HMS Bellerophon (1786)

At the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October Bellerophon fought a bitter engagement against Spanish and French ships, sustaining heavy casualties including the death of her captain, John Cooke.

In July 1815, defeated at Waterloo and finding escape to North America barred by the blockading Bellerophon, Napoleon came aboard "the ship that had dogged his steps for twenty years" (according to maritime historian David Cordingly) to finally surrender to the British.

Bellerophon was ordered from the commercial shipbuilder Edward Greaves and Company, of Frindsbury in Kent, on 11 January 1782 to a modified design originally developed by Surveyor of the Navy Sir Thomas Slade.

Though Greaves had been contracted to have her ready for launching by April 1784, she spent another two years on the slipway, probably because the Navy Board ordered construction work to be delayed to allow her timber to be seasoned, a luxury available now that there were no pressing military needs.

[25][26] The damaged Bellerophon then drifted clear of the action, and as night fell Howe signalled for the fleet to reform in line ahead and wait for morning before resuming the engagement.

[27] Howe isolated several French ships in the rear and pounded them with broadsides, but Villaret de Joyeuse was able to bring his van about to rescue them, and the two fleets parted again at night to reform their battle lines and repair damage.

I considered that ship a treasure in store, having heard of her former accomplishments, and observing the spirit manifested by all on board when she passed me, joined to the zeal and activity shewed by Lord Cranstoun during the whole cruize.

Cornwallis dropped back to support Mars, while Captain Robert Stopford of HMS Phaeton began making signals implying a British fleet was in sight.

When French lookouts spotted distant topsails, Villaret de Joyeuse decided that Cornwallis's actions meant that a British fleet was approaching to support him, and called off the pursuit.

[57] Darby had by this time recovered sufficiently to resume command, and at his order the battered Bellerophon came to anchor at the east end of the bay, and her crew began making repairs.

[60][f] After carrying out temporary repairs in Abu Qir Bay, Bellerophon hoisted jury masts and, towing the captured Spartiate with HMS Majestic, sailed to Gibraltar for a refit.

In mid-1803, the squadron under Captain Henry William Bayntun, consisting of HMS Bellerophon, Cumberland, Hercule, Elephant, and Vanguard captured the French privateers Poisson Volant and Superieure.

[67] The squadron gave chase, and on 25 July overhauled and captured Duquesne after a few shots were fired, while Duguay-Trouin and Guerrière managed to evade their pursuers and escape to France.

[67] She remained blockading Cap-François until November, when the French commander of the garrison there, General Rochambeau, approached Loring and requested to be allowed to evacuate his men, which were being besieged by a native Haitian force led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines.

The French formally surrendered on 30 November and were allowed to evacuate on three frigates, Surveillante, Clorinde, and Vertu, and a number of smaller ships, and were escorted to Jamaica by the squadron.

William Pryce Cumby, Bellerophon's first lieutenant, was first in the main fleet to spot the signal, flying from the last ship in the communication link, HMS Mars.

Bellerophon's ensign had been shot away three times, so infuriating her yeoman of signals, Christopher Beaty, that he took the largest Union Jack he could find and climbed up into the mizzen rigging and hoisted it across the shrouds.

She briefly fired her guns again when the van of the combined fleet, led by Rear-Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley, made a belated attempt to come to the assistance of the centre and rear.

[95] Hawkey was killed in the attempt, but Bellerophon's Lieutenant Charles Allen took over command, and six of the gunboats were captured, and a seventh destroyed, with 12 craft containing stores for the Russian Army also being taken.

[95][100] The year 1814 was spent on similar duties: Bellerophon carried Governor Keats back to Newfoundland while escorting a convoy to St. John's between April and June, and then patrolled off Cape Race until December.

[115] To maritime historian David Cordingly, this moment was Bellerophon's "crowning glory [when] six weeks after the battle of Waterloo, ... Napoleon, trapped in Rochefort, surrendered to the captain of the ship that had dogged his steps for more than twenty years.

[120] The routine was broken slightly early in the morning of 23 July, when Napoleon appeared at dawn, as Bellerophon came in sight of Ushant, the last piece of French land visible for the remainder of the journey.

[121] Bellerophon anchored off Brixham on the morning of 24 July, and there Maitland received orders from Admiral Lord Keith to "prevent every person whatever from coming on board the ship you command, except the officers and men who compose her crew.

"[122] Despite turning away the shore boats which approached the anchored warship bringing fresh bread and fruit to sell, word eventually leaked out that Napoleon was aboard the ship.

[124] On 26 July Bellerophon received orders to proceed to Plymouth harbour where Lord Keith was anchored aboard his flagship HMS Ville de Paris.

The report suggested that "The class of ship, which I take the liberty of observing as most suitable for this service, would be a seventy-four, of about the same dimensions as Bellerophon in the river Medway, being of easy draft of water and lofty between decks.

The National Maritime Museum holds several relics relating to Bellerophon and the people connected with her, including Captain John Cooke's dirk, sword and pistol, and a trophy presented to Admiral Pasley by Lloyd's of London.

Sir William Quiller Orchardson painted Napoleon on the Bellerophon, depicting the former emperor standing on the poop deck, watching the French coastline recede as his retinue look on.

[153] Numerous popular prints and engravings were also produced, depicting moments from Napoleon's arrival on Bellerophon to surrender, to his final transfer to Northumberland for his voyage into exile.

[161] Your Royal Highness,A victim to the factions which distract my country, and to the enmity of the greatest powers of Europe, I have terminated my political career, and I come, like Themistocles, to throw myself upon the hospitality of the British people.

Drawing of a river with a rowing boat in the foreground and the hull of a sailing ship flying flags on the far bank. Small houses and buildings visible in the background.
Anonymous drawing, c. 1786, of Bellerophon on the stocks at Frindsbury , prior to being launched
Half-length portrait of a grey-haired man in a navy blue jacket with gold buttons and braid, wearing a medal.
Sir Thomas Pasley , depicted as a rear-admiral in a 1795 portrait by Lemuel Francis Abbott . Bellerophon ' s first commander, he is shown wearing the Naval Gold Medal he won while commanding her.
Black and white print of a large sailing warship in the centre in a cloud of smoke, a second ship visible in the background, other ships vaguely visible through the smoke.
Lord Howe engaging the French Fleet under Adm Villaret on the 29th May , a 1799 aquatint after Nicholas Pocock , showing Howe's flagship, Queen Charlotte cutting the French line. Emerging through the smoke behind her and following the commander in chief through the line is Bellerophon .
Black and white print of a number of sailing ships on a choppy sea and under a cloudy sky.
Admiral Cornwallis's Retreat from the French Fleet , an 1802 engraving of a work by William Anderson , depicting Cornwallis's Retreat
Print of Five sailing ships, four seen stern on, and the fifth from the side. A town and coastline in the background, with a line of distant ships in front of it.
Cadiz June 1797. The inshore blockading squadron coming to an anchor , by Thomas Buttersworth , 1797. From left to right, Bellerophon , Orion (in port view), Theseus , Colossus and Irresistible .
Coloured print of a naval battle between sailing ships. A single ship seen bow on in the centre, a cluster of ships in the left background, and a large ship on fire in the centre background. Two ships to the right, one without masts seen side on, and one seen stern on, are visible, with a column of smoke rising from the burning ship to the top of the picture.
A 1799 depiction of the Battle of the Nile by Thomas Whitcombe . Orient is on fire, and visible under her stern, and drifting clear of the burning ship, is the dismasted Bellerophon .
Half-length portrait of a man facing to the right, in a gold buttoned and braided navy blue coat
Captain John Cooke , Bellerophon ' s captain at the Battle of Trafalgar, painted c. 1797–1803 by Lemuel Francis Abbott .
Coloured print of a naval battle between sailing ships. Four ships seen stern on in the right of the picture, obscured by clouds of smoke, a fifth ship seen bow on in the left.
Situation of the Bellerophon at the moment of the death of her gallant commander Captn. Cooke , early-nineteenth century aquatint by Thomas Whitcombe , showing Bellerophon surrounded by enemy ships at the moment of Cooke's death
Half-length oval portrait engraving of a man in a gold buttoned coat and epaulettes, with tousled hair and sideburns.
Frederick Lewis Maitland, Bellerophon ' s last captain, and the man who received Napoleon's surrender. An 1826 engraving of a portrait by Samuel Woodforde .
Bordered engraving of a man in uniform on the deck of a sailing ship presenting a second man in uniform with a sword, as two men and a woman in formal clothes watch.
The surrender of Buonaparte on board the Bellerophon , a 1816 print by G. M. Brighty
A group of men in military uniform and formal clothes stand to the left, looking towards a single man in a greatcoat and bicorne hat stood by the rail of a ship looking out to sea
Napoleon on Board the Bellerophon , exhibited in 1880 by Sir William Quiller Orchardson . Orchardson depicts the morning of 23 July, as Napoleon watches the French shoreline recede. His retinue, from left to right Planat , Montholon , Maingault [ fr ] , Las Cases , Savary , Lallemand and Bertrand , look on. In the background, Las Cases's son leans over the rail.
Oil painting of a three three-masted sailing ships seen from side against a background of cliffs, with many small boats filled with people in the foreground, and a larger single-masted boat in the right foreground.
Scene in Plymouth Sound in August 1815 , an 1817 painting by John James Chalon . Bellerophon is at the centre of the picture, surrounded by crowds of people in small boats who have come to see Napoleon .
Drawing of the hull of sailing ship without masts, with barred windows, washing strung between poles, a raised superstructure and a barge alongside filled with people.
A prison hulk, similar to how Bellerophon would have appeared. This 1829 drawing by Edward William Cooke depicts the former 74-gun HMS York , moored in Portsmouth Harbour .
Oil painting of a man in a green uniform, white breeches and black bicorne hat leaning his right arm against a wooden partition draped with a flag.
Napoleon on Bellerophon at Plymouth , by Sir Charles Lock Eastlake , 1815. Eastlake was rowed out to Bellerophon to make sketches, from which he later painted this portrait.