HMS Royal Sovereign (1786)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

HMS Royal Sovereign (1786) was a 100-gun 1st rate ship of the line which served as the flagship of Admiral Collingwood at the Battle of Trafalgar. She was the third of seven Royal Navy ships to bear this name. Designed by Sir John Williams, she was launched at Plymouth Dockyard September 11, 1786, at a cost of L67,458. She was of 2193 tons burthen, with gundeck length 186' 0" and breadth 52' 0". She mounted 100 great guns on her 3 full gundecks, quarterdeck, and forecastle.

On June 16, 1795, as the flagship of Vice-Admiral William Cornwallis, she was involved in the celebrated episode known as "Cornwallis' Retreat".

The first ship of the fleet in action at Trafalgar on October 21, 1805, she led one column of warships; Nelson's Victory led the other. Due to the re-coppering of her hull prior to her arrival off Cadiz Royal Sovereign was a considerably better sailer, in the light winds present that day, than other vessels, and pulled well ahead of the rest of the fleet. As she cut the enemy line alone and engaged the Spanish flagship Santa Anna, Nelson pointed to her and said, "See how that noble fellow Collingwood carries his ship into action!" At approximately the same moment, Collingwood remarked to his captain, "What would Nelson give to be here?"

Although pounded nearly to a wreck by the Spanish fleet, she forced Santa Anna to surrender and was herself rescued by the arrival of the rest of her column.

After her useful active life she was converted to harbour service as a receiving ship at Plymouth before being renamed Captain on August 17, 1825. Becoming a hulk in June, 1826, this Royal Sovereign was finally broken up at Plymouth, completed August 28, 1841. Four of her guns were saved and are incorporated in the Collingwood Memorial in Tynemouth.

See HMS Royal Sovereign for other ships of this name