HMS Royal Sovereign (1786)

HMS "Royal Sovereign" was a 100-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, which served as the flagship of Admiral Collingwood at the Battle of Trafalgar. She was the third of seven Royal Navy ships to bear the name. Designed by Sir Edward Hunt, she was launched at Plymouth Dockyard on 11 September 1786, at a cost of £67,458, and was the only ship built to her draught.

"Royal Sovereign" was part of Admiral Howe's fleet at the Glorious First of June, where she suffered 14 killed and 41 wounded.Ships of the Old Navy, "Royal Sovereign" (1).]

On 16 June 1795, as the flagship of Vice-Admiral William Cornwallis, she was involved in the celebrated episode known as 'Cornwallis' Retreat'.

The first ship of the fleet in action at Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, she led one column of warships; Nelson's "Victory" led the other. Due to the re-coppering of her hull prior to her arrival off Cádiz, "Royal Sovereign" was a considerably better sailer in the light winds present that day than other vessels, and pulled well ahead of the rest of the fleet. As she cut the enemy line alone and engaged the Spanish flagship "Santa Ana", Nelson pointed to her and said, 'See how that noble fellow Collingwood carries his ship into action!' At approximately the same moment, Collingwood remarked to his captain, 'What would Nelson give to be here?'Fact|date=September 2008

Although pounded nearly to a wreck by the Spanish fleet, she forced "Santa Ana" to surrender and was herself rescued by the arrival of the rest of her column.Fact|date=September 2008

After her useful active life she was converted to harbour service as a receiving ship at Plymouth before being renamed HMS "Captain"Ships of the Old Navy, "Royal Sovereign" (2).] on 17 August 1825. Becoming a hulk in June 1826, "Captain" was finally broken up at Plymouth, with work being completed on 28 August 1841. Four of her guns were saved and are incorporated in the Collingwood Memorial in Tynemouth.Fact|date=September 2008

Notes

References

*Lavery, Brian (2003) "The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850." Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
*Michael Phillips. [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=1930 "Royal Sovereign" (100) (1786) (1)] . Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
*Michael Phillips. [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=5810 "Royal Sovereign" (100) (1786) (2)] . Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 2 September 2008.