This Day in Naval History

Calendar These pages list the key dates in the history of the sailing navies of the world.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30

01 November	1806	Boats of HMS Pique (40), Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross, in Carbaret Bay, Puerto Rico.
	1809	Boats of HMS Tigre (80), Cptn. Ben. Hallowell, HMS Cumberland (74), Cptn. Hon. P. Whodhouse, HMS Volontaire, HMS Apollo (38), Cptn. Bridges W. Taylor, HMS Topaze (38), Cptn. Henry Hope, HMS Philomel (18), George Crawley, HMS Scout (18), William Raitt, and HMS Tuscan (16), Cptn. Wilson, captured or destroyed all the vessels of a convoy in Rosas Bay.
	1811	HMS Imperieuse (38), Cptn, Hon. Henry Duncan, HMS Thames and army units took Palinuro Heights and, in the harbour, sank 2 gunboats, took 6 gunboats and took 22 feluccas in 3 day engagement.
	1813	HMS Snap (12), William Bateman Dashwood, captured the French privateer lugger Lion (16) off St. Valery
	1841	"Mosquito Fleet" commanded by Lt. Cdr. J. T. McLaughlin, USN, carries 750 Sailors and Marines into the Everglades to fight the Seminole Indians.
02 November	1758	HMS Antelope (50), Cptn. Thomas Saumarez, captured French ship Belliqueux (64) off Ilfracombe
	1780	HMS Zephyr (14), Cptn, John Inglis, took French corvette Senegal (18), Lt. D'Allery, off Barra Point at the entrance of the River Gambia. The French set fire to an armed transport and two sloops before the engagement.
	1806	Boats of HMS Pique (40), Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross, took one privateer and destroyed another off Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rica.
	1809	HMS Victor (18) captured by French frigate Bellone in the Bay of Bengal.
	1839	HMS Volage (28), Cptn. Henry Smith, and HMS Hyacinth (18), William Warren, engaged 29 Chinese war junks and put them to flight.
03 November	1758	HMS Buckingham (70), Cptn Richard Tyrrel, engaged French Florissant (74) and two large French frigates
	1796	HMS Helena Sloop (14), Cptn. Jermyn John Symonds, wrecked on the coast of Holland.
	1809	HMS Curieux (18), Henry George Moysey, wrecked in the West Indies.
	1839	HMS Volage (28), Cptn. Henry Smith, and HMS Hyacinth (18), William Warren, engaged war junks in Canton River.
	1840	Bombardment and fall of Acre.
	1853	USS Constitution seizes suspected slaver H. N. Gambrill.
04 November	1778	HMS Maidstone (28), Cptn. Alan Gardner, took French Lion (40) about 60 leagues to the east of Cape Henry.
	1800	HMS Marlborough (74), Cptn. Thomas Sotheby, wrecked on the Bervadeux Shoal, near L'Orient, France.
	1803	Boats of HMS Blanche (36), Cptn. Zachary Mudge, cut out a French schooner and Albion.
	1805	Battle of Cape Ortegal. British squadron, under Rear Admiral Sir Richard Strachan, of HMS Caesar (80), HMS Hero (74), Cptn. Hon. A. H. Gardner, HMS Courageux (74), HMS Namur (90) and four frigates, defeated and captured a French squadron, under Rear Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley, of Formidable (80), Scipion (74), Duguay-Trouin (74) and Mont Blanc (74) that had escaped from the Battle of Trafalgar two weeks previously.
	1806	HMS Redbridge (12), Lt. Edward Burt, wrecked near Providence
	1810	Boats of HMS Blossom, George Pigot, captured Cesar.
	1834	HMS Nimble (5), Chas. Bolton, wrecked in the Old Bahama Channel
05 November	1775	Commodore Esek Hopkins appointed to Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy.
	1783	HMS Superb (74), driven from her anchors in Tellicherry Roads, struck a rock and sank.
	1799	HMS Sceptre (64), Cptn. Valentine Edwards, wrecked in storm after dragging anchors and drifting in Table Bay. HMS Orestes (18), Cptn. W. Haggitt, foundered during a cyclone in the Indian Ocean
	1813	British squadron, under Vice Ad. Sir Edward Pellew, of HMS Caledonia (120), Cptn. Jeremiah Coghlan, HMS San Josef (112), Cptn. William Stewart, HMS Boyne (98), Cptn. George Burlton, HMS Pompée (80), Cptn. Sir James Athol Wood, HMS Scipion (74), Cptn. Henry Heathcote, HMS Mulgrave (74), Cptn. Thomas John Maling, HMS Pembroke (74), and HMS Armada (74), Cptn. Charles Grant, engaged the French Mediterranean Fleet of 14 French ships-of-the-line and 7 frigates including Wagram (130), François Legras, Agamemnon (74), Ulm (74), Magnanime (74), Borée (74), Pauline (40), Melpomène (40), Charles Beville, Pénélope (40) and Galatée (40) off Cape Sepet. HMS Tweed (18), William Mather, wrecked on a rock in Shoal Bay, Newfoundland
	1816	HMS Briseis (10), George Dourett, wrecked on reef off Point Pedras, Cuba.
06 November	1794	HMS Canada (74), Cptn. Charles Powell Hamilton, and HMS Alexander (74), Cptn. Richard Rodney Bligh, which had been escorting merchantmen as far as the western approaches, were chased by a French squadron of five 74's and three large frigates, under Rear Ad. Neilly. After separating to confuse they tried to rejoin for mutual support but Alexander was taken.
	1798	Horatio Nelson created Baron Nelson of The Nile.
	1799	HMS Speedy (14), Jahleel Brenton, engaged twelve Spanish gunboats off Europa Point protecting her convoy.
	1807	Boats of HMS Renommee (44), Cptn. Sir Thomas Livingstone, and HMS Grasshopper (18), Thomas Searle, under a heavy fire of grape and canister from the Torre de Estacio, near Cartagena, took possession of a Spanish brig (6) and a French tartan (6). With little wind and a strong current both ran aground and it was impossible to get them off. They were not burnt when abandoned due to the number of men, women and children, many wounded, on board.
	1813	HMS Woolwich (44), Cdr. Thomas Ball Sulivan, wrecked off Barbados.
07 November	1795	HMS Scourge (14), William Stap, foundered off the Dutch coast
	1800	HMS Netley (16), Lt. Francis Godolphin Bond, captured Spanish privateer schooner San Miguel (9) off Lisbon.
	1808	HMS Excellent (74), Cptn. John West, and HMS Meteor engaged French land forces at Rosas.
	1861	US Naval forces under Rear Admiral Samuel F. DuPont capture Port Royal Sound, SC.
08 November	1810	Boats of HMS Quebec (32), Cptn. Charles Sibthorp Hawtayne, captured French privateer schooner Jeune Louise from her anchorage in the Vlie Stroom.
	1813	Boats of HMS Revenge (74), Cptn. Sir John Gore, cut out a French privateer. HMS Atalante, Frederick Hickey, wrecked off Halifax by running on the Sisters Rocks, or the eastern ledge, off Sambro Is. having mistaken guns fired by HMS Barrosa (36) for the fog-signal guns at the lighthouse on the same island.
	1861	Cptn. Charles Wilkes seizes two Confederate diplomats from the British steamer Trent, causing an international controversy with Great Britain (known as the Trent Affair).
09 November	1742	George Rodney promoted Captain
	1800	HMS Havick (16), Philip Bartholmew, wrecked in St. Aubin's Bay, Jersey.
	1805	Cuthbert Collingwood promoted to Vice-Admiral.
	1810	HMS Conflict Brig (12) foundered in the Bay of Biscay.
	1813	Batteries at Port Nouvelle captured by HMS Undaunted (38), Cptn. Thomas Ussher, and HMS Guadeloupe (16), Arthur Stowe.
10 November	1716	HMS August (60), Cptn. Robert Johnson, ran ashore on the island of Anholt during heavy weather.
	1721	HMS Royal Anne Galley (42), Cptn. Francis Willis, wrecked during a gale off Lizard Point, Cornwall
	1777	HMS Siren (28) ran aground at Rhode Island
	1805	HMS Biter Gun-brig (12), Lt. George Thomas Wingate, wrecked near Calais.
	1807	HMS Leveret Sloop (18), Richard James O'Connor, wrecked on the Albion Shoal, Galloper Rock, near Great Yarmouth in a gale.
	1808	HMS Amethyst (36), Cptn. Michael Seymour, captured French frigate Thetis (44), Cptn. Pinsun (Killed in Action).
11 November	1758	Adam Duncan was promoted to First Lieutenant of HMS Torbay
	1779	HMS Tartar (28) took Spanish frigate Santa Marqarita (28) off Cape Finisterre.
	1806	HMS Sceptre (74), Cptn. Joseph Bingham, and HMS Cornwallis (54), Cptn. Charles James Johnston, engaged frigate Semillante and batteries in St. Paul's Bay, Isle of Bourbon.
	1807	HMS William ran aground off Gut of Canso
	1811	HMS Skylark (16), James Boxer, and HMS Locust (16), Lt. John Gedge, engaged 12 gunbrigs of the Boulogne flotilla. They cut out gunboat No. 26 (4), Enseigne Bouchet, and drove the flotilla commodore ashore in the Calais Roads.
12 November	1699	HMS Biddeford (20), Cptn. Samuel Martin, wrecked on Point Baque.
	1795	HMS Fleche (14) wrecked on reef of Rocks off Fernelli Tower, Saint Fiorenzo's Bay, Mediterranean.
	1797	HMS Cerberus (32), Cptn. J. Drew, captured French ship-privateer Epervier (16)
	1806	Boats of HMS Galatea (32), Cptn. George Sayer, captured schooner Reunion (10), off Guadeloupe.
	1810	Start of engagement by HMS Diana (38), Cptn. Charles Grant, HMS Niobe (38), Cptn J. W. Loring, HMS Donegal (80), Cptn. Pulteney Malcolm, and HMS Revenge (74), Cptn. Charles Paget, engaged 2 French frigates which went ashore at La Hogue and Tatillon.
13 November	1776	Cptn. John Paul Jones in Alfred with brig Providence captures British transport Mellish, carrying winter uniforms later used by Washington's troops.
	1797	Boats of HMS Fairy (16), Cptn. Joshua Sydney Horton, captured privateer Epervier (2), a lugger, in Whitesand Bay.
	1800	HMS Milbrook (18), Lt. Matthew Smith, captured French privateer Bellone (36) whilst escorting a convoy off Oporto. She afterwards escaped using sweeps when Milbrook could not take possession due to damage sustained.
	1807	HMS Carrier (10), Lt. Robert Ramsey, captured privateer cutter Actif (2), Norbet Corenwinder.
	1809	HMS Chiffonne (36), Commodore John Wainwright, HMS Caroline (36), Cptn. Charles Gordon, HEICS Mornington (22), HEICS Ternate (16), HEICS Aurora (14), HEICS Mercury (14), HEICS Nautilus (14), HEICS Prince of Wales (14), HEICS Vestal (10), HEICS Ariel (10), HEICS Fury (8) and HEICS Stromboli bomb-ketch destroyed more than fifty Joasmi pirate vessels at Ras-al-Khaimah in the Persian Gulf.
	1816	HMS Tay (18), Cptn. Samuel Roberts, wrecked in Gulf of Mexico off the Yucatan coast.
	1840	HMS Fairy (10) wrecked on the Sussex coast.
14 November	1745	HMS Fox (24), Cptn. Edmund Beavor, foundered off Dunbar when she was driven ashore in a violent gale.
	1755	HMS Orford (70) captured French Esperance (74), Cptn. Louis Jubert de Bouville.
	1797	HMS Cerberus (32), Cptn. J. Drew, captured privateer Renard (18).
	1803	Boats of HMS Blenheim (90), Cptn. Thomas Graves, HMS Drake, Cptn. William Ferris, and HMS Swift hired cutter (12), Lt. Edward Hawker, stormed a fort, spiking the guns and blowing up the magazine, and captured French privateer L'Harmonie (8) at Marin St. Ann's Bay, Martinique.
	1808	Boats of HMS Polyphemus (64), Cptn. W. Price Cumby, French national schooner captured Colibri (3) off San Domingo.
	1846	US Naval forces capture Tampico, Mexico.
15 November	1777	American prize HMS Racehorse (8) destroyed in the Delaware.
	1798	Capture of Minorca by Commodore John Duckworth and troops under General the Hon. Charles Stuart
	1810	HMS Phipps (14), Lt. Christopher Bell, captured privateer lugger Barbier de Seville off Calais.
16 November	1776	First salute to an American flag (Grand Union flag) flying from Continental Navy ship Andrew Doria, by Dutch fort at St. Eustatius, West Indies.
	1797	HMS Tribune (36), Cptn. Scory Barker, hit shoals and sank whilst entering Halifax Harbour, NS, Canada with the loss of 240 souls.
	1798	HMS Carnatick (74), Commodore Loring, impressed seamen from USS Baltimore (20), Cptn Phillips.
	1803	HMS Circe (28), Cptn. Charles Fielding, wrecked on the Leman and Ower shoal, off Yarmouth, while chasing an enemy.
	1807	HMS Warspite (76) launched at Chatham
	1816	HMS Bermuda (10), John Packenham (2), wrecked near the Tampico Bar, Gulf of Mexico.
17 November	1797	HMS Anson (38) and HMS Boadicea (38), Cptn. R. G. Keates, captured the French privateer, Railleur, off Yeu Island, France.
	1799	HMS Espion (en-flute), Cptn. Worsley, wrecked on Goodwin Sands with Dutch prisoners of war on board.
	1800	Boats of HMS Captain (74), Captain Sir Richard John Strachan, HMS Magicienne (32), Captain William Ogilvy, HMS Nile (12), Lt. George Argles and HMS Suwarrow (10), Lt. James Nicholson, destroyed French corvette Reolaise (20), Lt. Chaunay Duclos, in Port Navalo.
	1809	HMS Chiffonne (36), Cptn. John Wainwright, burnt pirate vessels at Linga, Persian Gulf.
18 November	1793	HMS Latona (38), Cptn. Edward Thornborough, whilst supported by a British fleet under Lord Howe, engaged French Tigre (74) and Jean Bart (74)
	1800	HM frigate, Leda launched at Chatham. The first of the largest class of sailing frigates ever built for the Royal Navy.
19 November	1746	HMS Winchelsea (24), Cptn. Henry Dyve, took French frigate Subtile off Scilly Isles during which Lt. Samuel Hood wounded.
	1804	HMS Romney (50) wrecked off the Texel
	1813	Cptn. David Porter claims Marquesas Islands for the United States.
20 November	1759	Battle of Quiberon Bay/Cardinaux. British fleet of 23 ships of the line, under Admiral Sir Edward Hawke, defeated a French fleet of 21 ships of the line, under Marshal de Conflans, near St Nazaire. 6 French ships were taken and many others foundered or ran ashore.
	1793	French prize Scipion (74) caught fire and destroyed in Leghorn roads.
	1806	Boats of HMS Success (32), Cptn. John Ayscough, captured privateer felucca Le Vengeur, in Hidden Port near Cumberland Harbour, Cuba but she was sunk by fire from the shore. Boats of HMS Orpheus (32), Cptn. Thomas Briggs, captured Spanish schooner Dolores (3) in Campeachy Bay
21 November	1720	HMS Speedwell (28), Cptn. Hon. George Clinton, wrecked on the Dutch coast.
	1739	British squadron of 6 ships of the line, under Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, bombard and capture of Porto Bello, Panama.
	1742	HMS Drake sloop (14), Cptn. John Pitman, and two others, and two fine Xebecs belonging to the King, three ships with stores for the garrison and a large Settee storeship, besides several Portuguese vessels lost in a violent storm in Gibraltar Bay
	1779	HMS Hussar (28), Cptn. Elliott Salter, took Nostra Senora del Buen Confegio (26).
	1806	HMS Dedaigneuse (36), Cptn. William Beauchamp Proctor, engaged French frigate Semillante off Mauritius.
22 November	1718	Lt. Robert Maynard RN, commanding Jane and Ranger (shallow draft sloops on loan from Virginia merchants with crews drawn from Pearl and Lyme), battles the pirate Blackbeard (Edward Teach) in Adventure off Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. Blackbeard is killed. Correction for 22 November.
	1780	HMS Racehorse (16) blew up.
	1798	Medusa, Store-ship, lost drifting on shore in Rosier Bay, Gibraltar.
	1799	HMS Courier (12), Lt. Thomas Searle, captured French privateer cutter Guerriere (14), Felix Lallermand, off Lowerstoft.
	1811	HMS Volontaire (38), Cptn. Hon. G. G. Waldegrave, and HMS Perlen (38), Cptn. J. S. Tetley, engaged French squadron of 3 ships of the line, including Trident (74) and frigate Amelie, off Cape Sicie
23 November	1703	HMS York (54), Cptn. Smith, lost off the Shipwash, Harwich.
	1757	HMS Hussar and HMS Dolphin destroyed Alcvon
	1810	British forces, employed in the defence of Cadiz against the besieging French under Marshal Soult, attack French gunboats at Puerta de Santa Maria using mortar and howitzer boats. Bombs and gunboats provided a diversion by bombarding Fort Catalina
	1822	USS Aligator, Lt. Robert F Stockton, set on fire and blew up after beeing stranded on Carysford Reef, off Florida.
24 November	1720	HMS Monck (60), Cptn. Hon. George Clinton, wrecked in Yarmouth Roads.
	1799	HMS Solebay (32), Cptn. Stephen Poyntz, captured L'Egyptienne (18), L'Eolan (16), La Sarier (12) and La Vengeur (8).
	1804	HMS Venerable (74), Cptn. John Hunter, wrecked on the Rocks off Roundham Head, Torbay.
	1807	HMS Ann captured a privateer and two gunboats.
	1812	HMS Belette Sloop (18), David Sloane, wrecked on rocks off Island of Lessoe, in the Kattegat.
	1814	HMS Fantôme Sloop (18), John Lawrence, wrecked on rocks near Prospect Harbour, Nova Scotia.
25 November	1756	HMS Torbay (74) captured a French snow, Diligent
	1757	HMS Augusta (60), Cptn. Arthur Forrest, took nine armed merchantmen.
	1775	Continental Congress authorizes privateering.
	1793	HMS Penelope (32), Cptn. Bartholomew Samuel Rowley, and HMS Iphigenia (32), Cptn. Patrick Sinclair, captured French Inconstante (36) off St. Domingo
26 November	1703	HMS Vanguard (90) sunk in Chatham Harbour and HMS Vesuvius, Fireship (8), Cptn. Paddon, wrecked at Spithead. Two of many R.N. ships lost in the Great Storm. (Both were subsequently raised) HMS Oxford (54), HMS Warspite, and HMS Lichfield (48), Cptn. Lord Dursley, captured Hasardeux.
	1760	HMS Conqueror (74) wrecked on St. Nicholas Island (now Drake Island) off Plymouth
	1776	HMS George Tender wrecked near Piscatagua, North America
	1794	HMS Pylades (16) wrecked in Heraldswick bay, Isle of Nest, Shetland. (Salvaged and repurchased in 1796) HMS Actif (10), John Harvey, foundered off Bermuda
	1798	HMS Medusa (50), Cdr. Alexander Becher, was driven ashore and wrecked in the confusion whilst Lord St. Vincent, on shore at Gibraltar, was passing instructions to her captain through a speaking trumpet.
	1813	Boats of HMS Swiftsure (74), Cptn. Edward Stirling Dickson, took French privateer schooner Charlemagne (8) off Cape Rousse in Corsica.
27 November	1703	A Great Storm in Southern England caused many R.N. ships to be lost in the Great Storm and also destroyed the first Eddystone Lighthouse. The ships included: - HMS Mary (62), Cptn. Edward Hopson, wrecked on Goodwin Sands - HMS Restoration wrecked on Goodwin Sands - HMS Stirling Castle (70) wrecked on Goodwin Sands - HMS Northumberland (70) wrecked on Goodwin Sands - HMS Canterbury storeship (8), Cdr Thomas Blake, lost at Bristol - HMS Eagle advice boat (10) wrecked off Sussex Coast - HMS Newcastle (50) sunk off Spithead - HMS Reserve (42), Cptn. John Anderson - HMS Resolution (70), Cptn. Liell, wrecked on the coast of Pevensey Bay, Sussex - HMS Reserve (42), Cptn. John Anderson off Yarmouth - HMS Lichfield Prize, Cptn. Chamberlain, wrecked Sussex coast
	1770	Horatio Nelson entered as midshipman in HMS Raisonnable.
	1806	Boats of British squadron, under Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, destroyed Dutch frigate Phoenix and other vessels in Batavia Roads.
	1807	Boats of HMS Porcupine (22), Cptn. Hon. Henry Duncan, took two small vessels at Ragusa.
	1809	HMS Chiffonne (36), Cptn. John Wainwright, burnt pirate vessels at Luft, Persian Gulf.
	1811	HMS Eagle (74), Cptn. Charles Rowley, captured French frigate Corceyre (28) near Brindisi. Her companions, the frigate Uranie and brig Scemoplone escaped.
	1812	HMS Southampton (32) wrecked on reef of rocks, off Conception Island
28 November	1758	HMS Lichfield. (50), Cptn. Matthew Barton, went aground on the Barbary coast and the crew were enslaved until 1760
	1808	Boats of HMS Heureux (16), William Coombe, took a schooner and a brig lying under the protection of two batteries in the harbour of Bay Mahaut. They grounded under fire and were abandoned.
	1839	HMS Tribune (36), Cptn. Charles Hamlyn Williams, wrecked near Tarragona
	1840	HMS Spey (10) wrecked on Racoon Key, West Indies.
29 November	1689	HMS Charles and Henry fireship (6) lost near Plymouth in a storm
	1744	HMS Rye (24), Cptn. Ormond Thomson, was chased by a large ship flying French colours and, while trying to escape, ran ashore on the Norfolk coast and was lost.
	1762	HMS Marlborough (68), Cptn. Thomas Burnett, met very heavy weather and had to be abandoned in a sinking condition and destroyed
	1775	Cptn. John Manley in schooner Lee captures British ordnance ship Nancy with large quantity of munitions.
	1805	Boats of HMS Serpent (16), John Waller, captured guarda costa San Christoval Pano (7), Don Juan Christovel Tierro, at Trujillo Bay, Island of Bonecce.
	1811	HMS Alceste (38), Cptn. Murray Maxwell, HMS Active (38), Cptn. James Alexander Gordon, and HMS Unite (38) took Pomone and Pesanne off Lissa. At the Admiralty Sessions, the master of a merchant vessel was sentenced to pay a fine and be imprisoned 12 months in Newgate for enticing seamen from the King's service.
30 November	1652	Battle of Dungeness. Dutch fleet of 88 ships and 5 fireships, under Lt. Admiral Maarten Tromp, defeat English fleet of 42 ships, under Robert Blake
	1780	HMS Shark (28), Cptn. Thomas Lloyd, foundered in a storm off North America
	1803	British squadron, under Commodore John Loring of HMS Bellerophon (74) accepted the surrender of French vessels at Cape Francois, including French frigates Surveillante (40) and Clorinde (40), which were threated by the insurgents.
	1811	Horrid mutiny and murder committed on hoard a prize ship in the Channel. The perpetrators were convicted, and hanged at Plymouth.
	1812	HMS Subtle (10), Lt. Charles Brown (2), capsized off St. Bartholomew's in the West Indies when chasing an American privateer, Jack's Favorite.
	1813	HMS Desiree, Cptn. Farquher, and gun-vessels attacked batteries at Cuxhaven.
October : December

*Dates of events prior to September 1752 may be quoted differently in some countries as both the Julian and Gregorian calendars were in use by countries. Calendars were regularised when Britain passed the Calendar Act of 1751 An Act for Regulating the Commencement of the Year; and for Correcting the Calendar now in Use.

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