View source for HMS Cruizer (1797)

{{short description|Sloop of the Royal Navy}}
{{Other ships|HMS Cruizer|HMS Cruiser}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
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|Ship image=Snake (1797); Victor (1798); Cruiser (1797); Ferret (1806); Scorpion (1803); Swallow (1805); Musquito (1804); Scout (1804); Despatch (1804) RMG J4564.png
|Ship caption=''Cruiser''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=Great Britain
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag| Kingdom of Great Britain|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Cruizer''
|Ship ordered=19 December 1796
|Ship builder=Stephen Teague of [[Ipswich]]
|Ship laid down=February 1797
|Ship launched=20 December 1797
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=February 1798
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=Laid up in ordinary in November 1813.
|Ship renamed=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=*[[Naval General Service Medal (1847)|Naval General Service Medal]] with clasps:
*"Copenhagen"<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=20939|page=240|date=26 January 1849}}</ref>
*"Cruizer 1 Novr. 1808"<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=20939|page=242|date=26 January 1849}}</ref> 
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate=Sold for breaking 3 February 1819
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption={{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}}
|Ship class=[[Cruizer class brig-sloop|''Cruizer''-class brig-sloop]]
|Ship type=Rated for 18 guns
|Ship tons burthen=382{{small|{{frac|41|94}}}} ([[Builder's Old Measurement|bm]])
|Ship length=*{{convert|100|ft|0|in|m|1|abbr=on}} (gundeck)
*{{convert|77|ft|3+1/2|in|m|1|abbr=on}} (keel)
|Ship beam={{convert|30|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught=
|Ship hold depth={{convert|12|ft|9|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship sail plan=[[Brig|Brig rigged]]
|Ship complement=121
|Ship armament=*'''As built''': 18 × 6-pounder guns
*'''Later''': 16 × 32-pounder [[carronade]]s + 2 × 6-pounder [[chase gun]]s
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Cruizer''''' (often '''''Cruiser''''') was a [[Royal Navy]] [[Cruizer class brig-sloop|''Cruizer''-class brig-sloop]] built by Stephen Teague of [[Ipswich]] and launched in 1797. She was the first ship of the class, but there was a gap of 5 years between her launch and the ordering of the next batch in October 1803; by 1815 a total of 105 other vessels had been ordered to her design. She had an eventful wartime career, mostly in the North Sea, English Channel and the Baltic, and captured some 15 privateers and warships, and many merchant vessels. She also participated in several actions. She was laid up in 1813 and the Commissioners of the Navy sold her for breaking in 1819.

==Design==
''Cruizer'' was a prototype brig-rigged [[sloop-of-war]] designed in 1796 by Sir [[William Rule (Surveyor of the Navy)|William Rule]], the [[Surveyor of the Navy]].  Her hull was identical to the [[Snake class ship-sloop|''Snake''-class]] ship-sloop, but she carried a pair of square-rigged masts instead of the three masts fitted in the ''Snake'' class.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}} The original design had an armament of eighteen 6-pounder [[Naval long gun|long guns]] but it was soon decided to replace the broadside weapons with sixteen 32-pounder carronades, leaving two 6-pounders as [[chase gun]]s.  The net effect was to increase the broadside weight of shot massively, at the cost of reducing her broadside's effective range.{{efn|This was an innovation that the Royal Navy favoured at the turn of the 19th century for many small vessels.}} This mix became the pattern for all the other, later members of her class.

==Construction==
''Cruizer'' was ordered by the [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]] on 19 December 1796 to be built in the commercial yard of Stephen Teague at [[Ipswich]].{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}}{{efn|The use of commercial ship yards for building the smaller vessels of the Royal Navy was normal practice of the time.}} She was laid down in February 1797 and launched on 20 December the same year.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}}

==Service history==
Commander Charles Wollaston commissioned her in February 1798 for the North Sea.

===North Sea (1798 – 1800)===
On 27 March 1798 ''Cruizer'' captured the French privateer [[lugger]] ''Jupiter'' after a three-hour chase. ''Jupiter'' had eight guns and a crew of 36 men. She was 14 days into her cruise from Boulogne.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15011|page=354|date=28 April 1798}}</ref>

On 4 and 5 May ''Cruizer'' was among the vessels that captured 12 outward-bound Greenland ships. The other vessels included the [[hired armed vessels|hired armed]] [[cutter (ship)|cutters]] [[Hired armed cutter Fox|''Fox'']], and [[Hired armed cutter Marechal de Cobourg|''Marshall Cobourg'']], and {{ship|French corvette|Jalouse|1794|2}}, though most were much larger and included {{HMS|Monmouth|1796|2}}, {{HMS|Glatton|1795|2}}, {{HMS|Ganges|1782|2}}, {{HMS|Director|1784|2}}, {{HMS|America|1777|2}}, among others.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15240|page=2746|date=18 March 1800}}</ref> ''Cruizer'' shared with {{HMS|Apollo|1794|2}}, {{HMS|Lutine|1793|2}}, and the hired armed cutter [[Hired armed cutter Rose|''Rose'']] in the proceeds from the capture on 13 May of the ''Houismon'', ''Welfart'', and ''Ouldst Kendt''.{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money was worth 4[[shilling|s]] 6[[pence|d]].<ref>{{London Gazette|date=4 November 1806|issue=15972|page=1452}}</ref>}}

Then on 19 May, ''Cruizer'' was six or seven [[League (unit)|leagues]] SE by S off Lowestoff when she encountered two French privateer luggers. During the chase one lost her main and foremast and [[striking the colours|struck]]. ''Cruizer'' continued in chase of the other until 5&nbsp;pm when it became clear that the quarry was gaining, and Wollaston was losing sight of the lugger that had struck. He therefore gave up the chase and returned to the first lugger. She was ''Chasseur'', from [[Honfleur]], and had been out eight days without taking anything. She was armed with four 6-pounder guns and had a crew of 48 men. The lugger that escaped was ''Dragon'', of four 6-pounder guns. The two luggers had left Honfleur together and were going to cruise the [[Dogger Bank]].<ref>{{London Gazette|date=19 May 1798|issue=15017|page=424}}</ref>

In August ''Cruizer'' captured the Dutch Greenlandsmen ''Fortuna'', Jacob Sroertjes, master, and ''Endraght'', Claas Boertjes, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=24 April 1802|issue=15474|page=421}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' shared with {{HMS|Latona|1781|2}}, {{HMS|Astraea|1781|2}}, and the hired armed cutter [[Hired armed cutter Courier|''Courier'']] in the proceeds from the capture on 16 April 1799 of the Prussian [[Hoy (boat)|hoy]] ''Dolphin''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15427|page=1374|date=14 November 1801}}</ref> That same day ''Cruizer'' captured ''Commerce'', Christiansen, master.<ref name=LG15805/> ''Cruizer'' was a part of Admiral Lord [[Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan|Duncan's]] fleet on 21 April and shared in the proceeds of the capture of ''Harmonie''.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=29 December 1807|issue=16104|page=11}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' shared with {{HMS|Scorpion|1785|2}}, and the hired armed cutters [[Hired armed cutter Fox|''Fox'']] and [[Hired armed cutter Hazard|''Hazard'']] in the proceeds of the capture on 24 April 1799 of the Swedish brig ''Neptunus''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15430|page=1413|date=24 November 1801}}</ref> Two days later, ''Scorpion'' and ''Cruizer'' captured ''Adelaide'', Bose, late master.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=20 July 1802|issue=15499|page=772}}</ref>

On 12 May ''Cruizer'' captured ''Vrow Etje'', Meertens, master.{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money was worth 1s 9d.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16072|page=1308|date=29 September 1807}}</ref>}} ''Cruizer'' shared the proceeds with {{HMS|Ranger|1794|2}} and {{HMS|Pylades|1794|2}}.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=28 May 1805|issue=15811|page=726}}</ref> Four days later ''Cruizer'' captured ''Reformator'', Scheepens, master.<ref name=LG15805/>

Also between 8 March and 12 May, ''Cruizer'' captured several other small Dutch vessels.{{efn|Prize money was paid in November 1811. A first-class share was worth [[£sd|£]]73 2s 8d; a fifth-class share, that of a seaman, was worth 9s {{frac|8|1|4}}d.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=3 March 1812|issue=16580|page=432}}</ref>}}

On 21 May ''Cruiser'' was south of St Abb's Head when at 11&nbsp;am she sighted two luggers further south. Wollaston set off after them, but the weather was too unsettled for him to keep them continually in sight. Still, by correctly estimating where they were headed he was able to catch up by 4:30, only to have a sudden gust of wind take away ''Cruizer{{'}}''s main-top-gallant-mast. ''Cruizer'' was not able to catch up with them again until 9&nbsp;p.m. Wollaston was not able to close and lost sight of them again. However, at daylight, as ''Cruizer'' was about two or three [[League (unit)|leagues]] off Scarborough Castle, Wollaston again sighted one of the luggers about eight miles away. After a six-hour chase, ''Cruizer'' captured the privateer, which turned out to be ''Deux Freres'', Captain Jacques Bellet, 14 guns (12 of which she had thrown overboard during the chase), and 50 men. She was from Calais and had been cruising since 16 April. Captain Bellet informed Wollaston that the second lugger was ''Tipoo Sahib'', of 12 guns. ''Tipoo Sahib'' had thrown all her guns and her boat overboard during the chase and had gone either to France or Norway.{{efn|''Tipoo Sahib'' was named for [[Tipu Sultan]], the ruler of the [[Kingdom of Mysore]], who was an ally of Frances and an enemy of the British. In fact, Tipu Sultan had died on 4 May, [[Siege of Seringapatam (1799)|defending his fort at Srirangapatna]].}} Wollaston decided that as 26 of his crew were away in prizes, and he had 50 prisoners on board, that he would come into Yarmouth to land the prisoners before returning to his station.<ref>''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 2, p.244.</ref>

''Cruizer'' continued operating in the North Sea, capturing the privateer ''Courageux'' on 13 July after a chase of three hours. ''Courageaux'' carried 14 guns and a crew of 47 men. She was six weeks out of Dunkirk. During her cruise she had captured four vessels, one of which ''Cruizer'' had recaptured the evening before.<ref>''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 2, p.343.</ref> On 25 August ''Cruizer'' captured ''Catharina Magdalena'', Ahrens, master.<ref name=LG15805>{{London Gazette|date=7 May 1805|issue=15805|page=624}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' captured the 14-gun French privateer ''Perseverant'' on 23 March 1800. ''Cruizer'' had been boarding two brigs when she sighted a suspicious sail to the east. ''Cruizer'' gave chase and after five hours succeeded in capturing the French privateer cutter ''Perseverant''. ''Perseverant'' was armed with 14 guns and had a crew of 47 men under the command of Captain Delattre. Wollaston described her as "a remarkably fine Vessel, copper-bottomed, and has captured an amazing Number of Vessels in the North Sea." On this cruise, ''Perseverant'' was 20 days out of Dunkirk, having stopped at the Texel for two days, but had not captured anything.<ref name=LG15242/>

Two days later ''Cruizer'' captured the 14-gun ''Filibustier''. ''Cruizer'' had been boarding a brig from Bremen, whose master reported that three hours earlier a French privateer steering to the NE had hailed him. ''Cruizer'' immediately set of in chase and by eight-thirty had caught up with and captured the privateer. ''Flibustier'' had a crew of 54 men under the command of Captain Cany. She was only one day out of Dunkirk and had captured nothing.<ref name=LG15242/>

Wollaston sent both ''Perseverant'' and '' Flibustier'' into Yarmouth.<ref name=LG15242>{{London Gazette|issue=15242|pages=297–298|date=
25 March 1800}}</ref>

On 22 May ''Cruizer'' and {{HMS|Pyllades|1794|2}} captured ''Maria Charlotta'', Backendorff, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15583|page=555|date=10 May 1803}}</ref>

In August, ''Cruizer'' detained ''Elizabeth'', J. M. Farrer, master. ''Elizabeth'' was bound for Amsterdam and carried 25 hogsheads of sugar.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15343|page=266|date=7 March 1801}}</ref> Then on 18 September ''Cruizer'' captured ''Vertrouwen'', Simons, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=21 August 1802|issue=15508|page=889}}</ref>

===Copenhagen (1801)===
[[File:Battle of Copenhagen (1801).jpg|thumb|right|Plan of the battle of Copenhagen, showing the inner channel between Middelgrund.  ''Cruizer'' (here labelled ''Cruiser'') is shown to the south of Middelgrund]]

In January 1801 Commander [[James Brisbane]] recommissioned ''Cruizer''.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}} On 23 February she recaptured ''Aberdeen [[Packet ship|Packet]]'', of Aberdeen, and ''Harriot'', of Sunderland.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=11 August 1801|issue=15396|page=994}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' was then assigned to Admiral [[Hyde Parker (admiral)|Sir Hyde Parker's]] expedition to the [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]], which had as its objective to compel the Danes to abandon the [[Second League of Armed Neutrality|League of Armed Neutrality]]. In March ''Cruizer'' sailed with Parker's fleet from Yarmouth [[Roadstead|roads]] for Copenhagen.

On 30 March, prior to the battle, the boats and masters of {{HMS|Amazon|1799|2}} and ''Cruizer'' placed buoys to mark the narrow channel between [[Saltholm]] and [[Fort Middelgrund|Middelgrund]] ("the Middle Ground" shoal), part of the waterway of [[Øresund]] between [[Copenhagen]] and [[Malmö]].<ref>{{London Gazette|date=15 April 1801|issue=15354|page=402}}</ref> Brisbane impressed his immediate superior, [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Vice Admiral Nelson]], with this work, and was promoted to [[post captain]] after the subsequent [[Battle of Copenhagen (1801)|battle of Copenhagen]].<ref>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/3446 Brisbane, Sir James], ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]'', [[J. K. Laughton]], Retrieved 13 July 2008</ref> In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Copenhagen" to all surviving claimants from the action.

In April, Commander John Hancock took command of ''Cruizer'' for the North Sea station.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}} ''Cruizer'', {{HMS|Zephyr|1795|2}}, and {{HMS|Surprise|1796|2}} shared in the proceeds of the capture on 1 October of ''Antonius'', and the capture the next day of ''Jonge Jacob''.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=24 July 1804|issue=15722|page=901}}</ref>

===Blockade of the Netherlands (1803 – 1806)===
Together with [[French corvette Jalouse (1797)|''Jalouse'']] and [[HMS Immortalité (1795)|''Immortalité'']], ''Cruizer'' captured two French armed vessels, the schooner ''Inabordable'' and the brig ''Commode'' on 14 June 1803 after they had run aground under the guns of a shore battery for protection. After about an hour's firing by the batteries, the British sloops, and the French gun-vessels, the boats were able to take possession and refloat the two gun-vessels. Each of the French gun-vessels was armed with three 24-pounder guns and one 8-pounder gun.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=14 June 1803|issue=15593|page=711}}</ref> Later reports described the two French vessels as gun-brigs, and gave their names as ''Inabordable'', and ''Mechanté''.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=27 December 1803|issue=15661|page=1837}}</ref> The Royal Navy did not take either into service.{{efn|Both were ''Ardente''-class ''chaloupes-canonnièr'' of 130 tons (French) displacement. ''Mechanté'' had been launched 17 June 1793 at Boulogne; ''Inabordable'' had been launched 12 August 1793 at Calais.{{sfnp|Winfield|Roberts|2015|p=275}}}}

[[French frigate Chiffonne (1799)|''Chiffonne'']], {{HMS|Ethalion|1802|2}}, and ''Cruizer'' shared in the capture of ''Flore'' on 5 August 1803.<ref>{{London Gazette|page=288|issue=15681|date=6 March 1804}}</ref> The same three vessels shared the salvage money arising from the recapture on the same day of ''Margaret'', Robert Lacs, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=15 May 1804|issue=15702|page=628}}</ref>

Boats from ''Cruizer'' and [[HMS Rattler (1795)|''Rattler'']] cut out the 4-gun cutter ''Colombe'' from [[Sluis]] on the night of 8 March 1804. Unfortunately ''Colombe'' grounded and when the cutting-out party was unable to free her, they set her on fire to prevent her recapture.<ref>''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 14, p.345.</ref>

Later that month ''Cruizer'' and ''Rattler'' were anchored off [[Blankenberge]]; 13 armed vessels carried troops from the shore with the intention of boarding, but they were beaten back until the shallow water and the guns of the [[Ostend]] batteries prevented further chase.{{sfnp|Marshall|1827|pp=4-31}}

Later in 1804 ''Cruizer'' was used as the inshore vessel in the blockade of [[Flushing, Netherlands|Flushing]], and as part of her duties she was required to report the movements of vessels in and around the harbour to the officer in command of the operation, [[Sidney Smith (Royal Navy officer)|Captain Sir Sidney Smith]] of [[HMS Antelope (1793)|''Antelope'']]. On 15 May 1804 ''Cruizer'' reported 22 vessels sailing from Ostend. By morning it was apparent that a flotilla of 59 vessels, comprising [[pram (ship)|prams]], schooners, and schuyts, had sailed from Flushing and was making its way along the shallow coastal waters to Ostend. ''Cruizer'' and ''Rattler'' attacked that afternoon, just as the wind changed and forced the Dutch vessels to turn back for Flushing. The frigates [[HMS Penelope (1798)|''Penelope'']] and ''Antelope'' attacked the leading vessels, and [[HMS Aimable (1782)|''Aimable'']] was sent to assist ''Cruizer'' and ''Rattler'' in dealing with the rearmost vessels. The British were surrounded by a host of small vessels, and operating in shallow water. The engagement lasted six hours, and ''Cruizer'' lost one man killed and three wounded. Much damage was done to the Flushing flotilla, although more sailors were killed in trying to destroy the grounded vessels over the next few days than were lost in the engagement.<ref name=AN>''Age of Nelson''</ref>  ''Antelope'', ''Rattler'', and ''Cruizer'' shared in the proceeds of the capture on 16 May of Dutch schuyt No. 98.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16900|pages=1065–1066|date=21 May 1814}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' captured the French privateer ''Contre Amiral Magon'' on 16 October 1804 after a chase of 100 miles. The gun-brig {{HMS|Bold|1801|2}}, the hired armed brig [[Hired armed brig Ann|''Ann'']], and cutter [[Hired armed cutter Florence|''Florence'']] were also in company but fell behind in the chase. The French brig, under the command of Captain Blauckman, surrendered without a fight after ''Cruizer'' sent three warning shots from her 32-pounder carronades.<ref name=LG15755/>{{efn|Blauckman was a highly successful privateer captain, also known as Blankman and Blakeman, among other variants. During the French Revolutionary Wars he had been captain of the privateers {{HMS|Anacreon|1799|2}}, ''Bellone'', and ''Chasseur''. This was the fourth time the British had captured him.{{sfnp|Marcus|1971|pp=107-8}}}} She was quite new and on her first cruise. She was pierced for 18 guns but mounted 17: fourteen 6-pounder guns, two 18-pounder [[carronade]]s, and one 9-pounder gun. Her crew of 84 men consisted of Frenchmen, Danes, Swedes, and Americans. Of the 67 men aboard, 19 being away in prizes, seven of the Americans promptly joined the crew of ''Cruizer''.<ref name=LG15755>{{London Gazette|issue=15755|page=1412|date=17 November 1804}}</ref>

''Contre-Amiral Magnon'' had been out from Dunkirk 18 days and had captured the ship ''Belisarius'', of Newcastle, the brig ''Scipio'', and ''Content's Increase''. The last two had cargoes of coal and the privateer had sent them straight into Dunkirk. A British naval brig had recaptured ''Belisarius'' within two hours of her capture. The masters of all three British vessels, together with their crews, some 20 men in all, were on ''Contre Amiral Magon'' at the time of her capture and ''Cruizer'' took them on board.<ref name=LG15755/> ''Cruizer'' sent ''Contre-Amiral Magon'' into Yarmouth where soon afterwards she was wrecked by being driven on shore. Her crew were sent to prison, but Captain Blauckman remained aboard {{HMS|Monmouth|1796|2}}. He managed to escape and shortly thereafter returned to Dunkirk.<ref>''United service magazine'', July 1845, pp.404-8.</ref>

On 23 October 1804 ''Cruizer'' and her accompanying gun-brigs were in again action off Ostend with two small [[pram (ship)|praams]] and eighteen schuyts. Shallow water allowed the French to retreat as the tide fell and the gun-brig {{HMS|Conflict|11801|2}} grounded due to the fault of her pilot. Her crew abandoned her but later returned together with men from ''Cruizer'', the hired armed cutters [[Hired armed cutter Admiral Mitchell|''Admiral Mitchell'']], and [[Hired armed cutter Griffin|''Griffin'']], and some of the other ships in the squadron to try to recapture or destroy her. The cutting-out expedition was unsuccessful, with ''Cruizer'' suffering four officers and men wounded, ''Conflict'' losing one man killed and five wounded, and ''Griffin'' having two men wounded in the attempt.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15748|pages=1320–1322|date=23 October 1804}}</ref>

The next year continued to be a busy time on blockade for ''Cruizer'' as she was in action 104 times with various enemy ships, coastal batteries and privateers.

On 11 February 1805 ''Cruizer'' and ''Ann'' captured ''Hoop'', Mailer, master.<ref name=LG15496/>{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money was £2 5s {{frac|6|1|2}}d.<ref name=LG15950/>}}

On 8 March ''Cruizer'' captured the [[galiot]] ''Triton'' and recaptured ''Vriendschap''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15875|page=1613|date=24 December 1805}}</ref> ''Cruizer'' shared with ''Minx'' and ''Bold'' in the proceeds of the capture seven days later of ''Industria'', Labea, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=12 August 1806|issue=15945|page=1067}}</ref>
<ref name=LG15496>{{London Gazette|date=16 August 1806|issue=15946|page=1084}}</ref>{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money was £1 18s {{frac|2|1|2}}d.<ref name=LG15950/>}} ''Cruizer{{'}}''s crew did a little better from the capture on 20 June of ''Johanna Tbolen''.{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money was £2 8s {{frac|6|3|4}}d.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=3 February 1807|issue=15997|page=144}}</ref>}}

Earlier, on 5 June, ''Cruizer'' was in company with the [[hired armed vessels|hired]] cutter [[Hired armed cutter Active|''Active'']] and brig ''Ann'', and the brigs {{HMS|Minx|1797|2}}, and {{HMS|Mariner|1801|2}} when they captured ''Dogter Catherina''.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=7 March 1807|issue=16007|page=295}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' was again in company with ''Ann'' on 2 August 1805 when they captured ''Frederick''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16732|page=999|date=4 September 1810}}</ref> Then on 22 August they captured ''Susannah Margaretha''.<ref name=LG16012>{{London Gazette|issue=16012|page=366|date=21 March 1807}}</ref>{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money was 7s {{frac|1|3|4}}d.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=10 February 1807|issue=15999|page=179}}</ref>}} ''Cruizer'', {{HMS|Active|1799|2}}, ''Mariner'', and  ''Minx'' shared in the proceeds of the detention on 5 September of ''Sophia Amelia''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17054|page=1724|date=22 August 1815}}</ref> ''Cruizer'', ''Minx'', and ''Mariner'' were in company and shared with {{HMS|Griper|1804|2}} and {{HMS|Earnest|1805|2}} in the proceeds of the recapture on 29 September of ''Rover'', of Newcastle, Hillary, master.{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money was 3s 1d.<ref name=LG15950>{{London Gazette|date=30 August 1806|issue=15950|pages=1141–1142}}</ref>}}

On 13 November ''Cruizer'' intercepted two French pirate luggers attempting to take a brig. Hancock chased them and after two hours captured ''Vengeur'' after his bow guns brought down the lugger's main topsail and main-[[lug sail]]. ''Vengeur'' was under the command of Jean Augustin Hirrel, carried a crew of 56 men, and was armed with 14 guns. She was two days out of Boulogne and had that day taken two Swedish brigs, one laden with salt, from Liverpool, the other from Boston, in Lincolnshire, in ballast.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15862|date=12 November 1805|page=4}}</ref>{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money was 16s 5d.<ref name=LG15950/>}}

On 27–8 January 1806 captured "sundry Smuggling Vessels".<ref name=LG16180/> Hancock decoyed a number of smugglers off shore by disguising his ship as an American. He captured one cutter, which he used as a tender. He then sailed ''Cruizer'' and the cutter in the direction he thought most of the smugglers had sailed. Next morning he found four luggers and a cutter within easy reach and proceeded to capture them too. The tender captured two luggers, each with 1000 tubs of [[Jenever|geneva]], rum, and the like. In all, the haul included 26,000 gallons of spirits and a large quantity of tobacco, plus other contraband.{{sfnp|Marshall|1827|pp=4-31}} The proceeds amounted to £2236 19s 7d, which the officers and crew shared.<ref name=LG16180>{{London Gazette|issue=16180|page=1233|date=6 September 1808}}</ref> Despite this singular success against the smugglers, when ''Cruiser'' returned to port Hancock had to turn over command of ''Cruiser'' to Commander [[Pringle Stoddart]].{{sfnp|Marshall|1827|pp=4-31}}{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}} Unfortunately for Hancock, the [[battle of Trafalgar]] had taken place a few months earlier. The battle had resulted on 21 January in a great many promotions in Admiral Lord [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Nelson's]] fleet, with a number of the beneficiaries displacing Hancock in the list of candidates for promotion.{{sfnp|Marshall|1827|pp=4-31}}

===Baltic (1807-1810)===
At 8&nbsp;am on 6 January, ''Cruizer'' was eight leagues south of the Galloper when she sighted a suspicious lugger heading for the coast of Flanders. ''Cruiser'' gave chase and after four hours caught up with and captured the French privateer ''Iėna''. ''Iéna'' was armed with sixteen 3 and 4-pounder guns, two of which she had thrown overboard during the chase. She was a new vessel, only 14 days out of the stocks, and was under the command of M. Morel. She had captured three English vessels on 1 and 2 January some seven leagues from Flamborough Head. A gale had separated ''Felicity'' of Yarmouth, ''Neptune'' of Sunderland, and ''Bee'' of Kikaldy from the Baltic convoy they had been part of, resulting in their vulnerability. The masters and crew of all three were aboard ''Iena''; Stoddard thought that there was a good chance the Royal Navy would recapture the three as they and the privateer had tried to enter port at [[Gorée]], only to be chased away by a frigate and a cutter.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=10 January 1807|issue=15990|pages=34–35}}</ref> The Royal Navy took ''Iėna'' into service as {{HMS|Grenada|1807|6}}.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=320}}

On her way from [[Walcheren]] towards the Galloper Shoal in the North Sea, on 26 January 1807, ''Cruizer'' spotted the 16-gun privateer lugger ''Braave''  (or ''Brave'') and, after a long chase, drove her onto the beach three miles west of [[Blankenberge]]. The captain and much of the crew then fled ashore. ''Cruizer''{{'}}s boats captured the privateer under musket fire and brought her off. ''Cruizer'' freed the masters and crew of the Tyne collier brig ''Leander'', and of an English [[galiot]] carrying government rum, who were prisoners aboard ''Brave''. ''Cruizer'' recaptured ''Leander'' the same afternoon, as well as ''Guardian'', of Bridlington. ''Guardian'' was one of five vessels, including four from the Baltic, that the French privateer ''Revanche'' had captured off [[Flamborough Head]].<ref>{{London Gazette|date=3 February 1807|issue=15997|page=142}}</ref>

Around this time ''Cruizer'' captured two fishing vessels, ''St. Would Beloop'' and ''Fortuyn''.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=14 February 1807|issue=16000|page=197}}</ref> On 2 March, ''Cruizer'' recaptured the Danish ship ''Familien''.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=2 January 1808|issue=16105|page=27}}</ref>

From August 1807 ''Cruizer'' formed part of Admiral Gambier's inshore squadron for the [[Battle of Copenhagen (1807)|second battle of Copenhagen]]. On 23 August, ''Cruizer'' was part of the advance squadron, which took up position near the entrance to the harbour. An engagement of four hours ensued between the squadron and the Danes, who marshaled the Crown Battery, floating batteries, three praams of 20 guns each, some 30 gunboats, and block ships. The shallowness of the water prevent the Royal Navy from bringing in any large ships to support the advance squadron of brigs, sloops, and ketches. Eventually the British withdrew. Lieutenant Woodford of ''Cruizer'' was among the dead, and the only casualty from ''Cruizer''.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=12 September 1807|issue=16064|page=1191}}</ref>

Commander George M'Kenzie took command later in 1807.

{{HMS|Astraea|1781|2}}, {{HMS|Agamemnon|1781|2}}, and ''Cruizer'' shared the proceeds of the detention during August of the Danish merchant vessels ''Anne and Catherine'', ''Anne and Margaret'', and ''Three Brothers''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16720|page=753|date=13 April 1813}}</ref> {{HMS|Banterer|1807|2}}, {{HMS|Kite|1805|2}}, [[hired armed vessels|hired armed]] [[cutter (ship)|cutter]] [[Hired armed cutter Joseph|''Joseph'']], and {{HMS|Whiting|1805|2}} shared with ''Cruizer'' in the proceeds of ''Twee Gebruders''.{{efn|A seaman's share of the prize money for ''Anne and Catherine'', ''Anne and Margaret'', and ''Three Brothers'' was {{frac|5|1|2}}d. A seaman's share of the prize money for  ''Twee Gebruders'' was {{frac|9|1|2}}d.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16728|page=924|date=11 May 1813}}</ref>}}

''Cruizer'' and ''Kite'' shared in the capture on 20 August of the ''William August'', Thuren, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16479|page=763|date=23 April 1811}}</ref> That same day ''Cruizer'' and ''Kite'' captured ''Patriot'', Thomson, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=23 April 1811|issue=16479|page=762}}</ref> Eleven days later, ''Cruizer'' captured ''Mary''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16390|page=1104|date=24 July 1810}}</ref> Two days later ''Cruizer'' captured ''Emanuel''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16385|page=1009|date=7 July 1810}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' shared with {{HMS|Dictator|1783|2}} and {{HMS|Prometheus|1807|2}} in the capture on 16 April 1808, of a Danish [[mail boat]]. The mail boat was carrying, ''inter alia'', foreign gold, silver, copper coins, Holstein and Sleswick paper notes, and £2000.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16620|page=1306|date=4 July 1812}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' was in company with {{HMS|Euryalus|1803|2}}, Captain [[George Heneage Lawrence Dundas|George Dundas]], in the [[Great Belt]] when on 11 June they discovered several vessels at anchor close to shore at the entrance to the river [[Nakskov|Naskon]]. Dundas anchored at dark and sent a cutting out party in four boats from the two ships to destroy the vessels. The cutting out party burnt two large troop transports and retrieved a gun-vessel armed with two 18-pounders and carrying 64 men. The successful foray took place directly under the guns of a Danish battery of three 18-pounder guns and numerous enemy troops who lined the shore. The enemy lost seven men killed (and possibly a number drowned), and twelve wounded; the British had one man slightly wounded.<ref>{{London Gazette|page=965|issue=16161|date=9 July 1808}}</ref> In 1817 the crews of the British ships received prize money for "Danish gun-boat E".{{efn|A first-class share of the hull, stores, and head money was worth [[£sd|£]]72 11s 5d; a fifth-class share, that of a seaman, was worth 7s {{frac|2|1|4}}d.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17210|pages=112–113|date=18 January 1817}}</ref>}}

''Cruizer'' recaptured ''Mary'' on 31 August.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=24 July 1810|issue=16390|page=1104}}</ref>

On 1 November, ''Cruizer'' was under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Wells (acting). She was off [[Gothenburg]] when 20 gunboats attacked her;{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}} she captured a schuyt of ten 4-pounder guns and 32 men, and drove off the others, which took refuge at [[Læsø]].{{sfnp|Marshall|1832|p=370}}{{efn|Some accounts give the date as 1 October.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}}}} On 16 November Wells wrote to his wife Nancy that she should buy a weekly paper to see his letter describing his capture.{{sfnp|Lincoln|2007|p=102}} His feat resulted in Well's promotion to the rank of commander some weeks later.{{sfnp|Allen|1842|p=256}} In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Cruizer 1 Novr. 1808" to all surviving claimants from the action.

Wells was still a lieutenant and acting captain when between 1 and 9 November ''Cruizer'' captured the Danish vessels ''Rinaldo'', ''Proben'', ''Trende Brodre'', and ''Kirstina''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16341|page=222|date=10 January 1810}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' shared with the bomb-vessel {{HMS|Hearty|1805|2}} in the proceeds of the salvage arising from the recapture on 2 November of the ''Maria Elizabeth''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16242|page=440|date=1 April 1809}}</ref> ''Cruizer'' and {{HMS|Fury|1790|2}} shared in the proceeds of the capture on 23 November of ''Fier Broders'', J. Eynerson, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16353|date=20 March 1810|page=429}}</ref> {{HMS|Starling|1805|2}}, ''Cruizer'', ''Alexandrine'' [sic] (probably {{HMS|Alexandria|1806|2}}), and ''Fury'' shared in the proceeds of the capture, also on 23 November, of the Danish ships ''Vrow Sophia'' and ''Yonge Nessa''.<ref name=LG16365>{{London Gazette|issue=16365|date=28 April 1810|pages=633–634}}</ref> On 6 December seven Danish vessels arrived at Yarmouth. They were prizes to ''Cruizer'', ''Starling'', and {{HMS|Rose|1805 sloop|2}}.<ref>[https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.c2735023?urlappend=%3Bseq=417 ''Lloyd's List''  No. 4308.]</ref>

Two days later, ''Cruizer'' captured the Danish vessels ''Erndre'', ''Prince Charles'', ''Aurora'', ''Lawrence Caroline'', and ''Two Brothers''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16448|date=29 January 1811|page=185}}</ref> Apparently that same day ''Cruizer'' also captured ''Jonge Ness'', ''Vrou Sophia'', ''Johannes'', and ''Elbe''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16346|date=27 February 1810|page=308}}</ref> ''Starling'', ''Cruizer'', ''Alexandrine'', and ''Fury'' shared in the proceeds of the capture, also on 25 November, of the Danish ships ''Salskabed'' and ''St. Jorrison''.<ref name=LG16365/> Other vessels that ''Cruizer'' captured between 22 and 25 November were ''Fier Brodre'', ''Maria Elizabeth'', and ''Speculation''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16377|date=9 June 1810|page=846}}</ref> ''Cruizer'' shared with ''Hearty'' in the proceeds from the capture of ''Fier Brodre''.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=20 March 1810|issue=16353|page=429}}</ref> On 25 November ''Cruizer'' also captured the Danish vessels ''Prince Charles'', ''Aurora'', ''Ernize'', ''Lawrence Caroline'', and ''Two Brothers''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16488|date=29 January 1811|page=185}}</ref>

On 26 November 1808 Commander Thomas Richard Toker replaced Wells.{{sfnp|Marshall|1829|p=195}}{{efn|For more on Thomas Richard Toker see: {{Cite NBD1849 |wstitle=Toker, Thomas Richard}}}}

In March and April 1809 ''Cruizer'' captured five prizes. On 13 March she captured ''Albion''. The next day she captured ''Printz Frederick'' and ''Erstotning''. On 21 March it was ''Unge Maria''{{'}}s turn to fall prey. {{HMS|Orion|1787|2}}, {{HMS|Superb|1798|2}}, {{HMS|Tartar|1801|2}}, and ''Cruizer'' shared in the proceeds of the capture on 8 April of ''Vergnugen'' and ''Gustaff''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16357|date=31 March 1810|page=493}}</ref> On 9 April ''Cruizer'' captured ''St. Johannes''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16344|date=20 February 1810|page=276}}</ref> ''Cruizer'' shared with ''Tartar'', ''Superb'', and ''Orion'' in the proceeds of the capture that same day of ''Caroline''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16471|date=2 April 1811|page=627}}</ref> The same four British vessels shared in the capture, two days later, of the Danish sloop ''Brigetta'' and the Prussian [[galiot]] ''Erwaftnung''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16461|date=5 March 1811 |page=433}}</ref> Lastly, on 27 April ''Cruizer'' captured ''Lille Peder''.<ref name=LG16424/>

On 7 May ''Cruizer'' was off [[Baltiysk]] (then called Pillau), with a letter for [[Louis Drusina]] (also known as Heinrich Hahn), a secret agent who had previously been British Consul. ''Cruizer'' shared with {{HMS|Urgent|1804|2}} in the proceeds of the salvage of ''Experiment'', Becker, master, on 8 May.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16371|date=19 May 1810|page=734}}</ref> The next day ''Cruizer'' was in company with ''Urgent'' when they captured the French privateer [[cutter (boat)|cutter]] ''Tilsit'', of ten guns and 41 men.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16264|page=825|date=6 June 1809}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16349|page=359|date=10 March 1810}}</ref>

''Cruizer'' captured the 6-gun Danish ''Christianborg'' on 31 May 1809. She had a crew of 37 men, but 13 were away in a boat that another British warship had captured. Of her six guns, ''Christianborg'' had throw three overboard in an unsuccessful attempt to gain speed. She was only six hours out of [[Ertholmene|Earthholms]] ({{coord|55|19|30|N|15|11|39|E}}) and had not captured anything.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16265|date=10 June 1809|page=853}}</ref> ''Cruizer'' was in company with {{HMS|Rose|1805|2}}.<ref name=LG16424>{{London Gazette|issue=16424|date=13 November 1810|pages=1811–1812}}</ref>

On 30 May 1810, ''Cruizer'' captured ''Hercules''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16547|page=2317|date=30 November 1811}}</ref> Then on 19 June ''Cruizer'' captured the Danish galiot ''Frau Magdalena'', and the Prussian sloop ''Jonge Laura'', on 26 June.<ref name=LG16542>{{London Gazette|issue=16542|pages=2222–2223|date=16 November 1811}}</ref> On 12 July ''Cruizer'' captured ''Jonge Johannes''<ref name=LG16547>{{London Gazette|date=30 November 1811|issue=16547|page=2317}}</ref> Next, on 13 July, ''Cruizer'' captured the Danish sloop ''Zwey Gebroeders'' while {{HMS|Woodlark|1808|2}} was in sight. Two days later ''Cruizer'' captured the [[Hoy (boat)|hoy]] ''Elizabeth'' (or ''Jonge Elizabeth'').<ref name=LG16542/><ref name=LG16547/> Then a week later, on 22 July, ''Cruizer'' captured the Swedish hoy ''Concordia''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16463|page=487|date=12 March 1811}}</ref> 
 
In September and October, ''Cruizer'' brought four prizes (''Schwan'', ''Blanch'', ''Albertina'', and ''Byie'') into [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]]. She had captured the Prussian sloop ''Schwan'' on 31 July, the Dutch galiot ''Familiens Well'' on 17 September, and ''Albersina'' on 21 August. ''Cruizer'' shared the capture of ''Albersina'' with {{HMS|Cheerful|1806|2}}.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16564|page=133|date=18 January 1812}}</ref>

Around this time ''Cruizer'' shared with a number of vessels in the capture of ''Aeolus'', Zubeck, master; ''Jonge Pieter'', Musterdt, master; ''Jusrow Alyda'', Pottjewit, master; ''Ferwagting'', Dirks, Master; ''Vinnern'', Paulsen, master; and the ''Almindeligheden'', Watzes, master; ''Neptunus'', Hanses, master; ''Sen Soskende'', Barnholdt, master; ''Bornholm'', Junge, master; ''Fabius'', Desvertiey, master; ''Zee Star'', Muller, master; and ''Frou Eagle'', Rotjer, master.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16578|page=388|date=25 February 1812}}</ref>

She was in Yarmouth and the Nore in January 1811, refitted in Chatham in November 1811, and was in Portsmouth in February 1812.<ref name=pb>Naval Database</ref>

Toker was appointed to [[post captain]] on 4 December 1813.

==Fate==
''Cruizer'' was laid up [[Reserve fleet|in ordinary]] at Sheerness in November 1813.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}}

The Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy gave notice that the "Cruizer brig, of 384 tons", lying at Sheerness, would be offered for sale on 3 February 1819.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17441|page=111|date=16 January 1819}}</ref> Mr Job Cockshot bought ''Cruizer'' for £960 on 3 February for breaking up.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=282}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book |last=Allen |first=Joseph |year=1842 |title=Battles of the British navy: from A.D. 1000 to 1840 |volume=2 |location=London |publisher=A.H. Baily & Co. |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OhShxkhunkYC/ }}
* {{cite book | last=Lincoln | first=Margaret | title=Naval Wives & Mistresses | publisher=National Maritime Museum | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-948065-92-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uiwhAQAAIAAJ }}
* {{cite book | last=Marcus | first=Geoffrey Jules | title=The age of Nelson; the Royal Navy, 1793-1815 | publisher=Viking Press | year=1971 | isbn=0-670-10965-7 | oclc=1131503742}}
* {{cite RNB1823 |wstitle=Hancock, John |volume=sup |part=1 |pages=4–31}}
* {{cite RNB1823 |wstitle=Wells, Thomas |volume=3 |part=2 |page=370}}
* {{cite RNB1823 |wstitle=Toker, Thomas Richard|volume=sup |part=3 |pages=194–195}}
* {{cite book |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|year=2008|isbn=978-1-86176-246-7}} 
* {{cite book|last1=Winfield|first1=Rif|last2=Roberts|first2=Stephen S.|year=2015|title=French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786–1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|isbn=978-1-84832-204-2}}

==External links==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=0650|title=HMS ''Cruizer'' at the Age of Nelson website|access-date=2010-09-26}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/C/01198.html|title=HMS ''Cruizer'' at the Naval Database website|access-date=2010-09-26}} <small>NB. Benyon uncharacteristically confuses ''Cruizer'' with her predecessor, the cutter of 1781, although the cutter sank in 1792. All the entries here are for the ''Cruizer''-class brig-sloop of 1797.</small>
{{Cruizer class brig-sloop}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruizer (1797)}}
[[Category:1797 ships]]
[[Category:Cruizer-class brig-sloops]]
[[Category:Ships built in England]]
[[Category:Sloops of the Royal Navy]]