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HMS ''Camilla'' was a Royal Navy 20-gun ''Sphinx''-class post ship. ''Camilla'' was built in Chatham Dockyard to a design by John Williams and was launched in 1776. She served in the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, before being sold in 1831. ==American Revolution== ''Camilla'' was commissioned in May 1776 and sailed for North America in August.〔 There she captured the privateer schooner ''Independence'', John Gill, master, of six carriage guns, eight swivels, and 50 men. She was on a cruise from Boston.〔This is not the Massachusetts State Navy brig ''Independence'' that captured in November 1776.〕 ''Camilla'' also captured the ''Admiral Montague'', sailing from Hispaniola to Rhode Island with a cargo of molasses and coffee, the '"Chance'' sailing to Georgia with coffee, and the ''Polly'', sailing to Surinam in ballast.〔 On 23 January 1777, north of Charlestown, South Carolina, ''Camilla'', under Captain Charles Phipps, captured the American sloop ''Fanny'', which was heading to that port from Cap-Français, Hispaniola, with a cargo of molasses. Then in February Captain John Linzee took command of ''Camilla''.〔 On 20 February 1777, ''Camilla'' and , Captain George Keith Elphinstone, captured the 170-ton snow, ''Adventure''. They captured her northeast of Antigua, British West Indies, as she was going from Newburyport, Massachusetts to St. Eustatius, Netherlands West Indies, with a cargo of fish, staves, spermacaeti candles and pine planks. ''Camilla'' fired eleven shots before the ''Adventure'' would stop. ''Perseus'' and ''Camilla'' shared the prize money.〔 Eight days latter, ''Camilla'' captured the ''Ranger'', William Davies, Master, which was sailing in ballast from St. Lucia. ''Fanny'', ''Adventure'', and ''Ranger'' were all condemned and sold at Antigua.〔 April 1777 was a busy month for ''Camilla''. On 6 April she captured the brig ''Willing Maid'', bound from St. Thomas, Danish West Indies, to Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina, with a cargo of sugar, rum, and salt. However, the brig sprang a leak and sank. On 11 April 1777, ''Camilla'' was patrolling with 44-gun frigate near the mouth of the Delaware River, just north of the Cape Henlopen lighthouse, when they came upon the American merchantman ''Morris''. Gunfire from the two British vessels drove ''Morris'' ashore, where she suddenly blew up with such force that it shattered the windows on the British vessels.〔Hahn (1988), p.19.〕 Reports indicate that ''Morris'' was carrying 35 tons of gunpowder and that the captain and six crewmen still on the vessel were laying a train of gunpowder to blow her up, when things went wrong. It is not clear whether the powder train burnt too quickly or a shot from ''Camilla'' or ''Roebuck'' set it off. What is clear is that the vessel disintegrated and all aboard her died in the explosion. Much of her cargo of arms was, however, salvageable, and Americans onshore were able to get it.〔Shomette (2007), pp. 62-5.〕 On the 15 and 20 April ''Camilla'' took two more prizes, carrying rum, molasses and sugar, and molasses, respectively, but there are no details available.〔 On 21 April, she captured the ''Perfect'', Etienne Codnet, Master, bound from Cape Nichola, Hispaniola, with a cargo of molasses.〔 Then on the 25 and 26 April she took two more unknown vessels, both carrying rum and rice.〔 She also captured the ''Fonbonne'', W. De Gallet, Master, and W. Galley, Owner, which was sailing from Cap-Français to Miquelon with a cargo of wine and molasses.〔 ''Camilla'' also captured several merchantmen in late 1777 or early 1778. On 15 November she captured the sloop ''Admiral Montague'',〔 sailing from Hispaniola to Rhode Island with a cargo of molasses and coffee.〔 That same day, she captured the ''Chance'', Thomas Bell, Master, which was sailing to Georgia with a cargo of flour and rum.〔 Lastly, on 14 March 1778, ''Camilla'' captured the ''Polly'', William Thompson, Master, which was sailing to Surinam in ballast.〔 When Philadelphia fell to the British in 1777, several American vessels found themselves trapped between the city and the British fleet further down the Delaware River. The Americans launched some three fire ships towards the British, but gunfire from ''Roebuck'', ''Camilla'', and other British vessels caused the Americans to set their ships on fire too soon, and to abandon them. British boats were able to pull the fire ships on shore where they could do no harm. In February 1778 Captain John Collins took command of ''Camilla''.〔 She then participated in two operations, one at Newhaven on 5 July and another at Penobscot from 21 July to 14 August. On 29 May 1779, ''Camilla'' was part of Admiral George Collier's small flotilla that sailed up the Hudson River and captured Stony Point, two months later the site of the American victory in the Battle of Stony Point. Amongst other services, she exchanged fire with Fort Lafayette. That summer, the British Fleet moved north. ''Camilla'' was one of the vessels that participated in Tryon's raid on New Haven, Connecticut in July.〔 She was also among the vessels sharing in the prize money for the capture, on 14 August, of the American privateer ''Hunter''. ''Camilla'' then participated in the battle that on 15–16 August destroyed the American Penobscot Expedition.〔Allen (1913), Vol. 2, pp.〕 During the autumn ''Camilla'' captured the brig ''Chance'', John M'Kay Master, off Cape Cod. The brig was sailing from St. Eustatius to Connecticut with a cargo of salt. Around this time she also recaptured the ''Mackerel'' and ''Marquis of Rockingham''.〔 On 12 October she captured the brig ''Revenge''. In December ''Camilla'' sailed from New York to Charleston, South Carolina, with Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot's squadron. Thus, spring 1780, found ''Camilla'', Captain Charles Phipps, participating at the Siege of Charleston. The city capitulated on 11 May. ''Camilla'' shared in the prize money resulting from the naval captures. On 30 September, ''Camilla'' participated in the capture of the brigs ''Wasp'', ''Potomack'', and ''Portsmouth Hero'', and the schooners ''Providence'', ''Fanny'' and ''Betsey''. Then on 1 November she took the schooner ''Henrico''. On 19 April 1781, ''Camilla'' took the sloop ''Ann''. ''Camilla'' then sailed to join the Downs squadron. Captain J. Wainwright assumed command in November 1782. She was paid off in March 1783.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「HMS Camilla (1776)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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