These pages list the key dates in the history of the sailing navies of the world.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
01 December
1842
Execution of three crew members, Midshipman Philip Spencer (the son of Secretary of War John C. Spencer), Boatswain's Mate Samuel Cromwell and Seaman Elisha Small, of USS Somers (10), Cdr. Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, for mutiny
02 December
1703
HMS Mortar bomb (12), Cptn. Beaumont Raymond, ran ashore on the Dutch coast. One of many R.N. ships lost in the Great Storm.
1799
HMS Racoon (16), R. Lloyd, captured French privateer lugger Vrai Decide (14) in the Channel.
1800
HMS Sir Thomas Paisley (14), Lt. Nevin, captured by Spanish gun-vessel off Ceuta.
1840
HMS Zebra (18), Robert Stopford, wrecked off Mt. Carmel near Haifa.
03 December
1747
HMS Portsmouth storeship (24) lost near the Long Sands
1775
Lt. John Paul Jones raises the Grand Union flag on Alfred. First American flag raised over American naval vessel.
1798
HMS Victorieuse (12), Edward Stirling Dickson, and HMS Zephyr fireship (10), took surrender of Spanish forts and took 2 brigs at Trinidad.
HMS Kingfisher (18), Lt. Frederick Maitland, wrecked on the bar at the mouth of the Tagus.
1807
HMS Curieux (18), John Sheriff (Killed in Action), engaged privateer Revanche (25) off Barbados.
1810
Capture of Lle de France (Mauritius) by the British.
04 December
1811
Boats of HMS Sultan (74) captured two French national vessels off Bastia, a settee (8) and a brig (6).
HMS Saldanha (36), Cptn. William Packenham, lost in Lough Swilly, Donegal . There were no survivors out of the estimated 253 aboard.
1799
HMS Racoon (16), R. Lloyd, captured lugger Intrepide (16) Cptn. Saillard, in the Channel
05 December
1807
HMS Boreas (22), Cptn. Robert Scott, went down immediately after striking the Hannois Rocks, Guernsey.
1808
HMS Crescent (36), Cptn. John Temple, wrecked on the coast of Jutland, in a heavy gale.
1812
HMS Plumper (14), Lt. Josias Bray, lost on a ledge of rocks near Dipper Harbour, New Brunswick
1830
HMS Thetis (46), Cptn. Samuel Burgess, wrecked on Cabo Frio, South America.
1843
Launching of USS Michigan at Erie, Penn., America's first iron-hulled warship, as well as first prefabricated ship.
06 December
1804
HMS Morne Fortunee (6), Lt. John Dale, wrecked on Atwood Cay (Samana Cay) to the NE of Crooked Island in the Bahamas.
1807
British squadron captured Dutch vessels at Java.
07 December
1721
HMS Hind (20) wrecked on the Channel Islands
1776
Fire in Portsmouth Dockyard.
1798
HMS Perdrix (22), Cptn. William Charles Fahie, captured Armee d'Italie.
HMS Colossus (74), Cptn George Murray, drifted onto a shelf of rocks known as Southern Wells near the island of Sampson, Scilly Isles, after her cables parted in a gale.
1800
HMS Nile (12), Lt. George Argles, and HMS Lurcher (12) captured a 9 ship convoy near St. Gildas.
1810
HMS Rinaldo (10), James Anderson, captured French lugger Maraudeur (14) off Dover.
1817
William Bligh died
08 December
1669
Inconclusive action between Mary Rose and consorts and 7 Algerine Men-of-War, off Cadiz.
1693
HMS St. Albans (50) wrecked off Kinsale.
1811
The French privateer la Courageux, captured by HMS Rhin (38) Cptn. Charles Malcolm.
1812
HMS Fearless (12), Lt. Henry Lord Richards, wrecked on rocks off St. Sebastian.
1817
HMS Martin Sloop (18), Andrew Mitchell, wrecked on Western coast of Ireland.
1828
HMS Ariel (10), Lt. James Figg, supposedly foundered near Sable Island,off Nova Scotia.
1846
USS Somers (10), Lt. Raphael Semmes, capsized and sank in a sudden storm while chasing a blockade runner off Vera Cruz.
09 December
1707
HMS Margate (24) wrecked off Cartagena
1806
HMS Adder Gun Brig (12), Lt. Molyneux Shuldham, driven aground on the French coast and captured.
1809
HMS Redpole (10), Colin M'Donald, captured Grand Rodeur (16), Cptn. J. G. Huret, south of Beachy Head.
10 December
1803
HMS Avenger Sloop (16), Francis Jackson Snell, lost running on sand bank at the mouth of the River Jade, Heligoland.
HMS Shannon (36), Cptn. Edward Leverson Gower, wrecked near La Hogue and burnt to avoid capture.
1808
HMS Jupiter (50), Cptn. Henry Edward Reginald Baker, wrecked on reef of rocks in Vigo Bay.
1810
HMS Rosario (10), Booty Harvey, captured French privateer lugger Mameloucke (16), Nobez Lawrence, off Dungeness.
1813
HMS Alphea schooner (10), Lt. Thomas William Jones, engaged French privateer Renard (14) but blew up with all hands.
11 December
1796
HMS Leda (38) foundered by upsetting in a heavy gale, lat. 38° 8´ long. 17° 40´
1779
HMS North (18) lost in a storm off Halifax, Nova Scotia
1799
HMS Tremendous and HMS Adamant (50), Cptn. William Hotham, drove ashore French frigate Preneuse (44), Cptn. L'Hermite, ashore about three miles from Port Louis, Mauritius. She struck and was boarded and set on fire by the ships boats. Shortly afterwards she blew up.
1807
HMS Grasshopper (18), Thomas Searle, captured Spanish brig San Josef (12), Don Antonio de Torres Teniento de Navaro, off Cape Palos.
1811
HMS Fancy (12), Lt. Alexander Sinclair, foundered in the Baltic during a violent gale with the loss of all hands.
12 December
1705
HMS Looe (32) wrecked Scatchwell Bay, Isle of Wight.
1724
Samuel Hood born at Butleigh, Somerset.
1777
HMS Mercury (20), Cptn. James Montagu, wrecked near New York.
1779
HMS Salisbury (50), Cptn. Charles Inglis, took Spanish private ship of war San Carlos (50), Don Juan Antonio Zaveletta, off Porto del Sall, Bay of Honduras.
1782
HMS Mediator (40), Cptn. James Luttrell,engaged enemy line of 3 French and 2 American ships, L'Eugene (36), Cptn. Baudin, Menagere (26), Cptn. de Foligne, Dauphin Royal (28), Alexander (24) Cptn. Gregory, and a brig (14), in the Bay of Biscay. Alexander and Menagere were taken.
1808
HMS Circe (32), Cptn. Francis Augustus Collier, and consorts captured and destroyed Cygne (16) and 2 schooners over 2 days off St. Pierre, Martinique.
1810
HMS Entreprenante' (10), Lt. Peter Williams, repulsed four French privateers off the coast of Spain.
1811
French lugger, le Brave (16), captured by HMS Desiree (36), Cptn. Arthur Farquhar.
1823
HMS Arab Sloop (18), Cdr. William Holmes, wrecked off Belmullett, near Broadhaven in the west of Ireland.
1862
Confederate torpedo (mine) sinks USS Cairo in Yazoo River.
13 December
1775
Continental Congress provides for the construction of 5 ships of 32 guns, 5 ships of 28 guns, and 3 ships of 24 guns
1796
HMS Terpsichore (32), Cptn. Bowen, captured French frigate Vestale (36) Cptn. Foucaud (Killed in Action), off Cadiz.
1806
HMS Halcyon (16), Henry Whitmarsh Pearse, captured Neptune.
1809
Boats of HMS Thetis (38), HMS Pultusk, Cptn. Elliot, HMS Achates, and HMS Bacchus took Nisus at Basse Terre, Guadaloupe.
HMS Junon (36), Cptn. John Shortland, captured and destroyed by the French frigates Renommee (40), Clorinde (40), Loire (20) and Seine (20).
1810
Boats of HMS Kent (74), Cptn. Thomas Rogers, HMS Ajax (74), Cptn. Robert Waller Otway, HMS Cambrian (40), Cptn. Francis William Fane, HMS Sparrowhawk (18) Cptn. James Pringle and HMS Minstrel (18), Cptn. Colin Campbell took and destroyed a convoy inside the mole of Palamos of a national ketch (14), two xebecs (3) and eight merchant vessels.
1814
Five U.S. gun-boats and a sloop captured over 2 days in Lake Borgne.
14 December
1775
Thomas Cochrane born
1798
HMS Ambuscade (32), Cptn. Henry Jenkins, captured by French frigate Bayonnaise (32) in the Bay of Biscay.
1809
HMS Melampus (36), Cptn. Edward Hawker, captured brig corvette Bearnaise (16), Lt. Montbazen.
HMS Defender Brig (14), Lt. John George Nops, wrecked near Folkestone.
1814
British squadron, under Admiral Cochrane, captures U.S. gunboats, under Lt. Jones, in Battle of Lake Borgne, LA.
1822
HMS Racehorse (18), William Suckling, wrecked on Langness, the S. E. point of the Isle of Man.
15 December
1708
HMS Cruizer (24) wrecked in the Azores.
1778
Battle of St. Lucia. British squadron of 7 ships, under Samuel Barrington, engaged French Squadron of 12 ships, under Comte d'Estaing.
1790
William Bligh promoted to Captain.
1803
HMS Suffisante (14), Gilbert Heathcote, wrecked off Spike Island in Cork Harbour.
1808
HMS Flying Fish Schooner (12), Lt. J. G. Goodwin, wrecked on reef to eastward of Point Salines, St. Domingo.
16 December
1803
Boats of HMS Merlin (16), Edward Pelham Brenton, destroyed the grounded British frigate HMS Shannon (36), Cptn. Edward Gower, at Baie des Veys
1805
HMS Kingfisher (18), Nathaniel Day Cochrane, captured French privateer schooner Elisabeth (14) in the West Indies.
17 December
1717
HMS Sorlings (42) wrecked at Friesland
1799
HMS Amiable engaged Sirene and Bergere.
1809
HMS Sceptre (74), Cptn. Samuel James Ballard, and consorts took Loire (20) and Seine (20) at Anse la Barque, Guadaloupe.
1810
HMS Rinaldo (10), James Anderson, engaged four French privateers near the Owers. One, Vieux Josephine (16) was sunk and a second which had struck escaped after Rinaldo ran foul of the Owers light vessel.
1846
Ships under Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry capture Laguna de Terminos during Mexican War.
18 December
1762
HMS Temple (70) foundered in the West Indies.
1779
French squadron of 3 ships of the line, under Count Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte, escorting a 26 ship convoy engaged English squadron of 13 ships of the line and a frigate, under Admiral Hyde-Parker blockading Fort Royal, Martinique.10 of the merchant ships were taken and 4 others ran aground and were burnt.
1793
Evacuation of Toulon by British and Spanish fleets. HMS Conflagration fireship (14), Cdr. John Loring, destroyed to prevent capture, HMS Vulcan fireship (14), Cdr William Edge, destroyed in firing the French ships and HMS Montreal being used as a powder hulk accidentally burnt by the Spaniards.
1804
HMS Starling (12), Lt. George Shotton, went ashore near Calais during a thick fog and blown up to prevent capture.
1810
HMS Nymphe (36), Cptn. Clay, and HMS Pallas (32), Cptn. G. P. Monke, wrecked near Dunbar in the Firth of Forth after the pilots mistook the light from a lime kiln on the coast for the light on the Isle of May and the light on the island for that on the Bell Rock.
1812
HMS Alban (10), Lt. William Sturges Key, wrecked off Aldeborough, Suffolk
1828
HMS Kangaroo Steam-vessel (6), Anthony de Mayne, wrecked South-east of Reef of Hogsties.
19 December
1664
British squadron of 7 ships, under Cptn.Thomas Allin, attacked Dutch Smyrna fleet of 34 merchantmen and escorts off Cadiz.
1778
French frigate Iphigénie (32) captured HMS Ceres sloop (18), Cdr. James Richard Dacres, off St. Lucia
1796
HMS Courageux (74), Lt. John Burrows (Act.), struck on rocks under Apes' Hill, coast of Barbary.
HMS Minerve (38), Cptn. George Cockburn, Commodore Horatio Nelson, captured Spanish frigate Santa Sabina (40), Cptn. Don Jacob Steuart, and HMS Blanche (32) engaged Ceres which struck but could not be secured. An approaching Spanish squadron drove them off and the prize was retaken.
1809
HMS Rosamond, Benjamin Walker, captured French national brig Papillon (16), Cptn. De La Genetiere off St. Croix.
1812
HMS Albacore (18), Cptn. Henry Thomas Davies, HMS Pickle (14), Lt. William Figg , HMS Borer (12), Richard Coote, and HMS Landrail (4), Lt. John Bill, engaged Gloire (40), Cptn. Albin-Réné Roussin, off the Lizard
20 December
1761
HMS Biddeford (20), Cptn. Thomas Gordon, totally wrecked on the Hazeborough Sand near Yarmouth due to the ignorance of the pilot
1776
British frigate Pearl (32) captured the Continental Navy brig Lexington (14), Cptn William Hallock, off the Delaware capes.
1782
HMS Diomede (44), Cptn. T. L Frederick, took South Carolina (30)
1797
HMS Growler gunboat (12), Lt. John Hollingsworth (Killed in Action), captured off Dungeness by two French privateer luggers Spiègle (10), Cptn Duchesne, and Rusé (8), Cptn Denis Fourmentin.
1799
HMS Lady Nelson (10) taken by French privateers off Cabrita point and retaken by boats of HMS Queen Charlotte (100), Capt. J. Irwin, which witnessed the event whilst lying at Gibraltar.
1804
HMS Tartarus bomb, Thomas Withers, wrecked on the sands in Margate Roads.
1811
Sir Peter Parker, Admiral of the Fleet of England, died
1822
US Congress authorizes the 14-ship West Indies Squadron to suppress piracy in the Caribbean.
1847
HMS Avenger Steam-frigate (10), Cptn. C. E. Napier, wrecked on the Sorelli Rocks, off the Island of Galita, Mediterranean. The captain and Lt. Marryat, son of Capt. Frederick Marryat, were among those who went down with the ship.
21 December
1796
HMS Bombay Castle (74) wrecked in the Tagus.
1797
British frigate Phoebe (36), Cptn. Robert Barlow, captured the French frigate Néréide (36), Cptn. Antoine Canon, off the Isles of Scilly
1804
HMS Severn (44), Cptn. Philip d'Auvergne, Prince of Bouillon, wrecked in Grouville Bay, Jersey,
1807
St. Thomas taken from the Danes by British squadron under Rear Ad. Sir Alexander Cochrane.
1811
His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, Admiral of the Red, appointed Admiral of the Fleet, vice Sir Peter Parker, Bart, deceased.
1812
Destruction of tower of St. Cataldo, between Brindisi and Ortranto, by boats of HMS Apollo (38), Cptn. Bridges W. Taylor, and HMS Weazle (18), James Black.
1848
HMS Mutine (18), John Palmer, wrecked in the Adriatic near Venice.
22 December
1775
Congress commissions first naval officers
1809
HMS Salorman (12), Lt. Duncan, lost in the Baltic.
1810
HMS Minotaur (74), Cptn. John Barrett, wrecked on the North Haaks, Texel.
1864
HMS Bombay line of battle screw steamship (64), Cptn. Colin Campbell, caught fire and exploded off Montevideo.
23 December
1787
HMS Bounty sailed from Portsmouth on fateful voyage.
1808
HMS Fama Sloop (18), Lt. Charles Toping, wrecked on Bornholm, Baltic.
1826
Cptn. Thomas Catesby Jones of USS Peacock and King Kamehameha negotiate first treaty between Hawaii and a foreign power.
24 December
1744
HMS Swallow sloop, Cptn. Andrew Jelfe, wrecked in the West Indies
1789
HMS Guardian (en flute), Lt. Edward Riou, whilst laden with stores for the new settlement at Port Jackson struck an invisible, underwater part of an iceberg and her stern swung round, knocking off the rudder and badly damaging the stern frame. Water-logged and supported by casks in the hold she limped into Table Bay on 21 February 1790.
1796
HMS Cormorant Sloop (16), Lt. Thomas Goyy, burnt and blown up by accident, at Port-au-Prince, St. Domingo.
1797
HMS Hamadryad (36), Thomas Elphinstone, blown on shore in Algier Bay.
1804
HMS Mallard Gun-boat (12), Lt. George William Miles,due to the neglect of her captain and master grounded near Calais and was captured.
1805
HMS Egyptienne (40), Lt. P. C. Handfield Acting, and HMS Loire (40), Cptn. Frederick Maitland captured French frigate Libre (40), Cptn. Descorches,off Rochefort.
1810
Boats of HMS Diana (38), Capt. Charles Grant, took and burnt French frigate Elize ashore in the Baie de la Hougue
1811
HMS Hero (74), Cptn. James Newman shipwrecked on Hank Sand, off the Texel.
HMS Grasshopper, Cptn Fanshawe, beat clean over the wreck of the Hero, and went ashore. The sloop was instantly taken possession of by the enemy, and the captain and crew made prisoners of war.
HMS St George (98), Cptn. Guion, and bearing the flag of Admiral Reynolds, and HMS Defence (74), Cptn David Atkins, ran aground off Torsminde at the west coast of Jutland and were lost.
1814
Treaty of Ghent ends the War of 1812.
25 December
1689
HMS Centurion (34) wrecked on Mount Batten in Plymouth Sound
1709
HMS Solebay (24) wrecked on Boston Rock of Lyme Regis
1799
HMS Ethalion (38), Cptn. John Clarke Searle, wrecked on the Saintes
1807
St. Croix taken from the Danes by British squadron under Rear Ad. Sir Alexander Cochrane.
1810
HMS Monkey Brig (12), Lt. Thomas Fitzgerald, wrecked on rocks at Bell Isle, France
26 December
1711
HMS Seahorse (14) wrecked off Dartmouth.
1799
HMS Viper (12), Lt. Pengelly, captured privateer Furet (14), Louis Bouvet, south of the Dodman.
1808
HMS Bustler Gun-brig (12), Lt. Richard Welch, stranded on shore and taken, Cape Grisnez, France.
1811
HMS Ephira Sloop (10) wrecked on Cochinos Rocks, in passage between Cadiz and Tarifa.
27 December
1756
Court-martial of Admiral Byng began on HMS St. George in Portsmouth Harbour.
1796
HMS Hussar (28), Cptn. James Colnett, wrecked in a gale of wind to the westward of the Island of Bass, France.
1797
HMS Hunter Sloop (18), Cptn. Tudor Tucker, wrecked on Hog Island, off Virginia.
1831
The Beagle sails from Plymouth with Charles Darwin aboard
28 December
1706
HMS Romney (54), Cptn. William Coney, HMS Fowey (32) , Cptn. Richard Lestock, and HMS Milford (32), Cptn. Philip Stanhope, took French privateer Content (16) off Malaga.
1778
HMS Cupid (14), W. Carlyon, foundered off Newfoundland
29 December
1709
HMS Pembroke (60), Cptn. Edward Rumsey (Killed in action), and HMS Falcon Cptn. Charles Constable, taken by French Squadron of three French ships of (70), (60) and (54) guns off the French Mediterranean coast.
1736
HMS Launceston (42) wrecked on the Dutch coast
1797
HMS Anson (44), Cptn. Philip Charles Durham, captured French corvette Daphne (20) off the coast of France.
1807
HMS Anson (44) lost on sand-bank off Helstone, Falmouth.
1808
HMS Crescent (36), Cptn. John Temple, wrecked off Jutland.
1812
USS Constitution (52), Commodore William Bainbridge, captured and burnt HMS Java (38), Cptn. Henry Lambert (Killed in Action), off the Brazilian coast.
HMS Royalist (18), George Downie, captured French privateer lugger La Ruse (16) off Hythe.
30 December
1794
HMS Blanche (32), Cptn. Robert Faulknor, silenced a fort at the island of Desirade and captured French national schooner (8).
1803
HMS Grappler Gun-boat (12), Lt. Able Wontner Thomas, wrecked on the Isle de Chausey, Jersey.
31 December
1748
HMS Wolf (14), Cptn. Veachel, wrecked on the coast of Ireland in high winds.
1763
Pierre-Charles Villeneuve born
1796
HMS Curlew Sloop (16), Cdr. Francis Ventris Field, foundered in North Sea.
1862
USS Monitor founders in a storm off Cape Hatteras, NC.
Nov
*Dates of events prior to September 1752 may be quoted differently in some countries as both the Julian and Gregorian calendars were in use by countries. Calendars were regularised when Britain passed the Calendar Act of 1751 An Act for Regulating the Commencement of the Year; and for Correcting the Calendar now in Use.