Centaur, 1797
Type: 3rd rate ; Armament 74
Launched : 1797 ; Disposal date or year : 1819
Notes:

7 Nov 1798 a part of a squadron which arrived this day for the invasion of Minorca.

13 Nov 1798 off Minorca the Leviathan, Centaur, and Argo, along with some armed transports, chase a fast disappearing Spanish squadron, but re-capture the late British sloop Peterel, taken the previous day.

19 Nov 1798, off Minorca, with the Leviathan, Calcutta, Ulysses, Argo, Cormorant, Aurora, Peterell, and cutter Constitution, Lt. Whiston, in support of the Army during the capture of Minorca. See also the Naval Chronicle pp. 77-80 Vol. 1, 1799.

2 Feb 1799 captured the Spanish privateer La Vierga de Rosario, 14 guns, 90 men, on the Mediterranean station.

At Sea, 16 Feb 1799. I have the honour to inform you, that in obedience to your orders I proceeded to Sallo Bay in his Majesty's ship under my command, after the Spanish frigates, and having been joined by the Cormorant alone, of the squadron under Capt. Bowen, I at length, after beating against heavy gales of wind from the 28th January till the 9th February, reached Sallo Bay, in which I found twenty-one Swedish and Danish merchantmen, but no men of war had been in sight of SalIo since the 2d of February. Having looked into Fangel Bay and Tarragona, also where Lord M. Kerr, in the Cormorant, took a Tartan, and drove another on shore, I proceeded towards Majorca, and at daylight the Cormorant took a settee laden with oil, and I chased two large xebecs and a settee, all privateers in the Royal Spanish service; one of which. La Vierga de Rosario, I captured at two o'clock, mounting fourteen brass twelve pounders and ninety men, the other two escaped by the wind shifting at dark when within shot. The same night the Aurora joined and proceeded for Tarragona, in consequence of intelligence I received of two Spanish frigates being bound there with Swiss troops from Palma. On the 15th I fell in with the Argo and Leviathan, and the next morning stood is for Sallo Bay. Finding the frigates were not in the neighbourhood, I attacked the town of Cambrelles, and the Spaniards having quitted their guns on a tower, sent the boats in under Lieut Grosset, of the Centaur, who, after dismountlng the guns, burnt and captured per margin ; La Velon Maria was taken in the offing, from Aguilas bound to Barcelona. The Proserpine frigate, consort to the Santa Teresa, taken by the Argo, after having escaped to Palamor, has since, I am informed by Capt. Bowen, hauled close into the Bar of Barcelona, I have, &c. &c. John Markham."

30 May 1799 joined the fleet in the Mediterranean off the Spanish coast.

3 Jun 1799 brief action off Toulon.

19 Jun 1799 with the advanced division of the Mediterranean fleet, captured the French vessels Junon, Alceste, Courageuse, Salamine and Alerte, which were purchased into the Service, Junon being renamed Princess Charlotte.

12 Oct 1799, Plymouth, arrived from Torbay, to refit.

Circa Jan 1800, Lieutenant Rickhell, of the Centaur, is promoted to the rank of Commander, and appointed to the Prince William armed ship.

24 Apr 1800, Torbay, the Channel Fleet, under the command of Sir Alan Gardner, sailed, viz. Ville de Paris, Barfleur, Glory, London, Neptune, St George, Temeraire, Windsor Castle, Ajax, Achilles, Cumberland, Canada, Captain, Centaur, Defence, Defiance, Elephant, Excellent, Hector, Impetueux, Marlborough, Ramilies, Resolution, Robust, Russel, Saturn, Superb, Terrible, Venerable, Warrior, Sheerness, Amelia, Sea Horse, Thames, and Havick.

15 Jun 1800, Plymouth, arrived with the Marlborough,74, from the fleet, having run foul of each other last Tuesday off the Black Rock ; the Marlborough sprung her fore-mast, and the Centaur had her bowsprit carried away.

21 Aug 1800, Plymouth, went into Cawsand Bay having repaired her damages in running foul of the Marlborough.

30 Aug 1800, Plymouth, sailed with the Atlas, 98, to join the Channel fleet.

19 Oct 1800, Plymouth, arrived with the Neptune, 98, Temeraire, 98, and Atlas, 98, from Earl St. Vincent's fleet, the Centaur having sprung her foremast and bowsprit in a gale.

26 Oct 1800 Plymouth, sailed with the Neptune, and Temeraire, 98s, to join the Channel Fleet.

11 Nov 1800, Plymouth, arrived from the coast of France, having sprung her main-mast. She Centaur spoke the Perseus, 32, with the Straits fleet all well, off the Lizard, on Monday last.

28 Nov 1800, Plymouth, sailed for the Channel Fleet, but fell in with Admiral Parker, who ordered him to Torbay to wait for orders.

21 Jun 1803 a part of a squadron which landed troops at Saint Lucie in order to recover the Island from the French. On the 31st arrived at Tobago which island was also soon re-taken.

Late 1803 - Jan 1804 setting up of the Diamond Rock as a small fortress / depot.

3 Feb 1804 the ship's boats cut out the French brig-corvette Curieux from Carénage, Fort-Royal harbour, Martinique, taken into the Service without a change of name.

25 Apr 1804 seamen and the Army landed to take Surinam, which was surrendered on 5 May.

May 1805 Leeward Islands Commodore (Captain) Samuel Hood

4 Jan 1806 Sir R. Strachan's squadron fitting for the West Indies at Plymouth. 14th the squadron sailed from Cawsand Bay for St.-Helena in search of a French squadron under R.-adm Willaumez.

14-16 Jul 1806 the ships' boats from the Prince-of-Wales, Centaur, Conqueror, Monarch, Revenge, and Polyphemus, along with 3 boats each from the Indefatigable and Iris, capture the French 16-gun brig-corvette César from the R. Gironde.

25 Sep 1806 with a squadron under Commod. Sir Samuel Hood, off Rochefort, when a squadron of French frigates, bound to the West Indies, escaped : the signal for a general chase was given, resulting in the Armide striking to the Centaur ; Minerve to the Monarch ; Infatigable to the Mars, who also chased the Gloire, and at 3 P.M. compelled her to surrender, all 4 frigates being added to the Royal Navy.

Torbay 29 Dec 1806 Arrived from Portsmouth and remains.

26 Jul 1807 sailed as a part of a fleet of 38 vessels for Copenhagen and was present from 15 Aug - 20 Oct 1807 for the siege and bombardment of Copenhagen and capture of Danish Fleet by Adm. Gambier.

24 Dec 1807 occupation of the island of Madeira.

May - Oct 1808 in the Baltic with a fleet under V.-adm Sir J Saumarez.

20 Aug 1808. Centaur and Implacable arrived and anchored in company with the Swedish fleet in Oro roads and were subsequently in action with the Russian fleet, and blockading the Russians in the port of Rogerswick.

24 June 1811 Reported to be off Toulon.

28 May 1812 Repulse, Centaur, Malta, and Kent, a part of the in-shore squadron off Toulon.

18 Aug 1812 With the Fleet off Toulon.

Plymouth 3 Oct 1812 Came in from off Toulon. [Probably put in quarantine].

Plymouth 13 Oct 1812 Arrived.

Plymouth 11 Jan 1813 Remains.

Portsmouth 2 May 1813 Put back to St. Helen's.

26 May 1813 salvage received from the owners on the recapture of the two Spanish vessels El Correv Diligente de Carraccas and Nostra Senora de los Desemperados, [per London Gazette of 22 Jun 1821].

Portsmouth 4 Sep 1813 Arrived from a cruise off the Western Isles.

Portsmouth 3 Nov 1813 Sailed from St. Helen's for off Cherburgh.

Portsmouth 14 Nov 1813 Sailed for off Cherburgh.

6 Apr 1814 anchored in the Gironde, in company with the Egmont and made preparations to take French vessels lying near her, but the French set them on fire.

Pouillac 9 Apr 1814 It is reported that some of Buonaparte's veterans are determined to hold out, though the inhabitants are all in favour of the Bourbons.

Plymouth 21 Aug 1814 Passed up Channel with a convoy.

Portsmouth 22 Aug 1814 Arrived from Quebec.

Portsmouth 29 Aug 1814 Sailed for Plymouth.

Plymouth 1 Sep 1814 Arrived from Portsmouth.

Plymouth 28 Jan 1815 Returned, driven in by contrary winds.

Cape of Good Hope 26 Aug 1815 Sailed for England.

13 Nov 1815 Arrived England from the Cape of Good Hope.

Plymouth 18 Nov 1815 Arrived from Portsmouth, to be paid off.