HMS Benbow (1813)

HMS Benbow was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Brent of Rotherhithe and launched on 3 February 1813.[1]

Tortosa, 23rd September 1840, attack by the boats of HMS Benbow, Carysfort and Zebra, under Captain J.F. Ross, R.N.
Benbow is in this picture of the Battle of St. Jean d'Acre, 3 November 1840
For other ships with the same name, see HMS Benbow.

Study of HMS 'Benbow in Portsmouth Harbour, 1826
History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Benbow
Ordered11 June 1808
BuilderBrent, Rotherhithe
Laid downJuly 1808
Launched3 February 1813
FateBroken up, 1895
NotesCoal hulk from August 1859
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeVengeur-class ship of the line
Tons burthen1773 bm
Length176 ft (54 m) (gundeck)
Beam47 ft 6 in (14.48 m)
Depth of hold21 ft (6.4 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 74 guns:
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders
  • Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounders
  • Quarterdeck: 4 × 12-pounders, 10 × 32-pounder carronades
  • Forecastle: 2 × 12-pounders, 2 × 32-pounder carronades
  • Poop deck: 6 × 18-pounder carronades

In 1840 Benbow saw action in the bombardment of the city of Acre under the command of Admiral Robert Stopford. At the height of the battle either Benbow or the naval steamer HMS Gorgon fired the shell that destroyed Acre's powder magazine, causing an explosion that greatly weakened the city's defences.[2]

Benbow was used for harbour service from February 1848 until August 1859, when she was converted to be used as a coal hulk. In 1892, after 79 years of service, she was sold out of the Navy, and was broken up in 1895 at Castle, Woolwich.[1]

References
  1. Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 189.
  2. Kahanov 2014, p.152.

Bibliography
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Kahanov, Yaacov; Stern, Eliezer; Cvikel, Deborah; Me-Bar, Yoav (2014), "Between Shoal and Wall: The naval bombardment of Akko, 1840", The Mariner's Mirror, 100 (2): 147–167, doi:10.1080/00253359.2014.901699, S2CID 110466181
  • Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
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