HMS Royal Sovereign (1786)
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| Career (UK) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Royal Sovereign |
| Ordered: | 3 February 1786 |
| Builder: | Plymouth Dockyard |
| Laid down: | 7 January 1774 |
| Launched: | 11 September 1786 |
| Renamed: | HMS Captain, 17 August 1825 |
| Honours and awards: |
Participated in: |
| Fate: | Broken up, 1841 |
| Notes: | Harbour service from 1826 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | 100-gun first rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen: | 2175 tons (2209.9 tonnes) |
| Length: | 183 ft 10½ in (56.0 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam: | 52 ft 1 in (15.9 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 22 ft 2½ in (6.8 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Armament: |
100 guns:
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HMS Royal Sovereign was a 100-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, which served as the flagship of Admiral Collingwood at the Battle of Trafalgar. She was the third of seven Royal Navy ships to bear the name. Designed by Sir Edward Hunt, she was launched at Plymouth Dockyard on September 11, 1786, at a cost of £67,458, and was the only ship built to her draught.
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 Ana, 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 Ana 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 HMS Captain on August 17, 1825. Becoming a hulk in June 1826, Captain was finally broken up at Plymouth, with work being completed on August 28, 1841. Four of her guns were saved and are incorporated in the Collingwood Memorial in Tynemouth.
[edit] References
- 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.
