Bligh

Originally Posted by Bligh

I could not find a picture of this ship.
Rob.

Amphion

	32-gun 5th rate frigate Launched in March 1798. Broken up in 1823. Conveyed Vice-Admiral Nelson as Commander-in-Chief to the Mediterranean from May - July 1803, with Captain Thomas Hardy.
Presence at Nelson's battles: None
On 18th June, whilst on board the Amphion, Nelson wrote to Captain Samuel Sutton who at that time was aboard the Victory, but would be transferring to Amphion when he reached the rendez-vous:"The Amphion is one of the nicest Frigates I have seen - not so large as Amazon, but has every good quality. Nicolas, vol. V
Career: 1799: At Jamaica. On the 25th November, captured a Spanish privateer, Asturiana. Oct 1802: Took Lord Fitzgerald as ambassador to Portugal. May 1803: Took Nelson from England to the Mediterranean fleet. Captain Thomas Hardy transferred to the Victory with Nelson once there, and Captain Samuel Sutton switched from the Victory to the Amphion. 5th Oct 1804: Fought at the Battle of Cape St. Maria (see the Medusa for details). (Capt. Sutton) Oct 1805: Went to Lisbon so Captain Sutton could be replaced with Captain William Hoste due to ill health; then went with Hoste to Algiers to deliver Nelson's letters to the Dey. May 1806: Joined Sir Sidney Smith's squadron guarding Sicily. June 1806: Amphion's boats attacked a castle at Cirello in Calabria (southern Italy). July 1806: Assisted with the British troops landing at Calabria, which led to the Battle of Maida. Then assisted with the landing of troops to attack French bases at Cantazaro and Crotone, and fired on French reinforcements. Returned to Palermo in August. May 1808: With Admiral Collingwood's fleet in the Mediterranean. Captured a French frigate, the Baleine, which was deliberately run aground at the Bay of Roses. (Capt. William Hoste) Nov 1808: Joined the blockade of Trieste (north-east Italy). Rescued two British officers who had escaped after being taken prisoner by the French. Feb 1809: Boats from the Amphion and Redwing landed on the island of Meleda in the Adriatic (now the Croatian Mljet), destroyed stores and captured a brig and storeship. (Capt. Hoste) April 1809: Boats from the Amphion, Spartan and Mercury attacked the port of Pesaro (north-east Italy), destroyed a fort and captured 13 merchant ships. (Capt. Hoste) Aug 1809: Amphion's crew took the fort at the port of Cortelazzo (at the mouth of the Piave river, north Italy, between Venice and Trieste); they then turned the fort's guns on six gunboats, which surrendered, and the fort was destroyed. Two storeships were captured, four were burnt. (Capt. Hoste) June 1810: With the Cerberus and Active, stormed two forts at Grado (between Venice and Trieste) after chasing a convoy into the harbour; then took five merchant ships and burnt eleven. (Capt. Hoste) Oct 1810: The Amphion and Active were chased by a French squadron from Ancona. They were later reinforced by the Cerberus and Acorn from Lissa (a British base, now the Croatian island of Vis in the Adriatic) but by that time the French ships were back in Ancona. Later, the Amphion collided with the Volage and had to be repaired. 13th March 1811: Was the flagship, under Captain Hoste, for the Battle of Lissa. Four British frigates fought against a squadron of seven French and Venetian. The French Commodore's flagship, Favorite, was run aground, and the Commodore - as well as almost all the officers on his ship - was killed. Two French frigates, the Corona and Bellona, were captured, and renamed Daedalus and Dover respectively. Prior to the battle, William Hoste, one of Nelson's protégés, emulated his hero by raising the inspirational signal "Remember Nelson" before the battle, which was greeted by cheers from the whole squadron. 1813: Recommissioned for the North Sea fleet. Her crew occupied the island of Schowen (belonging to the Netherlands) and captured a French battery at Tholen. 1814: Unsuccessfully attacked French ships in the West Scheldt (a river in the Netherlands). (Capt. James Pattison Stewart) Oct 1815: Escorted a convoy to Bermuda. 1820: Sunk as a breakwater in Woolwich. 1823: Wreck sold to be broken up.