HMS Nonpareil (1808)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Builder | Price, Baltimore |
| Launched | 1801,[1] or 1807[2] |
| Captured | 1808 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Nonpareil |
| Acquired | 1808 by purchase of a prize |
| Fate | Damaged 1812 and sold 1813 |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Tons burthen | 210 (bm) |
| Length | |
| Beam | 23 ft (7.0 m), or 22 ft 10 in (7.0 m)[1] |
| Armament | 12 × 12-pounder carronades |
HMS Nonpareil was launched at Baltimore in 1801 or 1807. The Navy captured her in 1808 and purchased her. Nonpareil captured a French naval brig in a severe action in 1810. The Navy sold Nonpareil in 1813 after a storm damaged her.
Sources differ over when Nonpareil was launched, and when she was captured. Two sources state that she was launched in 1801.[1][3]
Some sources state that the British seized Nonpareil when they captured Montevideo in 1807.[3]
Diana detained Nonpareil, Lumley, master, of Baltimore, on 4 February 1808,[2] and sent her into Plymouth.[4] A prize court condemned her as a blockade runner.[3]
Royal Navy
The Navy purchased Nonpareil and registered her on 7 July 1808.[2] Lieutenant James Dickenson commissioned her in June. On 26 March 1809 he sailed her for the Spanish Coast. Then on 23 June 1810 Dickenson sailed Nonpareil for Newfoundland.[5]
On 10 October 1808 Nonpareil and Snapper went in pursuit of a vessel leaving Corruna suspected of being a French privateer from Martinique. Nonpareil lost her in the night. Nonpareil had arrived on the 9th with a messenger, and was about to return to England, perhaps with despatches.[6]
On 12 October Nonpareil captured the merchantman Belle Coquette.[7] Nonpareil was in company with Snapper.
On 28 February 1809 Nonpareil captured the merchantman Natalie.[8]
On 10 May 1810, Nonpareil took the brig Cannoniere, off the Vilaine. The action took an hour and a quarter before Cannoniere struck. Cannoniere had a crew of 61 men and was armed with three 12-pounder guns and two 24-pounder carronades.[9] The French lost 11 men killed and eight wounded; British casualties were two wounded.[10][Note 1] Lloyd's List reported that Cannoniere had been armed with 32-pounder and three 18–pounder guns, and 10 swivel guns; she had a crew of 70 men.[13]
Lieutenant Thomas Cowper Sherwin commanded Nonpareil from 22 October 1810 in the Channel until 1812.[5]
Nonpareil was one of the 25 naval vessels that shared in the proceeds of the detention of Asia on 5 August 1812.[Note 2]