HMS Milford (1759)
| Career (Great Britain) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Milford |
| Ordered: | 19 September 1757 |
| Builder: | Richard Chitty, Milford |
| Laid down: | November 1757 |
| Launched: | 20 September 1759 |
| Completed: | 28 December 1759 |
| Commissioned: | July 1759 |
| Fate: | Sold to be taken to pieces at Woolwich 17 May 1785 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | 28-gun Coventry-class sixth-rate frigate |
| Tons burthen: | 588 72⁄94 bm |
| Length: | 118 ft 3 in (36.0 m) (gundeck) 97 ft 5 in (29.7 m) (keel) |
| Beam: | 33 ft 9 in (10.3 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement: | 200 officers and men |
| Armament: | Upperdeck: 24 × 9-pounder guns |
HMS Milford was a 28-gun Coventry-class sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy.
On June 6, 1776, the Milford captured the American privateer Yankee Hero, a 14-gun, single-deck sloop, after a two hour battle. The Americans had believed they were chasing a merchantman, but reversed course when they came close enough to recognize the British ship of war. The Milford gave chase and caught up to the much smaller ship after about an hour, firing only bow chasers until she was able to come along and give a full broadside. The Yankee Hero's sails were shredded and almost half her crew incapacitated. Her commander, Captain James Tracy ordered the surrender when they were no longer able to either fight or flee. Four or five of the Yankee Hero's crew were killed and twelve or thirteen wounded, including the captain.[1]
On 15 March 1779, the British warships Apollo, Porcupine, and Milford captured the French privateer cutter Tapageur.[2] The Royal Navy took her into service under her existing name.
References
- ↑ "Privateer Yankee Hero". The Essex Journal. August 22, 1776. Retrieved 2012-11-05.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 12016. p. 4. 21 September 1779.
- Robert Gardiner, The First Frigates, Conway Maritime Press, London 1992. ISBN 0-85177-601-9.
- David Lyon, The Sailing Navy List, Conway Maritime Press, London 1993. ISBN 0-85177-617-5.
- Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1714 to 1792, Seaforth Publishing, London 2007. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.
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