British Sixth Rate frigate 'Iris' (1777)

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Ganges (74) 1782-1816
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1782)
Henry WickhamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1685-1693
Thomas CamelfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1797-1799
John Clarke SearleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1811
Gunboat No. 7 (14) 1797-1802
British 14 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Sparkler"
(1797)
Swinger (12) 1794-1802
British 12 Gun
Unrated Gun-brig
(1794)
Gunboat No. 23 (12) 1797-1802
British 12 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Furious"
(1797)
Thomas HopperBritish
Marine
Service 1794-1802
Robert WinthropBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1807
Sir John LawfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1777-1832
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Iris
Nominal Guns	28	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	American Fifth Rate frigate 'Hancock' (1776) (34) 1776-1777 American 34 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Captured	8.7.1777	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Newburyport - Massachusetts	DANFS
Constructor	Ralph CrossAmerican Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Sixth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Captured	11.9.1781	BWAS-1714
Becomes	French Fifth Rate frigate 'L'Iris' (1781) (32) 1781-1793 French 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck136' 7"Imperial Feet41.4577
Length of Keel115' 10 ⅞"Imperial Feet35.0742
Breadth35' 2"Imperial Feet10.6782
Depth in Hold11' 0 ½"Imperial Feet3.3655
Burthen762 ⁶²⁄₉₄Tons BM
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentDANFS
Length of Gundeck136' 7"Imperial Feet41.4577
Breadth35' 6"Imperial Feet10.6985
Depth in Hold11' 6"Imperial Feet3.5052
Burthen763Tons BM

Armament

4.1778Broadside Weight = 126 Imperial Pound ( 57.141 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck28 British 9-Pounder

7.1779Broadside Weight = 174 Imperial Pound ( 78.909 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1777200 BWAS-1714
7.1779220As a Fifth RateBWAS-1714

4 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
23.4.1778 - 18.9.1778Captain Transfered ADM 6/21/506
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 1.2.1779BWAS-171418.9.1778 - 16.4.1779Captain ADM 6/23/266
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 15.2.1785BWAS-17145.7.1779 - 1.8.1780Captain: on board from 9.7.1779 Transfered ADM 6/22/1BWAS-17141.8.1780 - 11.9.1781Captain ADM 6/22/452
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 17.4.1782BWAS-1714

Service History

DateEventSource
10.10.1179Completed refitting at Plymouth - Devon at a cost of £7492.16.3dBWAS-1714
23.4.1778Commissioned by Lord Howe's ordersBWAS-1714
12.5.1778Purchased at Unknown at a cost of £5739.1.7dBWAS-1714
22.12.1778Registered as a Sixth RateBWAS-1714
28.3.1779Began refitting at Plymouth - Devon BWAS-1714
16.4.1779Paid offADM 51
7.1779RecommissionedBWAS-1714
28.7.1779Refitted as a 32 gun Fifth Rate Frigate
17.11.1779Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
25.4.1780Took the Brigantine off Sandy HookW027
26.5.1780Took the Frigate
6.6.1780Iris vs Hermione
16.3.1781Battle of Cape Henry
9.8.1781Took the Frigate
25.8.1781Took the Brig
9.1781Took the Buckskin HeroBWAS-1714
11.9.1781Taken by De Grasse's fleet in the ChesapeakeBWAS-1714
11.9.1781Capture of HMS Iris and HMS Richmond
11.9.1781Taken by in the ChesapeakeE-WIKI
1793Retaken at ToulonBWAS-1714
18.12.1793Burnt at Toulon during the evacuationBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 51 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

DANFSUnknown, Web Site

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

W027Ken Kellow, Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Brian on Saturday 24th of May 2014 22:05

1781/08/09 Took the Fifth Rate Frigate Trumbull
The Lords of the Admiralty received advice of the capture of the Trumbull Rebel frigate of 32 guns and 200 men by the Iris, Commodore Affleck.

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Date posted	By	Page
Sunday 14th of June 2026 06:41	Rob Griffith	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Ganges' (1782) (74) 1782-1816 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
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Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:09	Jon Miller	British gunboat 'Gunboat No. 7' (1797) (14) 1797-1802 British 14 Gun Unrated Gunboat 1797 Renamed "Sparkler"

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