HMS Wagtail (1806)

History
UK
Name	HMS Wagtail
Ordered	11 December 1805
Builder	James Lovewell, Great Yarmouth
Laid down	February 1806
Launched	12 April 1806
Fate	Wrecked 13 February 1807
General characteristics
Class and type	Cuckoo-class schooner
Tonnage	75 1⁄94 (bm)
Length	56 ft 4 in (17.2 m) (overall) 42 ft 4+1⁄8 in (12.9 m) (keel)
Beam	18 ft 3 in (5.6 m)
Draught	Unladen: 5 ft 1+1⁄2 in (1.6 m) Laden: 7 ft 6+1⁄2 in (2.3 m)
Depth of hold	8 ft 5 in (2.6 m)
Sail plan	Schooner
Complement	20
Armament	4 x 12-pounder carronades

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Wagtail.

HMS Wagtail was a Royal Navy Cuckoo-class schooner of four 12-pounder carronades and a crew of 20. She was built by James Lovewell at Great Yarmouth and launched in 1806. Like many of her class and the related Ballahoo-class schooners, she succumbed to the perils of the sea relatively early in her career.

She was commissioned in 1806 under Lieutenant William Cullis. She was wrecked on 13 February 1807 at Vila Franca do Campo, São Miguel in the Azores, three hours after her sister ship Woodcock was wrecked, and near Woodcock's water-logged remains. Both vessels had been anchored in the shelter of an islet off the town when a gale came up. Because of the storm they were unable to clear the land.

Wagtail's cables held until 8pm. Then her cables parted, and with waves breaking over her, Cullis ran her ashore. One man of the 18 men in her crew drowned.

Citations and references

Citations

References

• Gossett, William Patrick (1986) The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793-1900. (London:Mansell).ISBN 0-7201-1816-6
• Hepper, David J. (1994) British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650-1859. (Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot). ISBN 0-948864-30-3
• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 1-86176-246-1.