Alert, 1804
Type: Sloop ; Armament 18 (18-pounder carronades)
Purchased : 1804 ; Disposal date or year : 13 Aug 1812
Disposal Details : Captured by the American 32-gun frigate Essex, off the coast of North America. Captain T. L. P. Langharne. Remain in service in USN until 1829.
Notes:

1804 the Oxford collier purchased into the Service along with another 11 of this class. May 1805 Downs

Torbay Jan 17 1810 Sailed for Portsmouth.

Lt Neale, based in the North Sea

Deal Apr 19 1811 Arrived from Sheerness.

Yarmouth Apr 20 1811 Arrived from Heligoland.

Portsmouth, Apr 21 1811 Arrived.

Yarmouth Jun 23 1811 Sailed for Heligoland.

Portsmouth Nov 19 1811 Arrived in 19 days from Gibraltar, with dispatches.

Portsmouth, Jan 13 1812 Arrived with a convoy for Cork.

Portsmouth Mar 19 1812 Has been appointed convoy for Newfoundland in place of the Comet - looks like a bad deal.

Plymouth Mar 25 1812 Put in here from Portsmouth, with convoy for Newfoundland &c.

Plymouth Mar 31 1812 Detained, with a convoy for North America, by stormy weather.

Plymouth Apr 2 1812 More merchantmen arrive to join the convoy for Newfoundland etc.

13 Aug 1812 captured by the US frigate Essex.

20 Feb 1813 in the Acadian Recorder, Nova Scotia, it is reported that at a Court Martial held in Newfoundland, on the officers of the Alert, for the loss of the Alert the Captain, Master and Purser were honourably acquitted ; the first lieutenant (Duncan) was dismissed H.M. Service ; and the second lieutenant and other officers were acquitted.