HINCHINBROOKE. Post Office Packet. Built in 1813 by James & Co. Falmouth for the British Post Office. Armed with 69 Carronades and 29 Long guns. Crew of 30 men & boys. Stamp design is from a print of 1814 showing the situation of HINCHINBROOKE at the close of an engagement with the U.S. Privateer GRAND TURK on 1st May 1814.
HINCHINBROOKE was in the Falmouth Packet Service of the Post Office. The Standing Orders of Packets when attacked were "to run when they can, fight when they can no longer run, and throw the mails overboard when fighting will no longer avail". She was lost in a hurricane in the West Indies, date unknown. The Post Office purchased another vessel in December 1813 to replace the lost HINCHINBROOKE. This replacement was probably one of the captured American privateers, since this vessel was raised, sheathed, coppered and copper-fastened in 1814. She sailed from Falmouth on 17th April 1816 for the Mediterranean and was lost on Cape St Vincent on 7th May 1816. Her crew, passengers and mail were saved - Belize 1985. 15c. SG847. Turks & Caicos Is. 1973. 8c. SG398 (LB 4/81.6/115-122.7/4.9/117.13/428/15/227.16/128. SB January/April1974. WP May 1990)
HINCHINBROOKE 1813
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aukepalmhof
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Re: HINCHINBROOKE (III) 1813
After the HINCHINBROOKE (I) was lost the packet service bought another vessel in December 1813 and renamed her HINCHINBROOKE (II), most probably was she a captured American privateer, she was raised and sheated, coppered and copper-fastened. In 1814.
Lloyds Register 1814 list her as 195 tons, two years old, built in America. Owner given as Post Office, Captain James, “A-1”, destined voyage Falmouth to Jamaica. Armed with 12 and 14pdrs guns.
All packets carried 21 men crew.
HINCHINBROOKE sailed from Falmouth on 14 February 1814 and fell in with the American privateer GRAND TURK on 1 May 1814 homeward bound from St Thomas.
On May 1st,1814, the HINCHINBROOKE to which Packet Captain James, so often distinguished as master of the DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH had been promoted, was on her homeward passage from St. Thomas, and had reached the neighbourhood of the Azores — a favourite cruising ground of the American Privateers, and one on which their ravages were long unchecked by the presence of any British man-of-war — when the look-out at the masthead reported a suspicious-looking vessel to the eastward. The strange sail drew rapidly nearer. At half-past four she hoisted American colours, and was drawing on fast. She fired no gun, nor was any hail heard; and as Captain James bade his men reserve their fire for closer quarters, the two ships neared each other in grim silence for the best part of an hour.
At twenty minutes past five they lay within pistol shot distance, and, as if at a preconcerted signal, the two broadsides roared out in the same moment. On this followed a tremendous cannonade. The American carried sixteen heavy guns, the calibre of which could not be ascertained. They were, however, certainly of greater weight than the HINCHINBROOKE’s 9-pounder carronades, and at the short range at which they were discharged, did great execution on the Packet's hull and rigging.
This lasted for an hour; at the end of which time the Packet had suffered so much that Captain James was scarcely able, if he had wished it, to avoid the boarding attack which he saw the Americans were preparing. Indeed, confident in the strength of his nettings, and in the quality of his small handful of men, he may possibly have even welcomed the prospect of a hand-to-hand fight, wherein his men, who were doubtless growing restive under the long pounding of guns heavier than their own, might work off their suppressed fury, and perhaps gain an encouraging success. The assault was quickly upon them, delivered in great numbers, and with all the impetuosity which the Americans evinced in these attacks. Had the nettings been one whit less lofty, or less firmly secured, the Privateersmen must have gained a footing on the Packet's deck. As it was, impassable though the nettings were, the small band of picked men led by Captain James to repulse them suffered heavily, one being slain outright, while three others, who could very ill be spared, received disabling wounds.
Relieved for the moment from the apprehension of boarders, Captain James could turn his attention to the state of his ship, which by this time had received serious injury. The Privateer had drawn off again to a little distance, and her heavy shot were crashing into the HINCHINBROOKE’s sides in a manner which justified anxiety. Already several shot had passed between wind and water. The carpenter was one of the men badly wounded in repelling the boarders; and as the ship was reported to be making water fast, Captain James sent the master below, ill as he could spare him from the deck, with instructions to search for the leaks and endeavour to stop them.
The master found that the ship was in danger of sinking; and, what was almost worse, that the water had already entered the magazine and was spoiling the powder. There was no time to be lost. He returned on deck and asked for a party of men to help him in removing it to the after cabin. It was a difficult matter for Captain James to find these men. In the interval of the master's absence from deck five more men had been hit, and the number available for fighting the ship was now lamentably- small. Two or three sailors were, however, told to help the master, while the Americans, observing that several men had left the deck, seized the moment, and cast their boarders a second time upon the sides of the HINCHINBROOKE with more fury than before, covered by a tremendous fire of great guns and of small arms from her tops. Reduced in numbers as they were, the Falmouth men succeeded in beating back this second assault as they did the first, and then, quite suddenly, came Captain James' chance.
Throughout the action up to this point the Privateer had chosen her position as she pleased, being a much faster vessel than the Packet. But this very quality of speed now served her ill, for, when the ships separated, on the failure of the boarders, the American shot ahead. Instantly, Captain James saw his opportunity, and, without a moment's loss of time he luffed under his opponent's stern, and raked her in succession with each of his three larboard guns, loaded with a treble charge.
What execution he did by this manoeuvre he could not judge, but it was probably deadly, for it shook off his enemy's hold. Very shortly after it occurred the Cornishmen had the satisfaction of seeing her haul her wind to the northward, and she gave them no more trouble.
Thus ended this brave and well-fought action, conducted against heavy odds with a courage beyond all praise. The exact force of the Privateer was not ascertained. She carried sixteen guns, which may probably have been 12-pounders, and was "full of men." It is scarcely likely that her crew numbered less than a hundred and twenty men; and, accepting that not excessive estimate, it must be allowed that for Captain James, with his eight 9-pounders and thirty-two men, to fight so strong a vessel for three hours, and to beat her in the end, was creditable to the last degree.
As given in “History of the Post Office Packet Service between the years 1793-1815.”
17 April 1816 the HINCHINBROOKE sailed from Falmouth bound for the Mediterranean, she was lost on 7 May 1816 on Cape St Vincent, south Portugal, her crew and mail were saved.
Belize 1985 15c sg847, scott531.
Montserrat 1986 $2.30 sg699, scott620 (The stamp gives 1813 not sure she is the HINCHINBROOKE I lost in 1813 of II bought in 1813.) see: http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... oke#p14581
Turks & Caicos 1973 8c, sg398, scott282, 1976 6c/55c sg446/49, scott311/14 ( sg446/49 shows the battle between the HINCHINBROOKE and GRAND TURK, the GRAND TURK depict on the 25c is not the same vessel but the one built in 1780 see http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... urk#p16359
Source: Log Book.
Lloyds Register 1814 list her as 195 tons, two years old, built in America. Owner given as Post Office, Captain James, “A-1”, destined voyage Falmouth to Jamaica. Armed with 12 and 14pdrs guns.
All packets carried 21 men crew.
HINCHINBROOKE sailed from Falmouth on 14 February 1814 and fell in with the American privateer GRAND TURK on 1 May 1814 homeward bound from St Thomas.
On May 1st,1814, the HINCHINBROOKE to which Packet Captain James, so often distinguished as master of the DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH had been promoted, was on her homeward passage from St. Thomas, and had reached the neighbourhood of the Azores — a favourite cruising ground of the American Privateers, and one on which their ravages were long unchecked by the presence of any British man-of-war — when the look-out at the masthead reported a suspicious-looking vessel to the eastward. The strange sail drew rapidly nearer. At half-past four she hoisted American colours, and was drawing on fast. She fired no gun, nor was any hail heard; and as Captain James bade his men reserve their fire for closer quarters, the two ships neared each other in grim silence for the best part of an hour.
At twenty minutes past five they lay within pistol shot distance, and, as if at a preconcerted signal, the two broadsides roared out in the same moment. On this followed a tremendous cannonade. The American carried sixteen heavy guns, the calibre of which could not be ascertained. They were, however, certainly of greater weight than the HINCHINBROOKE’s 9-pounder carronades, and at the short range at which they were discharged, did great execution on the Packet's hull and rigging.
This lasted for an hour; at the end of which time the Packet had suffered so much that Captain James was scarcely able, if he had wished it, to avoid the boarding attack which he saw the Americans were preparing. Indeed, confident in the strength of his nettings, and in the quality of his small handful of men, he may possibly have even welcomed the prospect of a hand-to-hand fight, wherein his men, who were doubtless growing restive under the long pounding of guns heavier than their own, might work off their suppressed fury, and perhaps gain an encouraging success. The assault was quickly upon them, delivered in great numbers, and with all the impetuosity which the Americans evinced in these attacks. Had the nettings been one whit less lofty, or less firmly secured, the Privateersmen must have gained a footing on the Packet's deck. As it was, impassable though the nettings were, the small band of picked men led by Captain James to repulse them suffered heavily, one being slain outright, while three others, who could very ill be spared, received disabling wounds.
Relieved for the moment from the apprehension of boarders, Captain James could turn his attention to the state of his ship, which by this time had received serious injury. The Privateer had drawn off again to a little distance, and her heavy shot were crashing into the HINCHINBROOKE’s sides in a manner which justified anxiety. Already several shot had passed between wind and water. The carpenter was one of the men badly wounded in repelling the boarders; and as the ship was reported to be making water fast, Captain James sent the master below, ill as he could spare him from the deck, with instructions to search for the leaks and endeavour to stop them.
The master found that the ship was in danger of sinking; and, what was almost worse, that the water had already entered the magazine and was spoiling the powder. There was no time to be lost. He returned on deck and asked for a party of men to help him in removing it to the after cabin. It was a difficult matter for Captain James to find these men. In the interval of the master's absence from deck five more men had been hit, and the number available for fighting the ship was now lamentably- small. Two or three sailors were, however, told to help the master, while the Americans, observing that several men had left the deck, seized the moment, and cast their boarders a second time upon the sides of the HINCHINBROOKE with more fury than before, covered by a tremendous fire of great guns and of small arms from her tops. Reduced in numbers as they were, the Falmouth men succeeded in beating back this second assault as they did the first, and then, quite suddenly, came Captain James' chance.
Throughout the action up to this point the Privateer had chosen her position as she pleased, being a much faster vessel than the Packet. But this very quality of speed now served her ill, for, when the ships separated, on the failure of the boarders, the American shot ahead. Instantly, Captain James saw his opportunity, and, without a moment's loss of time he luffed under his opponent's stern, and raked her in succession with each of his three larboard guns, loaded with a treble charge.
What execution he did by this manoeuvre he could not judge, but it was probably deadly, for it shook off his enemy's hold. Very shortly after it occurred the Cornishmen had the satisfaction of seeing her haul her wind to the northward, and she gave them no more trouble.
Thus ended this brave and well-fought action, conducted against heavy odds with a courage beyond all praise. The exact force of the Privateer was not ascertained. She carried sixteen guns, which may probably have been 12-pounders, and was "full of men." It is scarcely likely that her crew numbered less than a hundred and twenty men; and, accepting that not excessive estimate, it must be allowed that for Captain James, with his eight 9-pounders and thirty-two men, to fight so strong a vessel for three hours, and to beat her in the end, was creditable to the last degree.
As given in “History of the Post Office Packet Service between the years 1793-1815.”
17 April 1816 the HINCHINBROOKE sailed from Falmouth bound for the Mediterranean, she was lost on 7 May 1816 on Cape St Vincent, south Portugal, her crew and mail were saved.
Belize 1985 15c sg847, scott531.
Montserrat 1986 $2.30 sg699, scott620 (The stamp gives 1813 not sure she is the HINCHINBROOKE I lost in 1813 of II bought in 1813.) see: http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... oke#p14581
Turks & Caicos 1973 8c, sg398, scott282, 1976 6c/55c sg446/49, scott311/14 ( sg446/49 shows the battle between the HINCHINBROOKE and GRAND TURK, the GRAND TURK depict on the 25c is not the same vessel but the one built in 1780 see http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... urk#p16359
Source: Log Book.
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