HMS Forward (1805)

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

HMS Forward was a 12-gun gun-brig of the Archer class of the British Royal Navy.

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Forward
Ordered	June 1804
Builder	Joseph Todd, Berwick
Laid down	July 1804
Launched	4 January 1805
Commissioned	November 1804
Fate	Sold 14 December 1815
General characteristics [1]
Class & type	Archer-class gun-brig
Tons burthen	17830⁄94 bm
Length	80 ft 0 in (24.38 m) (gundeck) 65 ft 10+1⁄4 in (20.072 m) (gundeck)
Beam	22 ft 6+3⁄4 in (6.877 m)
Depth of hold	9 ft 5 in (2.87 m)
Sail plan	Brig
Complement	50
Armament	10 × 18-pounder carronades + 2 × chase guns

History

In December 1804, Lieutenant Daniel Shiels commissioned Forward for the Channel.^[1]

On 7 February 1806, Forward was some six or seven leagues off Dunnose, Isle of Wight when she sighted and gave chase to a French privateer lugger. After a chase of half-an-hour and some firing, the lugger struck. She was Rancune, Captain Foliot, of Cherbourg and 12 hours out of there, having taken nothing. She was pierced for 12 guns but had only four mounted; she also carried swivel guns and small arms. Two of her crew had been wounded, one dangerously.^[2]

On 17 April 1807, forward, Lieutenant Shiels, captured the Danish ship Sylt.^[a]

In 1807, Lieutenant Richard Welsh replaced Shiels, but then in 1808, Shiels returned to command.^[1]

On 23 April 1808, during the Gunboat War, Forward towed three boats from Daphne and two from Tartarus in an attack on ten laden vessels moored at Fladstrand in Denmark. Despite coming under artillery and musket fire from a fortification, the British successfully spirited away the vessels, with five men wounded in the action.^[4]

On 2 July 1809, Forward, Lieutenant Shiels, captured the Danish fishing vessel De Hoop.^[5]

On 26 September 1809, Forward captured Jomfrue Sinneve Christiene, L.F. Grave, master.^[6]

On 1 October, Forward captured Elizabeth, Hans Olsen, master.^[7][6]

On 5 October, Forward captured Stadt Odense, S. Pederson, master.^[6]

Circa May 1810, Lieutenant Richard Bankes transferred from the hired armed cutter Duke of York to Forward, on the Leith station.^[8]

On 19 November 1811, Forward, commanded by Bankes, captured the merchant vessel Fortuna.^[9][10]

Forward departed Spithead anchorage on 2 December 1814 and arrived at Port Royal on 11 February 1815, having been part of a larger convoy with Swiftsure (1804) as its flagship.^[b] On 14 February, Forward, set sail from Port Royal, as it escorted the Boadicea and Dowson troop transports to the Mississippi.^[c]

Forward and a transport were the last remaining vessels in the vicinity of the British post at Prospect Bluff. On 16 May, they evacuated the last of the garrison there.^[d] Edward Nicolls, Woodbine, and the Redstick Creek leader Josiah Francis, arrived at Amelia Island, in East Florida on 7 June 1815,^[e] where rumours circulated that the officers were seeking either to obtain British possession of Florida from Spain, or at least to arm and supply the Florida factions resisting American territorial expansion. (In fact, Nicolls had been heading to the Bahamas, and had unintentionally ended up in East Florida.^[f]) Forward arrived in Bermuda, and disembarked her passengers on 28 June. Edward Nicolls embarked on the Forward on 29 June 'for passage to England', and disembarked at Portsmouth on 13 August 1815.^[g]

Fate

The "Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy" offered the "Gun-brig Forward, of 179 tons", "lying at Woolwich" for sale on 14 December 1815.^[17] Forward was sold on that day for £600 for breaking up.^[1]

Notes

1. A seaman's share of the prize money was worth £5 9s 6d.^[3]
2. 'A fleet of about 230 sail, under convoy of the Swiftsure of 74 guns, Capt. Adderley... and the Forward brig, of 14 guns, Capt Banks [set sail from the Solent on 2 December 1814]... On the 1st inst. the fleet arrived off Barbados... The Forward [escorted] those [vessels destined] for this port [and arrived at Port Royal on 11 February 1815, as recorded on page 17.]'^[11]
3. 'They proceeded on [14 February] Tuesday morning for their destination, under protection of the Forward brig, of 14 guns, Capt. Banks.'^[12]
4. COL. NICOLLS:-It appears that this great man has left the Floridas for Bermuda, in the gun-brig Forward, accompanied by captain Woodbine; an indian chief and about 50 slave troops.^[13]
5. JUNE 10.-"It is proper your excellency [the Governor of Georgia] should know that on the 7th inst. a brig and transport arrived at Amelia Island, with col. Nichols, captain Woodbine; an Indian Chief, and his son.^[14]
6. A letter from Nicolls to Anthony St. John Baker, HM Chargé D'Affaires, Washington, dated 12 June 1815, written at Amelia Island, says "I had intended to write to you from the Bahamas ... but being obliged to put in here in distress."^[15]
7. Portsmouth, Aug. 13:- The Forward, Lieut. BANKS, arrived here yesterday from Pensacola, last from Bermuda, in 42 days. The Forward had two transports under her convoy, with part of the marine artillery on board, from Pensacola, which she was obliged to leave up at Bermuda, to be hove down, in consequence of their being so leaky. Major Nicholls[sic], who had the command of the marine battalion serving in Florida, has come home in the Forward with an Indian Chief, who has greatly distinguished himself by assisting the British against the Americans, in that country.^[16]