HMS Scorpion was a Royal Navy Cruizer-class brig-sloop built by John King at Dover and launched in 1803. She was the first of the class to be built since the launching of Cruizer in 1797. Scorpion had a long and active career during the Napoleonic Wars, earning her crews three clasps to the Naval General Service Medal when the Admiralty authorized it in 1847, two for single-ship actions. She also took a number of prizes. Scorpion was sold in 1819.
Service history
Scorpion was commissioned in November 1803 under Commander George Nicholas Hardinge for the Channel and the Downs. On 15 December the sloop Jane, Dedwith, master, was sailing from Liverpool to Cork when she ran foul of Scorpion near St David's Head and foundered. Scorpion rescued the crew and landed them at Waterford.
Scorpions first medal action took place between 28 March and 3 April 1804.
Capture of the brig Atalanta
On 25 March 1804 Rear-Admiral Edward Thornbrough detached Scorpion to reconnoiter the Vlie Passage to the Texel. There Hardinge saw two Dutch national brigs at anchor, the closest being Atalanta. She mounted sixteen long 12-pounders and had 76 men on board.
On 31 March the 14-gun ship-sloop , under Commander Charles Pelly (or Pelley), arrived. That night Hardinge led five boats, three from Scorpion and two from Beaver, with about 60 officers and men, including Pelly, to attack Atalanta, which was under the command of Captain Carp. Hardinge was first on deck. The decks were slippery after rain and he fell as he tackled a mate of the watch but he recovered and killed the mate. Hardinge then engaged Carp, who disarmed Hardinge; Woodward Williams, Scorpion's master, saved Hardinge, who then called on Carp to surrender. Carp kept on fighting until the British killed him. This necessity greatly distressed Hardinge, who admired Carp's courage.
The Dutch finally surrendered after having lost their captain and three other men killed, and twelve officers and men wounded. All the British casualties were Scorpions; she had five wounded, including Williams and Lieutenant Buckland Bluett. The British put forty of the Dutch into irons below deck and prepared to capture the other brig. However, a gale came up and at daybreak they saw that the gale had moved the vessels too far apart.
The gale lasted three days and until it passed it prevented the British from bringing Atalanta out. Eventually, the British sailed Atalanta back to Britain but did not take her into service.
On 2 May Hardinge buried Captain Carp with full military honours. Hardinge also freed the Dutch officers for the ceremony, one of whom performed a eulogy, and hoisted the Dutch colours. Thornbrough, under a flag of truce, sent Captain Carp's servant with Carp's effects to Batavian Admiral Killkert for forwarding to Carp's relations.
Hardinge was promoted to post-captain and given the command of Proselyte. The Lloyd's Patriotic Fund awarded a sword worth 100 guineas to both Hardinge and Pelly. Bluett was promoted to Commander and the command of . He was one of the three lieutenants who also received a sword worth 50 guineas. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the award of the Naval General Service Medal with clasps "Scorpion 31 March 1804" and "Beaver 31 March 1804", to any surviving claimants.
On 28 March Scorpion detained the brig Charlotte, for which she received prize money.
Capture of the privateer Eer
Commander Philip Carteret replaced Hardinge as captain of Scorpion in 1804. On 8 July Carteret captured five ships: Juno, Vrow Hermine, Anna Pieter Brouer, General Von Blucher, and Vrow Margaretha. Lloyd's List reported that Scorpion was in company with the sloop and the gun-brig , and that together they captured 10 vessels that were sailing from Riga to Embden carrying masts. By this account the vessels they captured were: Vrow Hermina, Bowman, master; Juno, Gulzeet, master; Frau Margaretta, Roloff, master; General Van Bloucher, Ruyle, master; Jonge Oune & Brower, Ruyle, master; Four Brothers, Stemmings, master; Jonge Peter Caspar, Jobs, master; Gute Foffnung; and Piepersburg. The British sent their captives into Yarmouth.
On 2 August Scorpion, with the hired armed cutter Lord Nelson in company, captured the Prussian vessel Ignatius. Ignatius, or Ignatus, Bakker, master, was carrying masts from Riga when Scorpion detained her and sent her into Yarmouth.