Jersey (60)
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Origin and History
The ship was built at the Harwich dockyard and launched on June 14 1736.
In October 1739, the ship took part in the unsuccessful expedition of admiral Vernon against the Spanish port of Cartagena in Colombia.
During the War of the Austrian Succession, in November 1744, the ship captured 3 French vessels sailing for Bordeaux : the Intrépide and Mentor from Saint-Domingue and the Marie-Thérèse from the Martinique island.
During the Seven Years' War, the ship was under the command of:
- from October 1755: Captain Sir William Burnaby
- from July 1757: Captain John Barker
- from 1760 to June 1763: Captain Andrew Wilkinson
In 1771, the masts of the ship were taken down and was transformed into a hospital shipin Wallabout Bay near New York.
During the American War of Independence, the ship was used as a floating prison where thousands of American died.
The ship was abandoned in the harbour of New York in 1783 when the British evacuated New York.
Service during the War
In 1756, the British privateer Fortunatus Wright was at Livorno in Tuscany where he had been building a small vessel: the St. George. When Wright decided to sail from Livorno, Tuscan authorities limited the force he might embark. On July 28, as soon as he got outside the port, Wright took on board more guns and men transshipped from four merchant vessels under his convoy. He then beat off a large French privateer. He then put back to Livorno pursued by two other French privateers. Wright was at once forced to bring his ship inside the mole, where she was detained on a charge of having violated the neutrality of the port. A diplomatic squabble began, and was continued until Captain Sir William Burnaby appeared on the scene. Wright had contrived to let Hawke know how matters stood; and Hawke had immediately despatched Burnaby, in the Jersey (60), together with the Isis (50), to set matters straight. The mission of Sir William was to convoy the trade from Livorno, and to see the St. George safe out of that port. To the representations of the governor and the Austrian or French sympathies of that officer, Burnaby had nothing to say; but he made it abundantly clear that he was authorized, and in a position, to repel force by force, should any resistance be offered. On September 23, the Jersey, the Isis, the St. George, and the merchantmen went out of Livorno in peace.
In May 1759, the ship was part of Boscawen squadron who had taken position off Cap Sicié to blockade the harbour of Toulon where a French fleet was preparing to sail to join another squadron at Brest and then to escort an invasion force to Ireland. On June 8, Boscawen ordered the Culloden (74), Conqueror (68) and Jersey (60), under the orders of captain Smith Callis, to proceed, and, if possible, destroy 2 French frigates trapped into a fortified bay near Toulon. The ships were gallantly taken in. However, they were becalmed while under the batteries and, after a sharp engagement of 2 hours, they had to be recalled without having accomplished their object. The Jersey (60) lost 8 killed and 15 wounded and all the vessels were badly damaged aloft. At the beginning of July 1759, Boscawen was compelled to go to Gibraltar for provisions and repairs. On August 4, Boscawen finally reached Gibraltar. On August 5 de la Clue set sail from Toulon to make a junction with de Conflans' fleet at Brest. On August 17, de la Clue's fleet (10 ships of the line, 2 50-gun ships and 3 frigates) passed the straits of Gibraltar where it was sighted by the Gibraltar (20). Alarmed, Boscawen set sail from Gibraltar to intercept de la Clue. On August 18, the ship took part in the victorious battle of Lagos.
To do: more details on the campaigns from 1760 to 1762
Characteristics
| Guns | 60
| ||||||||
| Crew | not available | ||||||||
| Length at gundeck | 144 ft (43.9 m) | ||||||||
| Width | 41 ft 5 in (12.6 m) | ||||||||
| Depth | 16 ft 11 in (5.2 m) | ||||||||
| Displacement | 1065 long tons (1082 tonnes) |
References
This article contains texts from the following book which is now in the public domain:
- Clowes, Wm. Laird, The Royal Navy – A History from the Earliest Time to the Present, Vol. III, Sampson Low, Marston and Company, London: 1898, p. 291
Other sources
Harrison, Simon and Manuel Blasco, 3 Decks
Knox Laughton, John: Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 63 - Wright, Fortunatus
Phillips, M., Michael Phillip's Ships of the Old Navy
N.B.: the section Service during the War is derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
