HMS Racehorse (1806)

HMS Racehorse was a Royal Navy 18-gun Cruizer-class brig-sloop built by Hamilton & Breeds and launched in 1806 at Hastings. She served in the English Channel, where she captured a small privateer, and in the East Indies, where she participated in the capture of Isle de France (now Mauritius) and the operations around it. She was wrecked in 1822.

Service
Racehorse was commissioned in March 1806 under Commander Robert Forbes, who sailed her for the Mediterranean on 25 May. By June 1807 she was under Captain William Fisher, cruising in the Channel.

Racehorse was among the vessels that detained the Danish ships Die Twende Softre on 28 August, and Swannen on 7 September. On 4 December she recaptured the Portuguese ship Gloria. On 2 March 1808 Racehorse captured the French privateer lugger Amiral Gantheaume off the Seven Islands, which are 16 miles west of Behat. Amiral Gantheume was armed with four guns and had a crew of 28 men. She was two days out of Granville and had not taken anything. Racehorse then cruised the Channel Islands.

Fisher sailed for the Cape of Good Hope on 29 September. There a number of her crew volunteered aboard other ships during the Invasion of Ile de France. On 13 and 14 March 1809, Racehorse was in company with her class-mate, HMS Harrier (1804), about 1000 miles from Rodrigues. Harrier fell behind and this was the last sighting of her; she was lost, presumed foundered.

In December 1810, Commander James de Rippe replaced Fisher. Racehorse was sent to Mauritius to join the squadron there under James Hillyar that had been assembled to attack the French squadron under Francois Roquebert that was expected from Brest. Early in 1811 Racehorse was in company with her sister-ship Elipse when Eclipse recaptured the Donna Emilia. On 3 February, Racehorse captured the slaver Othmany.

The French squadron evaded Hillyar, but Racehorse and the rest of the squadron, now under Captain Charles Marsh Schomberg, caught them off Tamatave in Madagascar. In the ensuing Action of 20 May 1811, the British defeated the French and captured two of their ships. Racehorse was not heavily engaged, and suffered no casualties. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Off Tamatave 20 May 1811" to the remaining survivors of that action.

Racehorse was present at the capture of the Néréide three days later. Racehorse then sailed for the Cape on 7 August. On 19 September she and HMS Astraea (1810) captured the French slaver brig Eclair.

On 5 January 1812 Eclipse, with Racehorse in company, took the lugger Eliza with 145 slaves, which she sent to the Cape of Good Hope. Racehorse captured the American ship Monticello on 12 November. Racehorse also shared in the proceeds of the capture, on 16 November, of Valentine. On 3 February 1813, Racehorse was under the command of Commander George F. Rich, and in company with HMS Harpy (1796), under the command of Commander Samuel Hoare. They captured the American ship Rose, which was carrying tea and 8907 Spanish dollars (worth approximately £2226).

On 15 August 1813 Racehorse sailed from the Cape of Good Hope as escort to several vessels, including Rambler bound for St Helena and Britain.

Post-war
Racehorse was paid off into ordinary at Portsmouth in 1813. She was recommissioned in May under Commander George Pryse Campbell, who took command on 5 May, for the Mediterranean. Racehorse came under the command of Commander Charles Abbot on 27 January 1821 when Campbell was promoted to post-captain.

Fate
Racehorse returned to Britain in 1822 under Captain William Suckling, who had taken command in February 1822. On 14 December 1822 she sailed from Holyhead, Anglesey, bound for the Isle of Man to meet with the Revenue cutter Vigilant. That night she was wrecked on a reef of rocks off Langness on the Isle of Man. Her pilot mistook the light on Langness Pier for the light on Douglas Pier. Boats from Racehorse took a number of the crew to shore, and five intrepid local men made four trips out and back to rescue more. On the last trip, with Suckling on board, the boat overturned in the surf. Six men from Racehorse drowned, as did three rescuers from Castletown.

The subsequent court martial reprimanded the Master, Henry Hodder, for failing to take constant depth soundings, and warned him to be more careful in the future. The court martial severely reprimanded the pilot, William Edwards, for sailing too close to land, and mulcted him of all pay due.

There is a detailed account of the loss of the Racehorse in Janet Gleeson's book The Lifeboat Baronet - Launching the R.N.L.I. Whilst the author indicates that RNLI founder Sir William Hillary was not present at this particular event, living elsewhere on the Isle of Man, she argues that the shipwreck was undoubtedly a significant contributing factor to his desire to set up a national lifesaving organisation.