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 | 31 |
01 March
1804
HMS Weazle (16), Lt. William Layman (acting), driven ashore during a gale near Cabritta Point in Gibraltar Bay and wrecked.
1805
HMS Imogene (18) foundered on passage from the Leeward Islands.
HMS Redbridge (10), Act. Lt. Francis Blower Gibbs, foundered near Jamaica
1807
HMS Hirondelle (16), Lt Skinner, and boats of HMS Glatton (56), Cptn. Thomas Seccombe, cut out a Turkish corvette (10) from the port of Sigri.
02 March
1709
HMS Assurance (70), Cptn. Anthony Tollet, HMS Assistance (50), Cptn. Abraham Tudor (Killed in Action), HMS Anglesea (44) and consort escorting a convoy engaged 4 French ships under commodore Duguay-Trouin off the Lizard.
1741
HMS Wolf (14), Cptn. Dandridge, wrecked on the coast of Florida
1760
HMS Tartar's Prize (28), Cptn. Thomas Baillie, wrecked in the Mediterranean.
1783
HMS Resistance (44) took French Coquette (28)
1800
HMS Nereide (38), Cptn. Frederick Watkins, captured privateer Vengeance (16)
1801
HMS Cobourg (16), Lt. Wright, captured French privateer lugger Bienvenue (14) and retook two of her prizes.
1807
HMS Pigmy (14), Lt. George M. Higginson, wrecked near Rochefort
1808
HMS Sappho (18), George Langford, captured Danish brig Admiral Jawl (28).
HMS Cerberus (32), Cptn. W. Selby, HMS Circe (32), Cptn. Hugh Pigot, and HMS Camilla (20), Cptn. John Bowen, capture the Island of Marie Galante.
1810
Boats of HMS Cornwallis (54), Cptn. William Augustus Montagur, carried Margaretta (8) off the island of Amblaw
1811
Buonaparte levied 3,000 seamen in the three departments of the Mouths of the Elbe, the Wezer, and the Upper Ems, in discharge of their maritime conscription.
1859
Launch of paddle steamer USS Saginaw (4) at Mare Island, first Navy ship built on West Coast of U.S.
03 March
1776
First amphibious landing operation. Continental naval squadron under Commodore Esek Hopkins lands Sailors and Marines on New Providence Island in the Bahamas, capturing urgently-needed ordnance and gunpowder.
1801
The Battle of the West Kay. The Danish brig Lougen, Lt Cmdr Carl W. Jessen, engages British frigates HMS Experiment and HMS Arab off the West Kay at the Danish West Indies. Both frigates are forced to flee.
1824
HMS Dwarf (10), Lt. Nicholas Gould, wrecked after ran against the Pier in Kingstown Harbour.
04 March
1650
Five Dutch ships Aagtekerke jacht, Tijger frigate, Luipaard jacht, Bergen op Zoom jacht, and Juffer (flute) lost in the Far East
1653
Battle of Leghorn. Dutch fleet of 16 ships, under Commodore Johan van Galen (Mortally wounded), defeated English squadron of 6 ships, under Cptn. Henry Appleton, attempting to break out of blockade at Leghorn and join Cptn. Richard Badiley's 8 ships. 3 ships were captured and 2 destroyed.
1804
Boats of HMS Blenheim (90), Cptn. Thomas Graves, failed to cut out French national schooner Curieux.
1807
HMS Blanche (38), Cptn. Thomas Lavie, wrecked off Ushant.
05 March
1800
HMS Phoebe (36), Cptn. Robert Barlow, captured Heureux (22).
1804
Cutter of HMS Eclair (10), Lt. Carr, cut out privateer Rose from La Hayes, Guadeloupe
06 March
1740
British squadron, under Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, commences 4 day bombardment of Cartagena.
1811
HMS Thistle (8), Lt. George M'Pherson, wrecked near New York
1822
USS Enterprise captures four pirate ships in Gulf of Mexico
1862
USS Monitor departs New York for Hampton Roads, VA
07 March
1665
HMS London (64) blew up in an accident and sank in the Thames estuary.
1762
HMS Milford (28), Cptn. Robert Mann (Killed in Action), took privateer La Gloire (16) in the Bay of Biscay
1778
HMS Yarmouth (64), Cptn. Vincent, was engaged by Continental frigate Randolph (32), Cptn. Nicholas Biddle, which exploded, killing all but 4 of her 315 man crew.
1795
HMS Berwick (74), Cptn. Littlejohn (Killed in Action) captured by French fleet off Cap Corse, Mediterranean.
1804
Boats of HMS Inconstant (36), Cptn. Edward Sterling Dickson, cut out a ship at Goree.
1810
Cuthbert Collingwood died.
1814
American privateer Mars destroyed at Sandy Hook.
08 March
1748
British squadron under Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Knowles reduced Port Louis, Hispaniola.
1794
HMS Convert (36) wrecked on the Grand Caymanes, West Indies.
1796
HMS Orpheus (32) engaged Banda batteries: Banda Isles taken.
1806
Boats of HMS Egyptienne (40), Cptn. Charles Paget, cut out French privateer frigate Alcide (48) from the harbour of Muros
1808
HMS San Fiorenzo (38), Cptn. George Nicholas Hardinge (Killed in Action), captured Piemontaise (50), Cptn. Epron, in the Gulf of Mannar
1854
Commodore Matthew Perry opens treaty negotiations with Japan
1862
Ironclad ram CSS Virginia destroys USS Cumberland and USS Congress
09 March
1778
HMS Ariadne (20), Cptn. Pringle, and HMS Ceres (18), Cptn. Dacres, took American frigate Alfred (20) off the Bahamas. Her consort Raleigh escaped.
HMS Victory's first captain Sir John Lindsay took command of her
1796
Boats of HMS Barfleur (98), Cptn. James Dacres, Vice Ad. Sir Wm. Waldegrave, HMS Egmont (74), Cptn. John Sutton, HMS Bombay Castle (74) with two other 74s, brought out the captured British frigate Nemesis (28), French ship-corvette Sardine (18)and brig-corvette Postillon from the neutral port of Tunis.
1797
HMS San Fiorenzo (38), Cptn. Sir H. Burrard Neale, and HMS Nymphe (36) captured French frigate Resistance (40) and corvette Constance (22) off Brest.
1847
Commodore David Connor USN leads successful amphibious assault near Vera Cruz, Mexico
1862
First battle between ironclads, USS Monitor and CSS Virginia in Hampton Roads
10 March
1705
A French squadron of 14 ships, under Rear Admiral Jean-Bernard Desjeans, blockading Gibraltar engaged by a combined British, Dutch and Portugese fleet, under Sir John Leake, off Marbella. HMS Revenge (70), Sir Thomas Dilkes, took Arrogant (60) and two more French line-of-battle ships were taken and two driven ashore where they were burnt.
1783
Last Naval action of the American Revolution. Continental frigate Alliance (36), departed Havana with companion ship Due de Lauzun carrying money for Congress. South of Cape Canaveral, Florida, she sighted three enemy warships closing in. To protect Due de Lauzen, Barry placed Alliance between the vessel and HMS Sibyl (28), Cptn. James Vashon. After being damaged in battle, Sibyl returned to enemy warships that had not joined in the battle.
1796
HMS Phaeton (38), Cptn. Hon. Robert Stopford, captured Bonne Citoyenne (20) off Cape Finisterre
1800
HMS Repulse (64), Cptn. John Alms, struck a sunken rock off Ushant.
11 March
1778
Continental frigate Boston (24), Cptn. Samuel Tucker, captured the British ship Martha in the North Atlantic
1787
Horatio Nelson marries Frances Misbet at Nevis. Prince William Henry gave the bride away.
1835
HMS Jackdaw (4), Lt. Cdr. Edward Barnett, wrecked on uncharted reef off Old Providence.
1846
HMS Osprey (18), Frederick Patten, wrecked off False Hoklanga, New Zealand.
12 March
1672
Sir Robert Holmes' Action against Dutch Smyrna merchant convoy and escorts.
1704
British squadron of HMS Kent (70), HMS Bedford (70), Sir Thomas Hardy, and HMS Antelope (50), Cptn. Thomas Legge, under Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Dilkes engaged and captured three Spanish ships Porto Coeli (60), Santa Teresa (60) and the merchant frigate San Nicolas (24)
1809
HMS Topaze (38), Cptn. A. J. Griffiths, engaged Danae and Flora.
1814
HMS Primrose (18), Charles Phillott, engaged by mistake a British brig packet Duke of Marlborough, Cptn. Bull, off Cape Finisterre.
13 March
1761
HMS Vengeance (28), Cptn. Gamaliel Nightingale, took Entreprenant (26).
1780
HMS Alexander (74) and HMS Courageux (74), Cptn. Charles Feilding, took Monsieur.
1793
HMS Scourge (14), William Stap, captured richly laden French ship Sans Culotte.
1795
HMS Lively (32), Cptn. George Burlton, captured Tourterelle (28), Cptn. Guillaume S. A. Montalan, off Ushant
1797
HMS Viper captured Virgen Maria del Carmen
HMS Plymouth captured Amitie.
1804
HMS Emerald (36), Cptn James O'Bryen, and armed sloop Fort Diamond, Thomas Forrest, cut out privateer schooner Mozambique (10), Citizen Vallentes, from under the battery at Seron, Martinique
1806
HMS London (90) and HMS Amazon (38) captured Marengo (80), Rear Ad. Linois, and Belle Poule (40) supported by Rear Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren's squadron in the Atlantic.
1808
HMS Emerald (36), Frederick Lewis Maitland, took French corvette Apropos (12) in Vivero harbour but had to blow her up after she went aground under fire.
1811
Battle of Lissa. Cptn. William Hoste with 3 frigates and one 22 gun ship defeated a Franco-Venetian squadron of 6 frigates and 6 smaller vessels under Bernard Dubourdieu
14 March
1704
HMS Seahorse (24) wrecked off Jamaica
1757
Admiral John Byng executed by firing squad on the forecastle of HMS Monarch in the Solent
1779
HMS Rattlesnake (10) took Fenelon.
1790
William Bligh arrived back in Britain after Bounty Mutiny.
1795
Battle of Genoa. British-Neapolitan fleet of 14 ships, under Vice Admiral Hotham, defeated French fleet of 13 ships, under Rear Admiral Pierre Martin. French ships Ça Ira (84) and Censeur were captured. HMS Illustrious (74), Cptn. Thomas Lennox Frederick was too badly damaged and was set on fire.
1804
HMS Drake (14), Lt. Samuel W. King, captured two prizes off Englishman's Head in Guadeloupe.
1808
The Danish brig Lougen (20), Lt. Peter F. Wulff, engaged the British brig HMS Childers (16), William H. Dillon, away after several hours of battle, off Hitterø in Norway
1823
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent died
1863
R.Adm. Farragut's squadron of 7 ships forces way up Mississippi River to support Union troops at Vicksburg and Baton Rouge
15 March
1759
HMS Aeolus (32), Cptn. John Elliot, took Mignone (20)
1793
HMS Syren (32) engaged batteries at Moordyke.
1807
Boats of HMS Camus cut out six merchantmen.
1808
Start of 6 day engagement between HMS Terpsichore (28), Cptn. William Augustus Montague, and French frigate Semillante (40), Cptn. Motard, off Ceylon
1809
Boats of HMS Arethusa (38), Cptn. Robert Mends, carried the batteries and destroyed the gunsat Lequito.
16 March
1781
Battle of Cape Henry. A British squadron of 8 ships, under Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot, engaged a French squadron of 7 ships, under Cptn. Des Touches.
1782
HMS Success (32), Cptn. Charles Maurice Pole, took Spanish frigate Santa Catalina (34), Don Jacen, off Cape Spartel. She was set her on fire when other enemy ships closed.
1801
HMS Invincible (74), Cptn. John Rennie, wrecked on Hasborough Sands, near Yarmouth.
17 March
1796
HMS Diamond (38), Cptn. Sir Sidney Smith, HMS Liberty (14), Lt. George M'Kinley, and HMS Aristocrat (12), Lt. Abraham Gossett, took and destroyed enemy vessls at Port Spergni.
1800
HMS Queen Charlotte (100) Cptn. Andrew Todd, caught fire and blew up off the island of Cabrera
1804
HMS Penguin (16), G. Morris, drove aground French privateer schooner Renommee, Citizen Renaud, on the bar at Senegal. She was set on fire and destroyed by the ships boats on the 24th.
1806
Boats of HMS Pique (14), Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross, captured Spanish armed schooner Santa Clara off Ocoa Bay
1807
British disembarkation at Alexandria.
1864
The Danish Blockade Squadron in the eastern part of the Baltic, composed of the Ship-of-the-line Skjold, the frigate Sjaelland and the corvettes Hejmdal and Thor, under Rear Ad. Carl E. van Dockum, fire at and drive away the Prussian frigate Arcona, the corvette Nymphe, the paddle steamer Loreley and 5 steam gunboats, under Kapitän zur See Jachmann, off Swinemünde.
18 March
1736
HMS Biddeford (20) foundered off Flamborough Head.
1757
HMS Greenwich (50), Cptn. Robert Rodham, taken by French Squadron of 8 large vessels off Cape Cabron.
1799
HMS Telegraph (16), Lt. James Andrew Worth, captured French privateer brig Hirondelle (16) off the Isle of Bas
1813
Battery at Carri, to the west of Marseilles, destroyed by boats of HMS Undaunted (38), Cptn. Thomas Ussher.
19 March
1779
HMS Arethusa (32), Cptn. Samuel Marshall, wrecked off Ushant.
20 March
1780
HMS Lion (64), Cptn. William Cornwallis, HMS Bristol (50) and HMS Janus (44) chased by M. de la Motte Piquet, who had four 74 gun ships and two frigates, off Monte Christi, St. Domingo.
1796
HMS Anson (64), HMS Galatea (32), Cptn. Richard Keats, and consorts under Sir John Borlase Warren engaged with French convoy captured L'Etoile (30), one of five French frigates in escort of a provision fleet of 70 sail.
1799
Siege of Acre begins. Napoleon besieges Ottoman forces supported by British squadron under Sidney Smith, HMS Tigre (74)
1801
St Bartholomew capitulated to British under Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth.
1809
Boats of HMS Arethusa (38), Cptn. Robert Mends, destroyed batteries at Baigno and Paissance.
21 March
1796
HMS Leviathan (74), Cptn. J. T. Duckworth, HMS Swiftsure (74) and HMS Africa (64), Cptn. Robert Home, bombarded Leogane, San Domingo
1800
HMS Petrel (16), Francis William Austen, drove 2 armed vessels ashore and captured Ligurienne (16) in the Bay of Marseilles
1806
Boats of HMS Colpoys (14), Thomas Ussher, cut out 3 Spanish luggers, Santa Buena Ventura (2), San Antonio (2) and San Real, from the port of Avilles.
1807
Alexandria capitulated to British.
1813
Boats of HMS Blazer (14), Lt. Francis Banks, and HMS Brevdrageren, Lt. Thomas Baker Devon, took Danish gunboats Jonge Troutman (5), Lt. Lutkin, and Liebe (5), Lt. Writt, in the River Elbe
22 March
1797
HMS Hermione (32), Cptn. Pigot, destroyed vessels at Porto Rico.
1798
HMS Canada (38), Commodore Sir John Borlase Warren, HMS Phaeton (38), Cptn. Robert Stopford, and HMS Anson (38) engaged Charente (36) off the Gironde
1801
Boats of HMS Andromache (32), Cptn. Robert Laurie,and HMS Cleopatra (32), Cptn. Israel Pellew, attack a convoy of 30 vessels protected by 3 gun vessels in the Bay of Levita, Cuba.
1808
HMS Aigle (36), Cptn. George Wolfe, engaged off Ile de Croix by batteries forced 1 of 2 frigates, Furieuse (40), ashore.
The Battle of Sjællands Odde. Danish Prinds Christian Frederik (74), Cmdr. Carl W. Jessen, engaged English squadron of HMS Stately (64), Commodore George Parker, HMS Nassau and 3 frigates. She grounded outside Odden harbor, was set on fire and exploded.
1810
Start of campaign by HMS Magnificent (74), Cptn. G. Eyre, HMS Montagu (74), Cptn. Moubray, HMS Belle Poule (38), Cptn. James Brisbane, HMS Leonidas (36), Cptn. Anselm John Griffiths, and HMS Imogene (16), Thomas Garth, which captured Santa Maura.
1813
HMS Captain (hulk) caught fire in the Hamoaze, Plymouth and sank the next day after burning to the waterline.
Two French vessels taken at Vasto by boats of HMS Havannah (36), Cptn. Hon. George Cadogan.
1820
Commodore Stephen Decatur dies after duel with Cptn. James Barron
23 March
1804
HMS Osprey (18), George Younghusband, engaged French privateer Egyptienne (36), M. Placiard
1805
Boats of HMS Stork (18), George Le Geyt, cut out Dutch privateer Antelope and a brig from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
1815
USS Hornet (20), James Lawrence, captures HMS Penguin (18), James Dickinson, off Tristan da Cuhna
24 March
1801
HMS Fulminante Cutter (10), Lt. Robert Corbett, drifted on Shore at La Cruelle, coast of Egypt.
1804
HMS Wolverine (16), Henry Gordon, while escorting a convoy to Newfoundland, engaged and sunk by two French privateers, one Blonde (36) and another (20).
1806
HMS Reindeer (18), John Fyffe, engaged Voltigeur (16), Jacques Saint-Cricq, and Phaeton (16), Louis-Henri Freycinet-Saulce.
1808
HMS Muros (22), Cptn. Archibald Duff, wrecked at the entrance of the Harbour of Bahia Honda, Cuba.
1811
HMS Berwick (74), Cptn. James Macnamara, HMS Amelia (38), Cptn. Frederick Paul Irby, HMS Goshawk (16), James Lilburne, HMS Hawk and HMS Niobe (38), Cptn. J. W. Loring, destroyed Amazone (40) off Cape Barfleur in a 2 day engagement.
25 March
1802
Treaty of Amiens signed, ending French Revolutionary Wars.
1804
HMS Hippomenes, Conway Shipley, captured French privateer Egyptienne.
HMS Magnificent (74), Cptn. W. H. Jervis, wrecked near the Pierres Noires, Brest.
1808
HMS Milbrook Schooner (18), Lt. James Leach, wrecked on the Burlings.
HMS Electra Sloop (16), G. Trollope, wrecked on a reef at the entrance of Port Augusta, Sicily.
1813
USS Essex (46), Cptn. David Porter, takes Neryeda, first capture by U.S. Navy in Pacific
26 March
1745
Vice Admiral Martin captured French La Panthere (26) and convoy of 5 sail in the channel
1803
HMS Determinee (24), Cptn. Alexander Becher, stuck broadside on to a sunken rock and bilged near Noirmont Point on the western side of St. Aubyn Bay.
1806
HMS Pique (40), Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross, captured Voltigeur (16), Jacques Saint-Cricq, and Phaeton (16), Louis-Henri Freycinet-Saulce, in the West Indies
1813
Boats of HMS Havannah (36), Cptn. Hon. George Cadogan, captured 10 vessels at Fortore.
1814
HMS Hebrus (36), Cptn. Edmund Palmer, took French Etoile (44), Cptn. Henri Pierre Philibert, and HMS Hannibal (74), Cptn. Sir Michael Seymour, took Sultane (40) in the Channel.
27 March
1711
HMS Exeter (60), Cptn. Raymond, engages Pembroke (60) off La Spezia
1794
Congress authorizes construction of 6 frigates, including Constitution
1799
USS Constitution (44), Cptn. Samuel Nicholson, recaptures American sloop Neutrality from France
1811
HMS Tartar (32), Cptn. Jos. Baker, and HMS Sheldrake (16), James Pattison Stewart, engage Danish Flotilla of 12 gunboats, 12 transport vessels etc., under Lt. Jørgen C. de Falsen off the Danish island of Anholt and captures 2 gunboats and 2 other ships.
1812
HMS Rosario (10), Booty Harvey, and HMS Griffon (16), George Trollope, destroyed 5 French brigs off Dieppe.
28 March
1759
HMS Southampton (32), Cptn. James Gilchrist, and HMS Melampe (36), Cptn. William Hotham, took French frigate Danae (40) in the North Sea
1760
HMS Penguin (20), Cptn. William Harris, taken and destroyed by Malicieuse (32) and Opale (32) near the Bayona Islands.
1797
HMS Kingfisher (18), John Bligh, captured French privateer General (14)
1800
USS Essex becomes first U.S. Navy vessel to pass Cape of Good Hope
1801
HMS Charlotte Schooner, John Williams, wrecked on reef of rocks near Island of Ash.
1806
HMS Niobe (38), Cptn. J. W. Loring, captured French corvette Nearque (16) off L'Orient
1814
HMS Phoebe (36) and HMS Cherub (18) under Cptn. James Hillyar capture USS Essex (46), Cptn. David Porter, off Valparaiso, Chile.
29 March
1745
HMS Anglesea (44) Cptn. Jacob Elton (Killed in Action), captured by French privateer Apollo (54), Cptn. Belleisle, in the Channel.
1795
HMS Cerberus (32), Cptn. J. Drew, captured Jean Bart.
1802
HMS Assistance (50), Cptn. Richard Lee, wrecked between Dunkerque and Gravelines.
1805
French fleet under Pierre-Charles Villeneuve sails from Toulon.
30 March
1781
HMS Flora (36), Capt. William Pere Williams, and HMS Crescent (28), Cptn. T. Packenham, engaged 2 Dutch ships off the Barbary coast. Flora took Castor (32) but Crescent struck to Brille (32) before she was driven away by Flora.
1799
HMS Sparrow (12) and HMS Trent (36), Cptn. R. W. Ottway, at Porto Rico.
1800
HMS Penelope (36), Cptn. Blackwood, HMS Lion (64), Cptn. Manley Dixon, and HMS Foudroyant (80), Cptn. Sir Edward Berry, captured Guillaume Tell (86) off Malta.
1801
British Fleet under Hyde Parker and Nelson forced the Sound.
1808
HMS Cerberus (32), Cptn. W. Selby, and consorts captured the Island of Deseada.
31 March
1671
HMS Sapphire (36), Cptn. John Pearce, run ashore at the Isles of Scilly by Cptn. and 1st Lt. to avoid capture when 4 sail sighted and was wrecked. They proved to be friendly and the officers were subsequently sentenced to be shot for cowardice.
1804
HMS Scorpion (18), George Hardinge, and HMS Beaver (14), Charles Pelly, cut out Dutch brig Atalante (16), Cptn. Carp (Killed in Action) from the Vlie passage at the entrance to the Texel.
1813
Batteries at Morjean, a small harbour between Marseilles and Toulon, and 3 vessels destroyed and 11 vessels captured by HMS Undaunted (38), Cptn. Thomas Ussher, HMS Redwing (18), Sir John Gordon Sinclair, and HMS Volontaire.
1823
Boats of HMS Tyne (24), Cptn. Walcott, and HMS Thracian (18), John Walter Roberts, captured pirate schooner Zarajonaza in the Old Bahama Channel
1854
Commodore Matthew Perry negotiates Treaty of Kanagawa to open trade between U.S. and Japan
Feb 
*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.