HMS Resolution (1779)

HMS Resolution was a cutter that the Royal Navy purchased in 1779. She captured two French privateers in 1781 and a Dutch privateer in 1783 after a single ship action. Resolution captured one more small French privateer in June 1797; later that month Resolution went missing in the North Sea, presumed to have foundered.

Career
Lieutenant J. Douglas commissioned Resolution in 1780.

On 27 March 1780, Resolution and another cutter, HMS Sprightly (1778), captured the cutter Larke.

Next, Sprightly, Resolution, and the tender Union captured the brig Susanna on 8 April.

At some point prior to November 1780 Resolution and HMS Ranger (1779) captured the lugger Good Intent.

On 25 August 1781 Resolution captured the French privateers Cerf Volant and Bien Venue, each of ten guns.

Lieutenant Israel Pellew took command of Resolution in the North Sea in 1782. On 20 January 1783 Resolution encountered a Dutch privateer some six leagues of Flamborough Head. After a chase of 14 hours caught up with her. An action of an hour and half ensued during which the Dutch vessel had her first captain and first lieutenant killed, and seven men wounded before she struck. The Dutch vessel, named Flushinger, was pierced for fourteen guns and carried twelve 4-pounders; she had a crew of 68 men. Only one seaman was wounded on Resolution.

Pellew retained command when she was transferred to the Irish station. He remained in command until 1787. Resolution was paid off in 1788. In May 1789 Lieutenant Bayntun Prideaux recommissioned her for the Channel.

She was recommissioned in October 1792 and placed under the command of Lieutenant Edward H. Columbine, for the Larne station. She sailed to the Mediterranean in 1794 and remained there until 1796. She was at the Battle of the Hyères Islands (13 July 1795), but only some ships of the line actually participated in the action.

On 16 July 1796 Resolution, Lieutenant Columbine, captured Aurora.

Resolution was part of a squadron under Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, in HMS Excellent (1787), and also containing FRENCH CORVETTE Sardine, at Bastia before the British evacuated it in October.

In 1797 Lieutenant William Huggett assumed command. On 3 June 1797 Resolution captured the French privateer Pichegru, of one long 6-pounder gun and 39 men. The capture took place some seven leagues south of the Start. Pichegru was two days out of Saint-Malo and had not captured anything.

Fate
Resolution went missing in the North Sea in June 1797, presumed to have foundered.