HMS Orestes (1803)
HMS "Orestes" was a mercantile vessel, possible "Ann", that the Royal Navy purchased in 1803. She had a short operational career; her crew burnt her in 1805 after she ran aground to prevent the enemy from capturing her. Career. With the resumption of war with France in 1803, Britain needed a large number of unrated vessels to protect convoys from privateers, and themselves to impede French coastal commerce. One solution was the hired armed vessels; another was the purchasing of merchantmen and arming them. "Orestes" was a mercantile vessel brought into the Navy and armed more heavily  than she would be were she a cargo ship. The Navy in August 1803 purchased a mercantile vessel, possibly named "Ann", and fitted her for naval service between September and November at Woolwich. Commander Thomas Browne commissioned "Orestes" in August 1803. On 29 August 1804 the armed ship the armed defense ship and "Orestes" departed the Downs for off Boulogne. On 23 October was in company with and "Orestes" when they found three praams, seven brigs and 15 luggers off Cap Gris Nez. The French convoy was sailing westward and keeping close inshore under cover of the batteries and an  escort of horse artillery that followed them as they made their way to the Banc de Laine. "Immortalite" closed with the praams under the high land of Cap Blanc Nez, with "Orestes" and "Basilisk" joining in the attack. The running fight lasted for more than an hour before the falling tide forced the British to seek deeper water. The French convoy escaped, though possibly with some losses of men. "Immortalite" herself suffered one man killed, three men mortally wounded and eight others wounded. Fate. On 11 July 1805 "Orestes" ran aground on the Splitter Sands off Gravelines. She had been  reconnoitering Dunkirk harbour and was heading back out to see when she struck the ground. The crew lightened her and sent up distress signals. and two gun-brigs came up to assist but to no avail. "Orestes" settled further into the mud as the tide began to ebb, while French gunboats could be seen getting underway in the harbour. "Orestes" crew took to her boats and Captain Browne set fire to her as he left to prevent the French capturing her. Citations and references. Citations References