HMS Hercule (1798)

Combat between Hercule and Mars. The English frigate HMS Juno can be distinguished in the background.

During her maiden journey, on 21 April 1798, and just 24 hours out of port, she was captured by the British ship HMS Mars after a violent fight at the Battle of the Raz de Sein, off Île de Sein near Brest. Hercule attempted to escape through the Passage du Raz, but the tide was running in the wrong direction, and she was forced to anchor, giving the British the chance to attack at close quarters. The two ships were of equal force, both seventy-fours, but Hercule was newly commissioned; after more than an hour and a half of bloody fighting at close quarters she struck her colours at 10.30 pm, having lost — by her own officers' estimate — 290 men killed and wounded. On Mars 31 men were killed, including her captain, Alexander Hood, and 60 wounded. Captain Louis Lhéritier of Hercule was wounded by sabre and spike leading his boarding party.[3]

The Hercule was recommissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Hercule.

In mid-1803, the squadron under Captain Henry William Bayntun, consisting of Cumberland, Hercule, Bellerophon, Elephant, and Vanguard captured Poisson Volant and Superieure.[4] The Royal Navy took both into service.

In May 1803, Hercule's captain Solomon Ferris died suddenly on board the ship.

On 28 June 1803, during the Blockade of Saint-Domingue, Hercule was under the command of First Lieutenant John B. Hills, who was acting captain because Captain Ferris had died the previous month. She encountered the French frigate Poursuivante and the corvette Mignonne, and Hercule attempted to capture Poursuivante. However, Poursuivante outmaneuvered Hercule and delivered raking fire. Hercule (Louis-Philippe Crépin immortalised the incident in a painting.) HMS Goliath then captured Mignonne.

Hercule, under Captain Dun, participated in the failed attempt in January 1804 to capture Curaçao .

Theseus, (seen in the foreground) after a Hurricane she was caught in off San Domingo between 4 and 11 September 1804. Both Theseus and Hercule (seen in the background) were badly damaged, but eventually survived to reach Port Royal on 15 September

Hercule, was caught in a Hurricane off San Domingo between 4 and 11 September 1804, both she and HMS Theseus were badly damaged, but eventually survived to reach Port Royal on 15 September.

In the book, 'The Naval History of Great Britain' by William James lists most of the officers on board.

• Captain: Solomon Ferris, Feb 1803 – 27 May 1803[5]
• Acting Captain: Lieutenant J B Hills, June 1803[6]
• Captain Richard Dalling Dunn, 1803 [6]
• Lieutenant J.B.Hills[6]
• Lieutenant S. Perrot
• Lieutenant Nesbit Willoughby[6]
• Lieutenant William Woolsey [6]
• Royal Marines Lieutenant Edward Nicolls[6]

The commissioning captain, Captain Solomon Ferris proved a strong judge of character. His personally chosen lieutenants achieved success in the navy with two of them being knighted.

• Lieutenant J B.Hills reached the temporary position of Acting Captain.
• Lieutenant S. Perrot reached the rank of Captain in 1806
• Lieutenant Nisbet Willoughby reached the rank of Rear Admiral and was Knighted
• Lieutenant Edward Nicolls reached the rank of Lt. Col and was Knighted
• Lieutenant William Woolsey reached the rank of Commander at 20 years of age, HMS Papillon. Woolsey's capture of a French sloop man-of-war in Jamaica in April 1805 was replicated in the film Master and Commander. Drowned in a shipwreck 1805 crossing the Atlantic on convoy duty with HMS Vanguard

Perrot was mentioned in dispatches after losing an arm to a Dutch cannonball shot moments after swapping seats with Lt. Willoughby during the siege of Curaçao.

• List of ships captured in the 19th century
• List of ships of the line of France

• Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.

• Media related to Hercule (ship, 1797) at Wikimedia Commons
• Benyon, P. (2011). "HMS Hercule". Index of 19th Century Naval Vessels.