HMS Lowestoffe ( 1761 ) HMS " Lowestoffe " was a 32 - gun fifth - rate frigate of the Royal Navy . Built during the latter part of the Seven Years ' War , she went on to see action in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary War , and served often in the Caribbean . " Lowestoffe " has become famous as the ship in which a young Horatio Nelson served shortly after passing his lieutenant ' s examination . Originally commissioned near the end of the Seven Years ' War , " Lowestoffe " patrolled in British waters until 1773 , when it underwent repairs . She was recommissioned in 1777 and served throughout the American War of Independence , including at the Battle of San Fernando de Omoa . After the bulk of the fighting ended , she returned home to Portsmouth in 1782 , and did not see battle for the next decade . She spent most of her later years in British and Mediterranean waters , winning particular glory for her part in an engagement with two French frigates in 1795 . Her final duties were back in the familiar waters of the West Indies , where she was wrecked in 1801 while escorting a convoy in the Caicos Islands . Construction and commissioning . Sir Thomas Slade based his design for " Lowestoffe " on that of , which was a former French vessel named " Abenakise " . ( The Admiralty routinely " took the lines " , i . e . , drew up blueprints , of captured vessels , and these blueprints were available to designers such as Slade . ) " Lowestoffe " was the only ship built to her design , though over a decade later the Navy would have two more frigates , and , built to a modification of the design of " Lowestoffe " and " Abenakise " . She was ordered on 15 February 1760 from Thomas West , Deptford Dockyard , with West contracted to launch her within 12 months , at a cost of £11 . 0 . 0d per ton . " Lowestoffe " was laid down on 9 May 1760 , launched on 5 June 1761 and completed by 1 August 1761 . She officially received the name " Lowestoffe " on 28 October 1760 . She had cost a total of £7 , 715 1s 10¾d to build , coming in just slightly under the contracted price of £7887 . The Navy spent a further £4 , 281 7s 8d on having her fitted out . Career . Commissioned late in the Seven Years War , she saw little action under her first captain , Walter Stirling , and the Navy paid her off in 1762 . " Lowestoffe " was initially moored at Portsmouth . Then in early 1763 she was armed and stored , sailing on 26 July 1763 under the command of her new captain James Baker . After spending some time cruising in the English Channel and stopping neutral merchants for inspections , Baker sailed " Lowestoffe " to Madeira and then on to the West Indies . She arrived at Carlisle Bay on 13 September , and then sailed on to Antigua . During her time at Carlisle Bay , " Lowestoffe " carried out patrols between Barbados and Antigua . She was part of a squadron under Rear Admiral Tyrrell . Four vessels of the squadron , " Princess Louisa " , " Lowestoffe " , " Virgin " and " Beaver " , shared in the prize money arising from the seizure in January and February 1764 of several vessels engaged in illicit trade near Dominica . The seized vessels were the " Sarah " , " Union " , " Mary Anne " , " Pastora " , " Elizabeth " , " Two Sisters " , and " June and Betsey " . Baker died on 31 March 1765 . His successor , Joseph Norwood , sailed " Lowestoffe " home to be paid off in August 1766 . " Lowestoffe " underwent a small repair at Sheerness between December 1766 and April 1767 , and after a period out of service was recommissioned again in June 1769 under Captain Robert Carkett . Carkett returned her to the West Indies in October that year , returning in May 1773 to Britain after four years at Jamaica . She was paid off in 1773 , and reduced to a 28 - gun Sixth Rate . American War of Independence . " Lowestoffe " now underwent a large repair . She was recommissioned under Captain William Locker in early 1777 and prepared for service in the Leeward Islands . Joining her for this voyage was a young Lieutenant Horatio Nelson , who had passed his examination on 9 April , and was joining the " Lowestoffe " as her second lieutenant . Also serving on the " Lowestoffe " at this time was Cuthbert Collingwood , who would go on to have an enduring friendship with Nelson , serving with him on a number of occasions , including at the Battle of Trafalgar . The ship sailed in early May , escorting a convoy to the West Indies , where they arrived in mid July . She was coppered at Jamaica and then went on a number of cruises , capturing an American sloop with a cargo of rice in August 1777 . A second cruise saw the capture of an American privateer , and a notable incident for Nelson . " Lowestoffe " sent her boat and first lieutenant to take over the prize , but the seas were too rough to allow the American to be boarded , so the lieutenant returned . Nelson stepped forward and volunteered to make an attempt ; he succeeded . On 25 March 1778 " Lowestoffe " captured the sloop " Swan " , Daniel Smith , Master . She was of 60 tons , had a crew of seven men , and was carrying a cargo of molasses . By the time of " Lowestoffe " s third cruise , Nelson had taken command of the ship ' s tender , the schooner " Little Lucy " . Locker and the " Lowestoffe " spent the rest of 1778 and the early part of 1779 carrying out routine cruises and patrols , until Captain Christopher Parker replaced him in March 1779 . Locker , who had by now been ill for some time , had recommended Nelson to Sir Peter Parker , who found a space for Nelson aboard his flagship , the 50 - gun . Nelson joined her as third lieutenant on 1 July 1778 . On 8 February 1779 , " Lowestoffe " captured the " Vigilant " , near the Bite ( or Bight ) of Leogan . The 70 ton sloop was sailing from Dominique to Philadelphia with a cargo of sugar , rum , molasses , coffee , cotton and salt . John English was her master and she had a crew of five men . " Lowestoffe " became part of Captain John Luttrell ' s squadron and carried out operations in the Bay of Honduras in October and November 1779 . On 17 October " Lowestoffe " , together with , , and participated in the successful British attack on the Fort of San Fernandino de Omoa . During the attack " Lowestoffe " exchanged fire with the fort . While she was doing this she ran aground . Her immobility made her an easy target for the fort ' s guns . Eventually boats were able to pull " Lowestoffe " off , but not before she had sustained extensive damage . She had contributed a landing party to the assault on the fort and in all lost three men killed and five wounded . As a result of the battle the British ships captured two Spanish prizes with a cargo of bullion worth in excess of $ 3 , 000 , 000 . " Lowestoffe " and " Pomona " also shared in the prize money for the " St . Domingo " and her cargo , which included 124 serons ( crates ) of indigo . On 26 March 1780 " Lowestoffe " captured the small sloop " Fortune " , of 25 tons , off Cape Francois . Under the command of William Nevill , she had a crew of three and was sailing from North Carolina to Cape Francois with provisions . Also in early 1800 " Lowestoffe " captured the Danish brig " Diana " , which was sailing from St . Domingo to St . Thomas with a cargo of mahogany . Then on 15 June " Lowestoffe " , and " Pomona " captured the brig " Delaware " , William Collins , Master . She was of 120 tons , armed with guns and had a crew of 53 men . She was sailing from Philadelphia to Port - au - Prince , with a cargo of flour and fish . More importantly , they also captured the French navy cutter " Sans Pareil " , of 16 guns and 100 men , as she was sailing from Martinique to Cap - Français . She was the former British privateer " Non Such " . Later " Lowestoffe " detained a Danish schooner sailing from Acuba to Jacquemel with a cargo of cattle . She also recaptured the British brig " John " , which a French privateer had taken , and herself took a Spanish brig sailing from La Guaira to Tenerife with a cargo of cocoa and spices . On 26 September " Lowestoffe " and " Pallas " captured two small vessels . One was the sloop " Fair Henrietta " , of 70 tons , sailing from Philadelphia to Cape Francois with a load of lumber and bricks . The second was the brig " St . Salvadore " , with a crew of 13 men , sailing from New Orleans to Havana with a cargo of lumber . In late 1800 or early 1801 " Lowestoffe " captured a Spanish brig ( name unknown ) of 110 tons , laden with sugar and staves . Between 2 and 4 October " Lowestoffe " survived a hurricane that badly damaged numerous British warships . The hurricane also caused " Barbadoes " , " Scarborough " and " Victor " to founder , i . e . , to be lost at sea with all hands . Captain Christopher Parker transferred into " Diamond " on 1 November 1780 , Captain James Cornwallis briefly to replace him on " Lowestoffe " . Cornwallis requested and received a transfer to five weeks later . His successor was Captain Thomas Haynes . Under Haynes , " Lowestoffe " and " Janus " captured the sloop " Dispatch " , Giles Sagg , Master , on 18 January 1781 , off Heneauge . She was 60 tons , and carried four guns and a crew of 14 men . She was on her way from Port - au - Prince to Philadelphia with a cargo of coffee and sugar . Haynes left in May 1781 to take over the 64 - gun third rate " Ruby " . Her next captain was George Stoney , with Captain Thomas Windsor replacing him on 31 January 1782 . Windsor sailed " Lowestoffe " home and paid her off at Portsmouth . She was laid up there for nine months , before being moved to the River Thames . The years of peace . Robert Batson , of Limehouse carried out a great repair on " Lowestoffe " between July 1783 and March 1786 . She returned to service in the English Channel in October 1787 under Captain Edmund Dodd . She sailed to the Mediterranean in May 1788 , before returning to Britain where Captain Robert Stopford briefly took command in November 1790 . " Lowestoffe " was paid off later that year and was fitted out at Plymouth between July 1792 and January 1793 . " Lowestoffe " was then recommissioned in December 1792 under Captain William Wolseley . French Revolutionary War . Wolseley sailed to the Mediterranean in May 1793 , joining Hood ' s fleet then blockading Toulon . She joined a flying squadron under Commodore Robert Linzee to act against French forces in the Mediterranean . On 30 September 1793 , Commodore Robert Linzee took his squadron , including " Lowestoffe " , into the Gulf of San Fiorenzo to attack the redoubt of Forneilli on Corsica . " Lowestoffe " fired two broadsides at a tower at Mortella Point that protected the deep entrance to the gulf . The fire caused the tower ' s French defenders to abandon the tower and its three guns , allowing a landing party from " Lowestoffe " under the command of Lieutenants Francis Annesley and John Gibb to capture the tower . Linzee , however , delayed his assault on the city until he could bring his larger ships into action . These larger ships bombarded the town from 1 October , but sustained considerable damage from the garrison , which forced Linzee to withdraw . " Lowestoffe " remained in the area , supporting British operations against the French garrisons on Corsica during 1794 . On 7 March 1794 Captain Charles Cunningham took over command from Wolsely . A little over a month later , on 13 April " Lowestoffe " captured the " Etoile du Nord " . , " Aimable " and " Imperieuse " shared in the capture . " Lowestoffe " then was among the British warships that shared in the capture , on 24 May , of the French brigs " Jacobin " and " Natine " . Captain Benjamin Hallowell replaced Cunningham on 12 August . Hallowell commanded " Lowestoffe " during the Naval Battle of Genoa on 14 March 1795 , during which she received some damage from long range shots from the French fleet . Captain Robert Gambier Middleton replaced Hallowell in June 1795 . " Dido " and " Lowestoffe " defeat " Minerve " and " Artémise " . Admiral Hotham then sent " Lowestoffe " , and the 28 - gun " Dido " under Captain George Henry Towry to reconnoitre the French fleet at Toulon . While off Minorca on 24 June 1795 the two frigates encountered two French frigates , the 42 - gun " Minerve " and the 36 - gun " Artémise " . The French were initially wary , but when they realised that they were larger and stronger than the British vessels , the French captains manoeuvred to attack . " Minerve " attempted to run down " Dido " but when " Dido " turned to avoid the impact " Minerve " s bowsprit became entangled in " Dido " s rigging , costing " Dido " her mizzenmast and colours . " Lowestoffe " came along the port side of the Frenchman to discharge a broadside that carried away " Minerve " s foremast and topmasts , crippling her . " Lowestoffe " pursued the retreating " Artémise " , which eventually escaped . " Lowestoffe " returned to " Minerve " , firing on her until she struck . " Lowestoffe " had three men wounded , the " Dido " six killed and 15 wounded . " Minerve " lost about 10 percent of her crew of over 300 men . The British took " Minerve " into service as the 38 - gun frigate HMS " Minerve " . The weight of " Minerve " s broadside alone was greater than that of the two British frigates together , making the battle a notable victory ; the Royal Navy duly awarded the two captains a Naval Gold Medal each . In 1847 , Naval General Service Medals with clasps " Lowestoffe 24 June 1795 " or " Dido 24 June 1795 " were awarded to six surviving crew members . Later service . Captain Robert Plampin relieved Middleton in December 1795 , going on to serve with a squadron under Thomas Troubridge . After a refit in Britain , " Lowestoffe " escorted convoys in the West Indies . On 14 September 1796 she captured the " Lesou " . " Lowestoffe " was also among the vessels that in late 1799 captured the Spanish Letter of Marque " Navarra " ( alias " Diligent " ) . " Diligent " was of 150 tons and was armed with eight guns . She was sailing from Bilboa to Veracruz with a cargo of wine , iron and writing paper . " Lowestoffe " also shared in the capture of the Spanish " zartan " " Ambrosia " , which was sailing from Cadiz for Veracruz with a cargo of 26 . 5 tons of quicksilver and 10 tons of writing paper . " Lowestoffe " alone captured the Spanish brig " San Francisco " , of 90 tons , sailing from Campeachy to Havana with a cargo of sugar and logwood . Loss . " Lowestoffe " sailed from Kingston , Jamaica on 22 July 1801 , and met a convoy five days later at Port Antonio . The escorts consisted of " Lowestoffe " , the sloop " Bonetta " , and the schooners " Muskito " and " Sting " . While " Lowestoffe " was sailing through the Caicos passage late on 10 August , Pamplin realised that the strong currents known to run through the channel had reversed direction and " Lowestoffe " was running into shallow waters . He attempted to avoid grounding , but to no avail , and the " Lowestoffe " ran broadside onto Little Inagua ( “ Heneaga ” ) Island . The crew threw stores and equipment overboard to lighten the ship , and boats came from other ships in the convoy to try to pull her off . The attempts to refloat her failed and her crew abandoned her by mid - afternoon . The only casualties were five men who drowned when their boat capsized in the surf . The change in currents also caused the wreck of five merchantmen . In the late afternoon of 11 August " Acasta " left " Bonetta " and three of her own boats to help the wrecked vessels and then took command of the convoy . The subsequent court - martial at Port Royal on 3 September ruled that a sudden change in the current after dark had caused the loss . The board acknowledged that Pamplin had sailed in a judicious manner and exonerated Pamplin and his officers of blame both for the loss of " Lowestoffe " and the vessels in convoy . In April 1803 the officers and crew of " Lowestoffe " and of " Bonetta " received payment for the salvage of the specie that " Lowestoffe " was carrying .