HMS San Josef
Encyclopedia
HMS San Josef was a 114-gun first rate ship of the line
of the Royal Navy
. She was captured from the Spanish Navy
at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797 (when she was still named in Spanish San José). In 1809 she served as the flagship of Admiral John Thomas Duckworth
.
, under the command of Captain, Horatio Nelson
came out of the line to attack the San Nicolás
. After exchanging fire, Nelson led his forces aboard the San Nicolás. While the English were fighting their way aboard the San José continued to fire upon the Captain and the San Nicolás. The San José then fell upon the San Nicolás and their rigging became tangled. Trapped, the men from the San José continued to fire on the British boarding parties with muskets and pistols. Nelson then took his men from the decks of the San Nicolás aboard the San José, forcing the Spanish to surrender, with their Admiral badly injured. The San José and the San Nicolás, both captured by Nelson, were two of the four ships captured during the battle. After the prise they were renamed as HMS San Josef and HMS San Nicolas respectively.
, serving as a guard ship at Plymouth
(established gunnery school). Other captains who served in her include: Captain Frederick William Burgoyne, while serving as the flagship of Samuel Pym
, Plymouth; Captain Henry John Leeke
; and Captain Thomas Maitland, as the flagship of Admiral William Hall Gage
, Devonport. She was broken up a Devonport
in May 1849.
A very small piece of the San Josef still survives to this day; it is in the form of part of a wooden gun carriage; called a Quoin. This quoin can be found among the Valhalla figurehead collection in Tresco Abbey Gardens in the Isles of Scilly.
, was named in 1864 by Captain Pender
for the San Josef, while Departure Bay and Nanaimo Harbour at the city of Nanaimo were originally named (in 1791) the Bocas de Winthuysen after Rear-Admiral Don Francisco Xavier Winthuysen.
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was captured from the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797 (when she was still named in Spanish San José). In 1809 she served as the flagship of Admiral John Thomas Duckworth
John Thomas Duckworth
Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British naval officer, serving during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, as the Governor of Newfoundland during the War of 1812, and a member of the British House of Commons during his...
.
Battle of Cape St Vincent
The San José was among the Spanish fleet during the battle, during which HMS CaptainHMS Captain (1787)
HMS Captain was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 26 November 1787 at Limehouse. She served during the French revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars before being placed in harbour service in 1799...
, under the command of Captain, Horatio Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
came out of the line to attack the San Nicolás
HMS San Nicolas
The San Nicolás was a 80-gun third rate ship of the Spanish Navy.She was present at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797, when she was boarded by a number of British sailors from led by Horatio Nelson...
. After exchanging fire, Nelson led his forces aboard the San Nicolás. While the English were fighting their way aboard the San José continued to fire upon the Captain and the San Nicolás. The San José then fell upon the San Nicolás and their rigging became tangled. Trapped, the men from the San José continued to fire on the British boarding parties with muskets and pistols. Nelson then took his men from the decks of the San Nicolás aboard the San José, forcing the Spanish to surrender, with their Admiral badly injured. The San José and the San Nicolás, both captured by Nelson, were two of the four ships captured during the battle. After the prise they were renamed as HMS San Josef and HMS San Nicolas respectively.
Later career
From 1839 San Josef was used as a gunnery training ship. From 10 August 1841 she was commanded by Captain Joseph Needham TaylerJoseph Needham Tayler
Joseph Needham Tayler , CB was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
, serving as a guard ship at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
(established gunnery school). Other captains who served in her include: Captain Frederick William Burgoyne, while serving as the flagship of Samuel Pym
Samuel Pym
Sir Samuel Pym KCB was a British admiral, brother of Sir William Pym.In June 1788, Pym joined the Royal Navy as captain's servant of the frigate Eurydice...
, Plymouth; Captain Henry John Leeke
Henry John Leeke
Admiral Sir Henry John Leeke KCB KH DL was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Third Naval Lord, Member of Parliament for Dover and Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire.-Career:...
; and Captain Thomas Maitland, as the flagship of Admiral William Hall Gage
William Hall Gage
Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Hall Gage GCB GCH was Second Sea Lord in the British Navy.-Naval career:Born the third son of General Thomas Gage, Gage joined the Royal Navy in 1789. In 1797 he was given command of the frigate HMS Terpsichore and sailed in the Mediterranean to conduct the Siege...
, Devonport. She was broken up a Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
in May 1849.
A very small piece of the San Josef still survives to this day; it is in the form of part of a wooden gun carriage; called a Quoin. This quoin can be found among the Valhalla figurehead collection in Tresco Abbey Gardens in the Isles of Scilly.
Legacy
San Josef Mountain on the South Coast of British Columbia, on the south side of Estero Basin on Frederick Arm to the west of the mouth of Bute InletBute Inlet
Bute Inlet is one of the principal inlets of the British Columbia Coast. It is 80 km long from its head at the mouths of the Homathko and Southgate Rivers to the continental headlands at its mouth, where it is nearly blocked by Stuart Island, and it averages about 4 km in width...
, was named in 1864 by Captain Pender
Daniel Pender
Daniel Pender was a Royal Navy Staff Commander, later Captain, who surveyed the Coast of British Columbia aboard HMS Plumper, HMS Hecate and the Beaver from 1857 to 1870.-Legacy:...
for the San Josef, while Departure Bay and Nanaimo Harbour at the city of Nanaimo were originally named (in 1791) the Bocas de Winthuysen after Rear-Admiral Don Francisco Xavier Winthuysen.