#HMS Eurotas

[ltwilliammowett]

HMS Eurotas commencing action with the French frigate Clorinde, 25th February 1814 by Thomas Whitcombe

While returning from Newfoundland in company with the 16-gun brig-sloop Achates, on 26 February HMS Dryad, 36- guns, came across the damaged French frigate Clorinde, which had attempted to escape HMS Eurotas, 38- guns, after a hard-fought battle the previous day. Eurotas had twenty men and officers killed and forty wounded; the French estimated their losses at 120 men. Captain John Phillimore of Eurotas was among those listed as severely wounded. Clorinde was under the command of Captain Dennis Legard, mounted forty-four guns and four brass swivel guns in each top, and had had a crew of 360 men.

In his letter of report, Phillimore observed that the approach of Dryad and Achates was “to the great mortification of every one on board”, because Eurotas had spent all night setting up a jury-rig (a spare mast with emergency sail) , and the Prize Rules meant that all ships in sight shared in the prize money. After a single cannon shot, Clorinde surrendered to Dryad, which towed her into Portsmouth. The Royal Navy took Clorinde into service as Aurora.