Little Catherine (1801 ship)

Little Catherine was launched in 1801 at Bermuda and entered British registry in 1809. At that time she traded between Liverpool and Africa. In 1814 she became a Falmouth packet. In 1814 an American privateer captured her but the Royal Navy recaptured her within two weeks. The Government Post Office purchased her to return her to use as a Falmouth packet but renamed her Blucher, in honour of Prince Blucher who had helped defeat Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. The government sold Blucher in 1823.

For other ships with the same name, see List of ships named Blucher.

History
United Kingdom
Name: Little Catherine
Owner:
  • 1809:C. Walker
  • 1812:Blewett & Co.
Builder: Bermuda
Launched: 1801
Captured: June 1814
United Kingdom
Name: Blucher
Namesake: Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Owner: Government Post Office (1815)[1]
Builder: Bermuda
Acquired: 1814 by purchase of a prize
Fate: Sold 1823
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 182​49⁄94,[2] or 185[3][1] (bm)
Armament:
  • 1809:12 × 12-pounder carronades[3]
  • 1812:6 × 12-pounder + 10 × 6-pounder carronades
  • 1814:10 × 9-pounder guns
  • 1815:2 × 6-pounder guns[1]

Little Catherine

Little Catherine first entered Lloyd's Register in 1809 with C. Walker, master, Taylor & Co., owner, and trade Liverpool–Africa.[3] In 1812 the Register of Shipping showed Little Catherine with Irvine, master, Bluet & Co., owner, but trade Liverpool–Africa. The 1813 Lloyd's Register showed Little Catherine with C. Walker, master, changing to Jeffrey, Taylor & Co., owner, and trade Liverpool–Africa, but changing to Falmouth packet.[4] Lloyd's Register for 1814 showed Little Catherine with Jeffrey, master, changing to Richards, Blewett & Co. owners, and trade Falmouth packet.

On 9 May Little Catherine sailed from Falmouth, bound for Madeira, Teneriffe, and the Brazils. The privateer Herald, of New York, 17 guns and 110 men, captured her on 13 June at 41°6′N 12°8′W. Herald put Little Catherine's crew aboard a Russian vessel that delivered them to Madeira.[5]

The British frigate HMS Lacedaemonian recaptured Little Catherine on 25 June.[Note 1]

Blucher

Blucher first appeared in Lloyd's Register in the 1815 listing of Falmouth packets with Price, master, and Government Post Office as owner.[1]

There are readily accessible records of voyages across the North Atlantic.[7]

  • On 15 August 1816 Blucher, Eddy, master, sailed from Falmouth. She reached Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 9 September. She next sailed to New York, and then arrived back at Falmouth on 9 December 1816.
  • Blucher, Richards, master, sailed from Falmouth on 15 April 1819 and arrived at Halifax on 20 May. She sailed to New York, returned to Halifax, and arrived back at Falmouth on 10 August 1819.
  • On 12 July 1820 Blucher, Anderson, master (acting), sailed from Falmouth. She arrive at Halifax on 20 August. HMS Cyrene carried on to Bermuda the mails for Bermuda that Blucher had brought. Blucher sailed to New York, back to Halifax, and then arrived back at Falmouth on 19 November.
  • On 13 November 1820 Blucher, White, master, rescued the three survivors of the seven-man crew of the schooner Plover, which had foundered on 24 October at 41°N 31°W. Plover had been sailing from Newfoundland at the time of her loss. Blucher brought the survivors into Falmouth.[8]

Blucher also sailed to the Caribbean and South America. On 10 March 1817 Blucher arrived at Barbados from Falmouth, and arrived at Jamaica on 20 March. On 23 May she arrived at Falmouth, having sailed from Jamaica on 7 April.[9]

Blucher sailed from Falmouth on 14 September and arrived at Madeira on 28 September and sailed the next day for Tenriffe. She arrived at Bahia from Pernambuco on 4 November 1817, sailed for Rio de Janeiro on the 6h, and arrived there on 16 November. She arrived back at Falmouth on 7 February 1818, having left Rio on 12 December 1817.[10]

Blucher arrived at Barbados on 12 April 1818 from Falmouth. She arrived back at Falmouth on 5 October 1818 from the Leeward Islands, having left St Thomas on 8 September.

Fate

The "Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy" offered the "Blucher Packet Vessel... lying at Falmouth" for sale on 16 December 1823.[2]

Notes and citations

Notes

  1. A first-class share of the prize money was worth £35 7s 4d; a sixth-class share, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth 6s 4½d.[6]

Citations

  1. Lloyd's Register (1815), "Falmouth Packets".
  2. "No. 17983". The London Gazette. 13 December 1823. p. 2073.
  3. Lloyd's Register (1809), Supple. pages "L", Seq.№L123.
  4. Lloyd's Register (1813), Seq.№L291.
  5. Lloyd's List' 10 June 1814.
  6. "No. 17858". The London Gazette. 5 October 1822. p. 1624.
  7. BRITISH PACKET SAILINGS FALMOUTH <> NORTH AMERICA: 1755 - 1826.
  8. Lloyd's List №5545.
  9. Lloyd's List №5180.
  10. Lloyd's List №5253.
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