HMS Alert (1777)

HMS Alert was a 10-gun cutter launched at Dover in 1777 and was converted to a sloop in the same year.[1]

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

On 19 September 1777, during the American War of Independence, Alert caught and engaged the American 16-gun brigantine Lexington in the English Channel. After two hours fighting, Lexington damaged Alert's rigging, and broke off the action, but Alert's crew quickly managed to repair the ship and caught up with Lexington, which was now virtually out of ammunition and unable to reply to Alert's fire. After a further one and a half hours bombardment by Alert, Lexington struck her colours, surrendering to Alert. Lexington had lost 7 men killed with 11 wounded, while Alert had two killed and 3 wounded.[2][3] During the Action of 17 June 1778, Alert engaged the French 10-gun Lugger Coureur, and after 90 minutes, forced Coureur to strike.[2][4]

Alert was captured in the Channel by the Junon on 17 July 1778;[1][5] and foundered December 1779 off the coast of America.[6] French records show her serving as Alerte, a cutter of fourteen 4-pounder guns and valued as a prize at Lt 32,289.[7]

Citations
  1. Hepper (1994), p.52.
  2. Lecky (1913), p. 57.
  3. Clowes (1899), pp. 8–10.
  4. Clowes (1899), pp. 14–15.
  5. Clowes (1899), p. 16.
  6. Roche (2005)
  7. Demerliac (1996), p.87, #572.

References
  • Clowes, Wiliam Laird (1899). The Royal Navy: A History From the Earliest Times to the Present. London: Sampson Low, Marston and Company. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Demerliac, Alain (1996) La Marine De Louis XVI: Nomenclature Des Navires Français De 1774 À 1792. (Nice: Éditions OMEGA). ISBN 2-906381-23-3
  • Hepper, David J. (1994) British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650-1859. (Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot). ISBN 0-948864-30-3
  • Lecky, Halton Sterling (1913). The King's Ships: Volume I. London: Horace Muirhead. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005) Dictionnaire des Bâtiments de la Flotte de Guerre Française de Colbert à nos Jours. (Group Retozel-Maury Millau).


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