British Third Rate ship of the line 'Russell' (1764)

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Russell	328
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	1.1.1761	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	6.1761	BWAS-1714
Launched	10.11.1764	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	14.1.1778	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Deptford - London	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Ramillies Class (1760)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Thomas WestBritish Ship Owner Ship Builder Service 1757-1758	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	23.9.1811	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 6"Imperial Feet51.2086
Length of Keel136' 11 ⅞"Imperial Feet41.475
Breadth47' 5 ¾"Imperial Feet14.3447
Depth in Hold19' 9"Imperial Feet5.8166
Draught Forward11' 6 ½"Imperial Feet3.3655
Draught Aft17' 6"Imperial Feet5.2034
Burthen1,642 ⁵⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

10.11.1764Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
25.4.1760550Design Complement

17 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
23.9.1777 - 13.1.1778Captain ADM 6/21/316ADM 6/2114.1.1778 - 16.6.1780Captain ADM 6/21/354BWAS-171417.6.1780 - 30.1.1781Captain ADM 6/22/320
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 4.8.1781BWAS-171431.1.1781 - 8.5.1781Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/374
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 29.11.1781ADM 6/229.5.1781 - 14.7.1781Captainref:61615.7.1781 - 6.2.1782Captain ADM 6/22/435BWAS-17147.2.1782 - 23.9.1782Captain ADM 6/22/536
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 2.11.1782ADM 6/2320.3.1793 - 15.10.1796Captain: on board from 28.3.1793 ADM 6/24/222BWAS-171412.1796 - 4.1797CaptainBWAS-17144.1797 - 7.1797CaptainBWAS-17147.1797 - 4.1799CaptainBWAS-17144.1799 - 1800CaptainBWAS-17141800CaptainBWAS-17141801 - 24.10.1801CaptainBWAS-171411.2.1803 - 1805Captain: on board from 19.2.1803BWAS-17141806 - 1809CaptainBWAS-171416.10.1810 - 31.1.1811CaptainBWAS-1714

3 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
17.6.1780 - 26.9.1780CommodoreBWAS-171412.1796 - 4.1797Vice-Admiral of the WhiteBWAS-17141809Rear-Admiral of the RedBWAS-1714

26 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
23.9.1777 - 10.10.1777Third Lieutenant ADM 6/21/316ADM 6/2110.10.1777 - 27.3.1778Second Lieutenant ADM 6/21/323ADM 6/2126.5.1779 - 5.5.1781Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/22/364
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 14.11.1781ADM 6/2219.5.1782 - 2.5.1783Fifth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/23/33
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 13.3.1783ADM 6/2320.3.1793 - 17.4.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/222ADM 6/2420.3.1793 - 7.4.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/222ADM 6/2421.3.1793 - 8.8.1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/222ADM 6/2421.3.1793 - 7.4.1793Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/222ADM 6/248.4.1793 - 17.4.1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/226ADM 6/248.4.1793 - 8.8.1793Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/226ADM 6/249.8.1793 - 17.4.1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/260ADM 6/249.8.1793 - 19.9.1793Fourth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/260ADM 6/249.8.1793 - 10.10.1793Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/260ADM 6/2411.10.1793 - 18.4.1794Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/274ADM 6/2411.10.1793 - 18.4.1794Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/274ADM 6/2418.4.1794 - 1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/2518.4.1794 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/2518.4.1794 - 1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/2519.4.1794 - 1794Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/34ADM 6/2521.4.1794 - 1794Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/34ADM 6/251795 - 1.10.1795First Lieutenant†TNC14.2.1795 - 8.3.1795Acting LieutenantNAO9.3.1795 - 9.1795LieutenantRNB18231797 - 4.1.1798Acting LieutenantNBD18494.1.1798 - 25.10.1798LieutenantNBD18491.2.1803 - 13.4.1805LieutenantNBD1849

6 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
28.3.1793 - 24.8.1795MasterADM 29-11794Surgeonref:9241794Purserref:9241794Gunnerref:9241794Carpenterref:9241794 - 1.6.1794Boatswain†ref:924

12 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
10.1780 - 6.1781MidshipmanWWNH5.1793 - 1796MidshipmanRNB18231794 - 1.6.1794Midshipmanref:16651794 - 1.6.1794Midshipmanref:16651794ClerkADM 171/87.1794 - 7.1795MidshipmanNBD18491795MidshipmanADM 171/81795MidshipmanADM 171/81795MidshipmanADM 171/81796 - 6.4.1804MidshipmanNBD184929.4.1798 - 27.9.1798MidshipmanNAO1800 - 11.1801MidshipmanNBD1849

20 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
6.3.1793 - 10.17961st Class VolunteerNBD18491794Pilotref:9241794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794 - 1795Able SeamanADM 171/81794 - 1795Able SeamanADM 171/81794Ordinary SeamanADM 171/81794Captain's ServantADM 171/81794Captain's ServantADM 171/81794BoyADM 171/81794Carpenter's CrewADM 171/81.8.1794 - 1794Ordinary SeamanNBD184927.8.1795 - 15.10.1796Landman TransferedADM 29/81.8.1796 - 15.10.1798Able SeamanNAO23.1.1797 - 22.10.1801Able SeamanADM 29/823.4.1799 - 18001st Class VolunteerNBD1849

3 Marines

DatesRankNameSource
1794Sergeant, 2nd Regiment of FootADM 171/81794Lieutenant, 2nd Regiment of Footref:9241794Lieutenant, 2nd Regiment of Footref:838

Service History

DateEventSource
1765Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
6.1.1765Completed at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £28971.12.8dBWAS-1714
6.1.1765Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £3796.3.1dBWAS-1714
1772Began small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
1773Completed small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £6620.4.7dBWAS-1714
9.6.1778Sailed for North America but driven into LisbonBWAS-1714
26.12.1778Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
28.12.1778Returned to port after a collision with the East Indiaman BWAS-1714
1.1779Began coppering at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
4.1779Completed coppering at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £5463.16.8dBWAS-1714
23.5.1779Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
1.1780Operations against Charleston startedBWAS-1714
23.4.1781At MartiniqueBWAS-1714
15.12.1781Arrived in North AmericaBWAS-1714
25.1.1782Battle of Saint Kitts
12.4.1782Battle of the Saintes
5.1782Sailed home with a merchant convoy and paid offBWAS-1714
11.1782Began middling repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
1783Completed middling repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £20237.1.4dBWAS-1714
6.1791Began small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
12.1791Completed small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £4492.0.0dBWAS-1714
3.1793RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1.6.1794Glorious 1st of June
23.6.1795Action of Ile Groix
1.10.1795

The 1st of October, being about three leagues from Belle Isle, there came on a most dreadful squall of wind, with hail, thunder, and lightning. The lightning struck our main and mizen masts, main and mizen top-masts, and fore-top-gallant masts: it disabled our main and mizen masts so much, that we could not carry any sail on either of them, when it blew fresh.

TNC
11.1796Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
12.1796RecommissionedBWAS-1714
2.1797Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £12761.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.10.1797Battle of Camperdown
1.1798making good defects at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £9385.0.0dBWAS-1714
20.3.1798Took the Privateer in the Channel
20.3.1799

Sailed from Plymouth for Ireland

TNC
1.6.1799Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1800In the ChannelBWAS-1714
2.4.1801Battle of Copenhagen
1.1802Began large repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
12.1802Completed large repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
2.1803RecommissionedBWAS-1714
3.6.1803Took the Brig BG
1804Sailed to the East IndiesBWAS-1714
1806Operations against JavaBWAS-1714
5.12.1807Took the Privateer in the East Indies
23.9.1811Ordered to be sold in the East Indies as unsuitable for serviceBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 171/8British Admiralty, Document

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 29/8 Archive

ADM 6/21 Archive

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

ADM 6/25 Archive

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NAOVarious, Web Site

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

RNB1823John Marshall, Digital Book

TNCVarious, Periodical

WWNHJoseph F. Callo, Alastair Wilson, Book

ref:1665Thomas Trotter, Book

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

ref:838 Digital Book

ref:924A C de Poggi, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 31st of May 2026 11:48

Russell
Casualties in the attack off Copenhagen on 2 April 1801:
Wounded – 5 seaman, 1 marine
Total wounded - 6
[Morning Post, 16 April 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Saturday 30th of May 2026 10:58

The Amphitrite frigate, Captain Warren, which has ben stationed at the Needles, as a guard-ship is ordered into Portsmouth harbour to be paid off. The Defiance, Russell, San Antonio, and Goree, which are now in harbour, are also ordered to be paid off. [London Courier, 14 October 1801]

Posted by Tim Oakley on Wednesday 29th of May 2024 12:53

Jan 1801 Russell74 Captain Sir Thomas Williams appointed for the Channel Fleet, but in February this was amended to the Juste84, but shortly afterwards he recommissioned Vanguard74, ref More than Nelson

Posted by Jeff Wolrige on Friday 14th of October 2022 14:42

Russell Along with the frigate HM Jason and hired cutters Nimrod and Lurcher captured the French Privateer Le Bon Citoyen off Cape Ortegal, Spain on March 22nd, 1798. These vessels were part of Commodore Edward Pellew’s team who were blockading Brest and cruising in search of the enemy in the Channel.

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