Puissant, 1793->1816
Type: 3rd rate ; Armament 74
Taken : from the French 1793 ; Notes:

18 Dec 1793 Taken at Toulon, to Portsmouth and remained there.

1 Jan 1799 receiving hulk at Portsmouth ; G. A. Allen.

6 Dec 1799 Portsmouth the Goliath, 74, is paid off and her crew turned over to the Royal William and Puissant at Spithead.

2 Jul 1800, Portsmouth, a Court Martial was held on board the Gladiator, for the trial of John Duncan, late a seaman belonging to HM late ship Hermione, for having murdered the Officers of the said ship, or being aiding and assisting therein ; and for having aided and assisted in carrying the said ship to La Guira, and delivering her up to the enemy. The Court were of opinion, that the charges had been proved against the said John Duncan, and did adjudge him to suffer death, by being hanged by the neck on board such ship of his Majesty and at such time and place, as the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty should direct. On the 10th he was executed on board the Puissant, agreeably to the sentence of the Court. About a quarter of an hour before he was turned off. he addressed the ship's company, and said how justly he was condemned for being concerned in one of the worst of crimes, and warned them from ever being concerned in such an act of atrocity.

7 Aug 1800, Portsmouth, at nine o'clock, a gun was fired on board the Royal William, at Spithead, and the yellow flag hoisted as a signal for executing J. Watson and and J. Allen, who were condemned by a Court Martial as being concerned in the mutiny on hoard the Hermione. The signal being repeated, the yellow flag was hoisted on board the Puissant at Spithead, and the Braakel in the harbour, on board which ships they were executed, boats from all the ships at Spithead, manned and armed with marines, attended the Puissant as those in the Harbour did the Braakel.

14 Nov 1800 Portsmouth a Court-Martial was held on board the Gladiator for the trial of William Ellis, who was taken as one of the crew onboard L'Eole French privateer, at her capture on the 27 June last, by the Dryad and sent to Spithead in the Serpent sloop, and who turned out to be a subject of this country, and had deserted from the Fame prison ship in December, 1798. The Court being of opinion that the charges had been proved against the prisoner, did therefore adjudge him to suffer Death, by being hanged on board such of his Majesty's ships at Spithead as the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty should direct. On the morning of the I7th the above unhappy man was executed on board the Puissant, at Spithead, pursuant, to his sentence.

1805 Spithead (sheer hulk)