More information : `3 November, EURYDICE, brig. The EURYDICE...went ashore at Dungeness Point...
`At the same time as the EURYDICE was lost, a recaptured light collier went ashore about a mile to the eastward of Dungeness and three of the crew perished. (1)
`A light collier, which had been lately recaptured, was driven on shore at Folkstone, on the 5th inst., and went to pieces about a mile to the eastward of Dungeness; 3 men drowned.' (2)
`Dover, November 7. The brig HONDURAS, a light collier, of and for Sunderland, is on shore near Dungeness. She was taken a few days before she was stranded, by two French privateers, off Beachy Head, which put three Frenchmen on board. The crew of the brig overpowered the Frenchmen a few hours after she was captured; and one of our frigates, which was a few miles to windward, bore down upon the brig, and put three men on board, instead of three men she impressed. It is supposed that the loss of the vessel was occasioned by the ignorance of the frigate's men, who were unfortunately drowned.' (3)
[Source (4) is almost identical, apart from beginning: `The light collier on shore at Dungeness is the brig HONDURAS....' ]
`Dover, Nov. 7. The brig which went on shore at Dungeness on Saturday last is the EURYDICE..The light collier on shore in the same place is the brig HONDURAS...' (5)
`In addition to the information in our last, respecting the brig HONDURAS of Sunderland, we have received the following letters from two female passengers, on board the vessel:
"Nov. 12, 1804: On the 1st inst. we sailed from Spithead as passengers on board the HONDURAS PACKET, of Sunderland, and at 5pm were captured by a French lugger privateer; but in running alongside, and trying to jump on board of our ship, two of the Frenchmen fell between the ships and were crushed to pieces, and one fell overboard...therefore only three got on board...Our captain, who had previously been wounded by a musket ball, jumped on board the privateer, in order to have his wound dressed. The privateer having got some damage in coming alongside, shore off...The Frenchmen by this time forced our people below, and steered the ship for Dieppe, but not being able to get in, she brought up. The wind coming on to blow very hard, and being afraid the ship would drive on shore, about 3 o'clock in the morning they came down below,and offered themselves prisoners to the English. Overjoyed at the opportunity of escaping, they jumped on deck, set the sails, cut the cable, and stood over for Dover. In their passage they were boarded by one of His Majesty's cruizers, who took the Frenchmen on board, and sent four seamen and a master's mate on board to assist them to Dover; but falling to leeward, they brought up, and rode till Saturday afternoon, when, the gale freshening, she parted from her anchor, and drove on shore between Dungeness and Romney Marsh. The tide being low, she beat up from 5 o'clock until 10, when she was like to go to pieces; therefore a rope was conveyed to the shore, and by that means the whole were dragged on shore; except three of the man of war's men, who were drowned by the ship upsetting and falling to pieces, before they could get the rope back to their assistance. In consequence of this last circumstance, each of us lost the whole of our cloaths (excepting what we had on) but have the greatest reason to thank Almighty God..." ' (6)
`Dungeness, Nov. 8...Saturday Nov. 3...the Boulogne squadron were suddenly overtaken by a heavy gale eastward of Dungeness, blowing from E by N to ESE...A light collier brig retaken and a Swedish brig...were under a difficulty of raising their anchors, and being in only 18 feet and less at low water, prevented their escape. The ADDER, during the night, drove on Romney Flats...For many hours the other three [lay] at anchor, with the most tremendous seas breaking over them all. From the sea side only their mast heads could be seen, as if entirely swallowed up. The collier came on shore at night, and was dashed to pieces...The VESUVIUS out of the four sail is the only one saved...The collier experienced singular difficulties; she was light from Portsmouth, bound to the northward, taken off Beachy Head by two French luggers, when the captain and some part of the crew were taken on board the enemy. The French conveyed her off Dieppe, and in letting go the anchor of their supposed prize, the Englishmen confined below, with two North Country ladies, stoppered the cable before the anchor got the ground. The Frenchmen hurried aloft to furl the sails - the ladies persuaded and assisted the remaining crew to rise and retake the brig, in which they succeeded, and soon after fell in with His Majesty's ship L'AMIABLE, off Beachy Head, who sent a midshipman and three men to assist in bringing her to Dungeness. On her being wrecked, the three men were drowned, the ladies and crew saved, with the loss of their clothes, etc; the beach is strewed with ship's timbers, masts, yards, and casks. This occurred three miles SW from the place where the Dutch ship was lost bound to the East Indies, and so many perished, about 2 years ago.' (6)
Crew Lost: 3 (1)(2)(3)(4)(6)
Passengers: 2 (6)
Date of Loss Qualifier: A
Additional sources cited in Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Eras:
TT.09.11.1804; Naval Chronicle Vol.12 p429 |