List of shipwrecks in 1781

The List of shipwrecks in 1781 includes some ships sunk, wrecked or otherwise lost during 1781.

January

HMS Culloden ( Royal Navy): American Revolutionary War: The third rate ship of the line ran aground at Montauk, New York, United States. She was set afire in March 1781 to prevent capture.

Theresa ( Dutch Republic): The brigantine was driven ashore and wrecked at West Bexington, Dorset, Great Britain.^[1]

Amsterdam ( Sweden): The brigantine was driven ashore and wrecked at West Bexington, Dorset, Great Britain with the loss of five of her crew.^[1]

General Barker ( British East India Company): The East Indiaman was lost off the Dutch coast.^[2]

Fame ( United States): The privateer foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off Peck's Beach, New Jersey.^[3]

La Couronne ( French Navy): The Saint-Esprit-class ship of the line was destroyed by fire at Brest, Finistère.

HMS Greyhound ( Royal Navy): The Mermaid-class frigate was wrecked off Deal, Kent.

Serapis ( France): The privateer caught fire, exploded and sank off the coast of Madagascar with the loss of eight of the 223 people on board.

Holland ( Dutch Republic Navy): Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, Battle of Dogger Bank: The ship of the line foundered following the battle.
Vénus ( French Navy): The frigate was wrecked off the Glénan Islands, Finistère. Her crew were rescued.

HMS Terrible ( Royal Navy): American Revolutionary War, Battle of the Chesapeake: The Ramillies-class ship of the line was set afire and scuttled following damage sustained in battle.

Betsey ( Great Britain: American Revolutionary War: The ship was sunk in the York River, Virginia, United States,^[4]

HMS Charon ( Royal Navy): American Revolutionary War, Siege of Yorktown: The fifth rate was set of fire and sank in the York River, Virginia, United States.^[4]
HMS Fowey ( Royal Navy): American Revolutionary War, Siege of Yorktown: The sixth rate fire ship was scuttled in the York River.
HMS Guadeloupe ( Royal Navy): American Revolutionary War, Siege of Yorktown: The Coventry-class frigate was scuttled in the York River. Subsequently salvaged by the French and entered service with the French Navy.
HMS Vulcan ( Royal Navy): American Revolutionary War, Siege of Yorktown: The fireship was scuttled in the York River

Officeuse France): The storeship was wrecked at Casamance, Portuguese Guinea. She was on a voyage from Bordeaux, Gironde to Senegal.

Caterina ( Great Britain): The ship was wrecked at Sker Point, Glamorgan. The wreck was looted by local inhabitants, several off whom were arrested and imprisoned. One was later hanged.^[5]

Lively ( United States): The schooner foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off Montauk, New York.^[6]
Swallow ( Great Britain): The ship was lost at Tortola before 22 June. Her crew were rescued.^[7]

↑ 1.0 1.1 "Historical List of Shipwrecks at Chesil Beach & from Bridport to Lyme Regis". Burton Bradstock Online. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
↑ "Losses from the East India Company's ships (1763 - 1815)". Ocean Treasures. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
↑ "The Fame Treasure Shipwreck". Aqua Explorers. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
↑ 4.0 4.1 "Cornwallis's Ships". Remember Yorktown. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
↑ Tovey, Ron. "BRISTOL CHANNEL SHIPWRECKS". Swansea Docks. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
↑ "The Lively Shipwreck". Aqua Explorers. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
↑ Towle, Edward L.; Marx, Robert F.; Albright, Alan B. (December 1976). "Shipwrecks of the Virgin Islands. An Inventory, 1523 - 1825". Virgin Islands: Island Resources Foundation. Retrieved 2 January 2015.