HMS Undaunted (1807)
The keel of HMS Undaunted was laid down in April 1806 under the supervision of naval constructor Edward Sison. This vessel belonged to a class of sixteen ships based on a design dating from 1799 by William Rule, the Surveyor of the Navy. The original order for this frigate came on the 7th of November 1803 from Joseph Graham at Harwich. That contract fell through when Graham went bankrupt and transferred to Woolwich Dockyard on the 6th of January 1806. The ship launched on the 17th of October 1807 and completed its fitting out on the 2nd of December 1807. The total cost for building this fifth-rate 38-gun sailing frigate reached £36,967. These figures represented a significant investment during the height of the Napoleonic Wars.
Captain Thomas James Maling took command of the ship on the 27th of October 1807. On the 29th of February 1808 she captured the Spanish ship Nostra Senora del Carmen, also known as La Baladora. A month later on the 12th of February 1809 she seized the French privateer San Josephe after a four-hour chase. The privateer had been provisioned for two months but carried only fourteen guns instead of eighteen. In June 1810 Captain George Charles Mackenzie assumed command and sailed with a convoy for Malta. Under his leadership the vessel recaptured the transport ship Dorothy on the 17th of February 1811. Later that year Richard Thomas took over and sent Undaunted to the Mediterranean to cooperate with Spanish guerillas along the coast of Catalonia. The ship became part of the blockade of Marseille and served as flagship for a small squadron blockading Toulon. On the 29th of April 1812 boats from Undaunted attacked a convoy near the river Rhone mouth. Lieutenant Eagar led the operation which captured seven vessels and burned twelve others without suffering any losses. The attack was protected by Captain Stewart in Blossom.
Late on the evening of the 24th of April 1814 Undaunted remained under the command of Thomas Ussher off Marseille. She anchored alongside Euryalus commanded by Captain Charles Napier when they observed illuminations in the town. A boat flying a flag of truce approached carrying the mayor and municipal officials who informed them of Napoleon's abdication. Captains Ussher and Napier landed to meet the military governor of the town. During this meeting Ussher received a letter stating Colonel Sir Neil Campbell had orders from Lord Castlereagh in Paris to convey the former Emperor into exile. On the 26th of April Undaunted sailed for Saint-Tropez then proceeded to nearby Fréjus where Napoleon lodged in a small hotel. The evening of the 28th of April saw Napoleon, his followers, and Allied representatives board Undaunted to set sail for Elba. The ship arrived there on the 30th of April and Napoleon disembarked on the 3rd of May to formally take possession of the island. Undaunted stayed at Elba until the end of the month before sailing to Genoa. Captain Ussher relinquished command on the 29th of June 1814.
Undaunted returned to Britain and was paid off at Chatham in October 1815. She remained kept in ordinary status until recommissioned on the 11th of August 1827 under Captain Sir Augustus William James Clifford. The vessel attended the Duke of Clarence during official visits to Chatham and Sheerness. In 1828 she sailed for India via the Cape of Good Hope carrying Lord William Bentinck as a passenger. He took up his post as Governor-General upon arrival. The ship returned to Britain with Major-General Bourke aboard who had served as Lieutenant-Governor of the Cape. She was paid off again in November 1830. In November 1831 she was recommissioned under Captain Edward Harvey. Undaunted operated at the Cape of Good Hope and on the African and East India stations. During this period Harvey commanded a squadron when an insurrection occurred on Île de France. The ship eventually returned to the United Kingdom where it faced its final fate.
On the 1st of February 1834 the Undaunted ran aground off Selsey Bill in West Sussex. She was subsequently put out of commission later that year. The vessel was laid up at Portsmouth for many years. On the 24th of November 1859 the ship was used as a target during testing of molten-iron filled shells. These shells were intended to set their targets on fire by igniting them. A fire started on Undaunted that could not be extinguished despite efforts. The ship sank using conventional shot after the iron shell test caused catastrophic damage. She was finally broken up in 1860 following her destruction. This end marked the conclusion of a long service history spanning over fifty years from construction to sinking.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was the keel of HMS Undaunted laid down?
The keel of HMS Undaunted was laid down in April 1806 under the supervision of naval constructor Edward Sison. This vessel belonged to a class of sixteen ships based on a design dating from 1799 by William Rule, the Surveyor of the Navy.
Who commanded HMS Undaunted during the transport of Napoleon to Elba?
Thomas Ussher remained under command of HMS Undaunted off Marseille on the evening of the 24th of April 1814 when Napoleon and his followers boarded the ship. The vessel arrived at Elba on the 30th of April and Napoleon disembarked on the 3rd of May 1814 to formally take possession of the island before Ussher relinquished command on the 29th of June 1814.
What happened to HMS Undaunted on the 1st of February 1834?
On the 1st of February 1834 the Undaunted ran aground off Selsey Bill in West Sussex. She was subsequently put out of commission later that year and laid up at Portsmouth for many years until she was used as a target during testing of molten-iron filled shells on the 24th of November 1859.
How much did it cost to build HMS Undaunted?
The total cost for building this fifth-rate 38-gun sailing frigate reached £36,967. These figures represented a significant investment during the height of the Napoleonic Wars.
When was HMS Undaunted broken up after sinking?
HMS Undaunted sank using conventional shot after an iron shell test caused catastrophic damage on the 24th of November 1859. The ship was finally broken up in 1860 following her destruction which marked the conclusion of a long service history spanning over fifty years from construction to sinking.