HMS Sparrow (1796)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Sparrow and HMS Rattler.

History
Great Britain
NameRattler
NamesakeRattlesnake
Launched1780
Honours and
awards		Naval General Service Medal (NGSM) with clasp "Glorious First of June"[1]
FateSold to the Royal Navy in 1796
Great Britain
NameRattler
Acquired1796 by purchase
RenamedHMS Sparrow
FateBroken up 1805
General characteristics
Tons burthen123,[3] or 12370⁄94,[4] or 12310⁄94,[2] (bm)
Length
  • Overall: 66 ft 3 in (20.2 m)[2]
  • Keel: 66 ft 6 in (20.3 m)[2]
Beam22 ft 3+3⁄4 in (6.8 m)[2]
Depth of hold8 ft 9+3⁄4 in (2.7 m)[2]
Sail planCutter
Complement
  • Privateer: 41[3]
  • Royal navy cutter:40,[2]
Armament
  • Privateer: 10 × 4-pounder guns[3]
  • Hired armed cutter: 10 × 4-pounder guns[4]
  • Royal navy cutter: 10 × 12-pounder carronades + 2 6-pounder guns,[2]

HMS Sparrow was launched in 1780, almost surely under another name. She first appears in 1793 in readily accessible records as the privateer cutter Rattler. The British Admiralty hired her and employed her as HM Hired armed cutter Rattler. During this time she was present at the largest naval battle of the French Revolutionary Wars. The Navy purchased her in 1796 for the Royal Navy and renamed her HMS Sparrow. She was sold for breaking up in 1805.

  1. ^ "No. 20939". The London Gazette. 26 January 1849. p. 237.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Winfield (2008), pp. 356–357.
  3. ^ a b c "Letter of Marque, p.83 - accessed 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b Winfield (2008), p. 387.