HMS Racehorse ( 1806 ) HMS " Racehorse " was a Royal Navy 18 - gun " Cruizer " - class brig - sloop built by Hamilton & Breeds and launched in 1806 at Hastings . She served in the Channel , where she captured a small privateer , and in the East Indies , where she participated in the capture of Isle de France ( now Mauritius ) and the operations around it . She was wrecked in 1822 . Service . " Racehorse " was commissioned in March 1806 under Commander Robert Forbes , who sailed her for the Mediterranean on 25 May . By June 1807 she was under Captain William Fisher , cruising in the Channel . " Racehorse " was among the vessels that detained the Danish ships " Die Twende Softre " on 28 August , and " Swannen " on 7 September . On 4 December she recaptured the Portuguese ship " Gloria " . On 2 March 1808 " Racehorse " captured the French privateer lugger " Amiral Gantheaume " off the Seven Islands , which are 16 miles west of Behat . " Amiral Gantheume " was armed with four guns and had a crew of 28 men . She was two days out of Granville and had not taken anything . " Racehorse " then cruised the Channel Islands . Fisher sailed for the Cape of Good Hope on 29 September . There a number of her crew volunteered aboard other ships during the Invasion of Ile de France . On 13 and 14 March 1809 , " Racehorse " was in company with her class - mate , , about 1000 miles from Rodrigues . " Harrier " fell behind and this was the last sighting of her ; she was lost , presumed foundered . In December 1810 , Commander James de Rippe replaced Fisher . " Racehorse " was sent to Mauritius to join the squadron there under James Hillyar that had been assembled to attack the French squadron under Francois Roquebert that was expected from Brest . Early in 1811 " Racehorse " was in company with her sister - ship " Elipse " when " Eclipse " recaptured the " Donna Emilia " . On 3 February , " Racehorse " captured the slaver " Othmany " . The French squadron evaded Hillyar , but " Racehorse " and the rest of the squadron , now under Captain Charles Marsh Schomberg , caught them off Tamatave in Madagascar . In the ensuing Action of 20 May 1811 , the British defeated the French and captured two of their ships . " Racehorse " was not heavily engaged , and suffered no casualties . In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp " Off Tamatave 20 May 1811 " to the remaining survivors of that action . " Racehorse " was present at the capture of the " Néréide " three days later . " Racehorse " then sailed for the Cape on 7 August . On 19 September she and captured the French slaver brig " Eclair " . On 5 January 1812 " Eclipse " , with " Racehorse " in company , took the lugger " Eliza " with 145 slaves , which she sent to the Cape of Good Hope . " Racehorse " captured the American ship " Monticello " on 12 November . " Racehorse " also shared in the proceeds of the capture , on 16 November , of the " Valentine " . On 3 February 1813 , " Racehorse " was under the command of Commander George F . Rich , and in company with , under the command of Commander Samuel Hoare . They captured the American ship " Rose " , which was carrying tea and 8907 Spanish dollar s ( worth approximately £2226 ) . Post - war . " Racehorse " was paid off into ordinary at Portsmouth in 1813 . Between February 1816 and July 1818 she underwent repair and fitting for sea there . She was recommissioned in May under Commander George Pryse Campbell , who took command on 5 May , for the Mediterranean . " Racehorse " came under the command of Commander Charles Abbot on 27 January 1821 when Campbell was promoted to post - captain . Fate . " Racehorse " returned to Britain in 1822 under Captain William Suckling , who had taken command in February 1822 . On 14 December 1822 she sailed from Holyhead , Anglesey , bound for the Isle of Man to meet with the Revenue cutter " Vigilant " . That night she was wrecked on a reef of rocks off Langness on the Isle of Man . Her pilot mistook the light on Langness Pier for the light on Douglas Pier . Boats from " Racehorse " took a number of the crew to shore , and five intrepid local men made four trips out and back to rescue more . On the last trip , with Suckling on board , the boat overturned in the surf . Six men from " Racehorse " drowned , as did three rescuers from Castletown . The subsequent court martial reprimanded the Master , Henry Hodder , for failing to take constant depth soundings , and warned him to be more careful in the future . The court martial severely reprimanded the pilot , William Edwards , for sailing too close to land , and mulcted him of all pay due .