HMS Orpheus (1780)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Orpheus.

History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Orpheus
Ordered	2 October 1778
Builder	Adams & Barnard, Deptford
Laid down	7 July 1779
Launched	3 June 1780
Completed	By 15 July 1780
Fate	Wrecked on 23 January 1807
General characteristics
Class and type	32-gun fifth-rate Amazon-class frigate (1773) frigate
Tons burthen	68866⁄94 (bm)
Length	126 ft 4 in (38.5 m) (overall) 104 ft 8 in (31.9 m) (keel)
Beam	35 ft 2+1⁄4 in (10.7 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft (3.7 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	220
Armament	Upper deck: 26 x 12-pounder guns QD: 4 x 6-pounder guns + 4 x 18-pounder carronades Fc: 2 x 6-pounder guns + 2 x 18-pounder carronades

HMS Orpheus was a 32–gun fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1780, and served for more than a quarter of a century, before she was wrecked in 1807.

American War of Independence

On 14 April 1781, Orpheus and HMS Roebuck captured the USS Confederacy off the Delaware. The Royal Navy briefly took her into service as HMS Confederate.

In March 1782, Orpheus captured the American letter of marque Navarro. The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Polecat.

French Revolutionary Wars

1792 Orpheus sailed to the leeward Island under the command of Captain Henry Newcombe, 1793 sailed to the East Indies. On 5 May 1794, Orpheus captured the French frigate Duguay Trouin, the former East Indiaman Princess Royal, which the French had captured on 27 September 1793.

On 22 June 1796 Orpheus was in the Straits of Banca, where she captured the Dutch brig Harlingen. The British took Harlingen into service as HMS Amboyna.

In August 1797 Orpheus was reported as being in Madras and Captain William Hill was appointed commander.

Napoleonic Wars

On 16 April 1806, Orpheus, Captain Thomas Briggs, was in company with the revenue cutter Badger. They shared in the proceeds of the capture of two merchant vessels, Vrou Fingina and Vyf Gesusters.

Fate

Orpheus, under the command of Captain Thomas Briggs, arrived off Jamaica from England in the evening of 22 January 1807. Being short of water, Briggs decided to try to sail her into Port Royal, rather than wait for a pilot. Around midnight Orpheus grounded on a reef that was not accurately marked on her charts. Efforts to lighten her failed and she took on water. When the water reached her main deck, the crew took to the boats, abandoning her.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Hepper, David J. (1994). British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650-1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot. ISBN 0-948864-30-3.
• Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-86176-295-5.