got on a rock near the shore and was washed off two or three times, the surf so high it was impossible to give him assistance: he was providentially driven on shore at last by the waves, though nearly exhausted; poor Mr Bruce was never seen more. Of unimpeachable good character and morals, he left a wife and six children to lament his untimely death (1). The body of Mr James Harrison, a midshipman of the Amethyst, was picked up on 25 February and interred in Stoke Damerel churchyard, Dock [Devonport].
Once the Amethyst was ashore they made plans to float her using lumps (lighters) and 250 casks. They spent the next three weeks trying to get her afloat before giving up due to strong westerly gales. In the process of trying to recover the ship they removed everything to lighten her; stores, provisions, guns, gun carriages, sails, cables and iron ballast, even the bread went overboard. The ship was beating against the rocks and by the 8th March they found that the quarter, main and lower decks had all fallen in. The following day the carpenters went in to break her up and take the timber back to the dockyard (9,10,11).
On Tuesday 19th March a Court Martial was held on board HM Ship Salvador del Mundo to try Captain Walton, the Officers and Ship’s Company for the loss of the Amethyst. Both the Captain and the Master were severely reprimanded and the Master was reduced to serving in nothing higher than a sixth rate ship for 12 months (9).
An as-built plan of the Amethyst is available at the National Maritime Museum.
Images
Amethyst captures Thetis in 1808 |
References
(1) Grocott T., 1997, Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Eras, Chatham Publishing, ISBN 1 86176 030 2, p260
(2) Lecky H.S., 1913, The King's Ships
(3) Hepper D., 1994, British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, Jean Boudriot Publications, ISBN 0948864303
(4) Lyon D., 1993, The Sailing Navy List, Conway Maritime Press,ISBN 0 85177 864 X, p124
(5) Colledge J., 1969, Ships of the Royal Navy Vols 1 & 2, David and Charles, ISBN 71534353X
(6) Gosset W.P., 1986, The Lost Ships of the Royal Navy 1793-1900, Mansell Publishing Ltd, ISBN 0720118166
(7) Larn R. & Larn B., 1995, Shipwreck Index of the British Isles Vol. 1, Lloyds Register of Shipping, ISBN 0 900528 88 5
(8) PastScape Amethyst, English Heritage, Accessed Dec 2011
(9) Minutes of the Proceedings of a Court Martial for the Loss of the Amethyst, National Archives
(10) Capt. Walton J., Narrative of the Loss of His Majesty’s ship Amethyst, National Archives
(11) Ships Log of HMS Amethyst, National Archives
(12) Lecky H.S., 1913, The King's Ships, Horace Muirhead, 1913
