Minotaur, 1793
Type: 3rd rate ; Armament 74
Taken : 1793 ; Disposal date or year : 22 Dec 1810
Disposal Details : Wrecked on Haak sands, at the mouth of the Texel: 360 of her crew perished. Captain John Barrett. See below for list of survivors.
BM: 1718 tons
Complement: 634
Notes:

4 June 1794, Rear-admiral Montagu, Captain Thomas Louis, sailed from Plymouth Sound with nine sail of the line and two frigates, to attempt to join Lord Howe and intercept a large French convoy from America. On the 8th, discovered and chased a French squadron, including 8 ships of the line, under the command of Rear-admiral Cornice, into bay of Bertheaume, and so stood back out to sea.

9 June 1794, sighted the French fleet of 19 sail of the line, returning from their recent meeting with the British fleet, which formed line-of-battle and briefly chased the squadron. With a squadron of equivalent rating on his other flank, Rear-admiral Montagu withdrew as quickly as the poor sailing qualities of the Ganges and Alexander would permit. Continued his search for a further 2 days, but failing in this, returned to Cawsand bay, Plymouth, on 12 June.

21 Dec 1796 chased a part of French squadron from Toulon.

15 Apr - 15 May 1797 Mutiny at Spithead for improved pay and victuals etc. See also p. 520-522-> www.naval-review.org/issues/1927-3.pdf.

24 May 1798 departed from off Cadiz with a squadron of 10 ships of the line to join Nelson's squadron in the Mediterranean, arriving 7 Jun.

7 Jun 1798 the search for the French fleet.

1 Aug 1798 the preparation for the Battle of the Nile.

1 Aug 1798 Battle of the Nile.

14 Aug 1798 the Orion, Bellerophon, Minotaur, Defence, Audacious, Theseus, and Majestic, accompanied by the prizes Franklin, Tonnant, Aquilon, Conquérant, Peuple-Souverain and Spartiate leave Aboukir Bay.

Mid Sep 1798 arrived Gibraltar with prizes and made good repairs.

24 Oct 1798 Nelson, with the Vanguard and Minotaur joined the combined squadron of Portuguese and British ships under the Marquess de Niza and Captain Ball of the Alexander in the blockade of Malta.

28 Nov 1798 Vanguard, Culloden, Minotaur, Terpsichore, and hired cutter Flora capture the Genoese corvettes Le Tigre and L'Eguaglianza, near Leghorn. Prize money paid 17 Jun 1802.

24 Mar 1799 arrived at Palermo. 31st detached to blockade the port of Naples.

20 May 1799 joined Nelson at Palermo.

13 Jun-mid Aug 1799 sailed from off Palermo for a cruise, arriving Naples 24th, where crews were involved in operations ashore.

Apr-24 Jun 1800 blockade of Genoa and cutting out of the Prima galley. Departed from Genoa as the French re-occupied the city.

3 Sep 1800 ships' boats capture two armed Spanish ships.

8 Jan 1801 the Penelope, in Sight of the Swiftsure, Tigre, Minotaur, Northumberland, Malta Schooner, and Florentin, captured, on the Mediterranean station, French Bombard St. Roche, laden with Wine, Liqueurs, Iron Ware, Delfth Cloth, and various other Merchandize, from Marseilles bound to Alexandria.

31 Jan 1801 anchored Marmorice on the coast of Karamania. 2 Mar 1801 arrived in Aboukir bay. 7 Mar 1801 commenced opposed landing of troops, seamen, artillery and stores.

7 Feb 1801 captured by the Squadron under the Orders of Captain Louis, of the Minotaur on the Mediterranean station a French Bombard, (Name unknown,) from Marseilles to Alexandria : the caiques St. Maria de Bassa, and the St. Nichola, both laden with Wine, and from Samos bound to Alexandria : the French Ship La Jeune Union, laden with Coffee, Sugar, Rice, &c. &c. from Alexandria bound to Toulon : and the French Brig La Colombe, laden with Coffee, Sugar, Rice, &c, from Alexandria bound to France : the French Brig La Jeune Rafael, laden with Coffee, Sugar, Rice, &c. from Alexandria bound to France : run on shore a French Brig, Name unknown, laden with sundry Merchandize, from France bound to Alexandria : also run on shore the French Polacre Ship Ls Prise d'Algiers, laden with Rice, Coffee, Nitre, and Morocco Leather along with the French Brig L'Amitié, laden with Rice, Coffee, and sundry other Merchandize, both from Alexandria bound to France.

28 May 1803, captured the French 36-gun frigate Franchise.

May 1805 Spithead, for foreign service.

10 Oct 1805 off Cadiz - the tactical preparations etc. for the forthcoming battle. 20 Oct combined fleet departed Cadiz, fleet manoeuvres.

21 Oct 1805 England expects….. &c. signalled, the first shots of the Battle of Trafalgar are fired. Nelson shot. Resumé of what had taken place. Individual ship actions and losses : Minotaur. The post-mortem commences ; Summary of British casualties ; Death of Nelson ;

22-30 Oct 1805 losses amongst the prizes due to bad weather etc: Redoutable, Rayo, Monarca (sank) ; Fougueux, Bucentaure, Indomptable, San-Francisco-de-Asis, Aigle, Berwick (wrecked) ; Algésiras (taken into Cadiz) ; Santa-Ana, Neptuno (recaptured) ; Santisima-Trinidad (scuttled) ; Achille, Intrépide, San-Augustin (burnt) ; the washup ; burial of Nelson ;

7 Aug 1807 arrived Copenhagen for the siege and bombardment of Copenhagen 15 Aug - 20 Oct 1807 and capture of Danish Fleet by Adm. Gambier.

19 Jun 1809 cruising off the coast of Swedish Finland, off Hango, with the Bellerophon.

25 Jul 1809 ships' boats of the Princess-Caroline, Minotaur, Cerberus, and Prometheus attack four Russian gun-boats and an armed brig lying at Fredericksham, near Apso roads, in the gulf of Finland, which were captured and brought off - at a price.

Deal 19 Jan 1810 Sailed for Portsmouth.

Deal 7 Feb 1811 The following list of those saved from the wreck of the Minotaurl has been received from Holland:-
Robert Snell, Lieutenant ; Robert Thompson, Master ; _______Jones, Assistant Surgeon ; Joseph Bonis, Midshipman &c. ; Philip Cox, Midshipman. ; George Elve, Midshipman ; B. Hart, Midshipman ; G.R. Mitchell, Midshipman ; Joseph O'Brien, Midshipman ; John Chalmers, Midshipman Seamen: Peter Nichols ; Sam. Johnson ; John Marsh ; Edward Benley ; James Walker ; Robert Davidson ; John Cross ; William Williams ; James Hughes ; John Johnstone ; Thomas Bruce ; William Robb ; John McGilvery ; John Feckney ; James Palmer ; William Masis ; James Jacks ; M. McDonnel ; William Ibbotson ; William Holmes ; Stephen Hill ; Robert Tysick ; John Marshall ; Alexander Brown (1st) ; James Brazier ; John Sheers ; John Balie ;Fk. Johnson ; James Gouk ; John Clark ; James Murphy ; Robert Robinson ; John White ; George Rogers ; John Pye ; Jos. Dickinson ; John Davies ; Thomas Steadman ; Thomas Alkenson ; Mat. Harar ; John Thompson (3d) ; Michael Keefe ; Samuel Wilkinson ; William Bloss ; William Blunchel ; Ph. Martin ; Robert Browden ; William Bentle ; Robert Joice ; John Ryan ; Peter Lebaran ; Charles Johnstone ; Ducan Thomson ; Michael Whelar ; Thomas Bucke ; Joesph Collius ; William Doudy ; Philip Tool ; Peter Mullhall ; Hugh O'Roffit ; John Daniel ; John Cranch, (2d) ; Joseph Fickle ; James Sevil ; Andrew Dowsey ; Thomas Eldin ; John White ; ______ Wanton ; Nichols Hutchinson ; William Hayes ; William Clark ; Samuel Vickery ; Benjamin Young ; Jeremiah Hay ; John Brown ; John Curson ; Alexander Fickle ; Josias Murphy ; John Appleton ; Dixon Dawson ; William Robertson ; William Blanchard ; Hugh M'Cormick ; Robert Broughton ; James Mitchell ; Kennet Sharpe ; John Master ; Daniel Murray ; William Burk ; Thomas Back ; Robert Finlayson ; James Warren ; Hugh Raffaty ; John Askew ; William Doughty ; Ducan Thomson ; Samuel Horson ; John Richards ; George Richards.