HMS Avenger (1804)
HMS "Avenger" was the collier "Thames", launched in 1803, that the Royal Navy purchased in 1804 and renamed. During her service she captured a number of prizes. She also captured one French privateer and participated in the capture of the Danish island of Anholt. She wrecked at St Johns Newfoundland on 8 October 1812. Royal Navy. Commander Thomas white commissioned "Avenger" in June 1804 for the North Sea. On 14 April 1806 "Avenger" sailed for Newfoundland. On 17 December 1806 "Avenger" destroyed the French privateer cutter "Hazard". The encounter occurred in the Channel. "Hazard", of 16 guns , had mistaken "Avenger" for a merchantman (which she had been), and ran into "Avenger" to board. "Hazard" sank before British or French boats could be gotten out, taking with her 46 men of her crew of 50; two British sailors also died in the encounter. "Hazard" was a cutter, eight days out of Morlaix. She had not captured anything. Her captain and five men were saved. "Avenger" served on the Halifax, Nova Scotia station in 1807. On 3 May 1808 "Avenger" sailed for Newfoundland. Between February and Apri 809 she was at Plymouth, undergoing fitting for service in the Baltic . On 18 May 1809 the 64-gun third rate , under Captain Askew Paffard Hollis, the 36-gun frigate , the three sloops "Avenger", , and , and the gunvessel captured Anholt. A party of seamen and marines under the command of Captain William Selby of "Owen Glendower", with the assistance of Captain Edward Nicolls of the "Standard"s marines, landed. The Danish garrison of 170 men put up a sharp but ineffectual resistance that killed one marine and wounded two; the garrison then capitulated. The British took immediate possession of the island. Hollis stated that Anholt was important as a source of water to  the Navy, and as a good anchorage for merchant vessels going to or coming from the Baltic. "Avenger" captured a Danish boat on 29 May 1809. Then on 9 August "Avenger" captured "Driftrigheden", "Ebenetzer", and Schooner No.8. On 17 October "Avenger" captured "Three Sisters", "Christian and Margarethe", "Norsamheid", "Carin Catherina", and "Die Keine Hoffnung". On 11 May 1810 "Avenger" sailed again for Newfoundland. Commander White was promoted to post captain on 7 August 1810. Commander Urry Johnson assumed command. On 27 April 1811 "Avenger" captured the American vessel "Vigilant". "Avenger" sailed for Newfoundland on 26 March 1811 and again on  19 May 1812. On 18 June 1812 "Avenger" captured an unnamed brig. On 12 July 1812, shortly after the outbreak of war with the United States, "Avenger" detained the American ships , "", and "Triton". On 14 July "Avenger" captured the American ship "Arab". "Lloyd's List" reported in October 1812 that "Avenger" had captured "Adeline", sailing from London to Bath, Maine, but that the had recaptured "Adeline" and sent her into the United States. "Avenger" had captured "Adeline" on 7 August and "Constitution" had recaptured her on 15 August. Also in October "Lloyd's List" reported that "Avenger" had detained and  sent into Newfoundland two vessels, "Gleaner", which had been sailing from Lisbon for Boston, and "Adriatic", which had been sailing from Corunna to New York. "Gleaner" was captured on 25 July. Fate. "Avenger" sailed from St Johns, Newfoundland on 6 October 1812, but bad weather led Commander Johnson to attempt to return in the evening of 8 October. Wind drove her aground in the narrows and she was unable to get off despite attempts to lighten her and use kedge anchors. The wind and waves pounded her, opening leaks. Although the crew manned the pumps throughout the night the water  rose. In the morning boats came out from St Johns and were able to rescue the entire crew by 9a.m. Notes, citations, and references. Notes Citations References