AURORA (28)

  6th Rate Built in Blackwall in 1777, sold in 1814.     

  Under the command of Captain James Cumming, the AURORA arrived in St. Lucia on the 13th December 1778, landig troops under General Grant, on the north west corner of the island capturing the French positions. On the following day ARIADNE brought news of the approach of D'Estaing's French fleet. 50 – 60 transports were warped inside Admiral Barrington's warships who had positioned themsleves across the mouth at Port Castries bay. Three frigates, the AURORA, ARIADNE and VENUS, were anchored between ISIS (50) and the north point. D'Estaing attempted three attacks on the squadron with no effect before he landed 7,000 men. He then attempted to storm the British positions. He led three charges, with heavy French losses before re-embarking his troops. Barrington reinforced the batteries around the bay with heavy guns and D'Estaing left the island.     

  In 1782, the AURORA under the command of Captain G: Campbell, cruised the British Channel.     

  In 1793, under Captian William Esslingon she was in the North Sea capturing the French cutter NARCISSE (14) off the shetland isles, on June 18th 1794.     

  1795, the AURORA, was under the command of Captian Richard King, in the North Sea. He removed to Druid in the summer of 1795.     

  In September of the same year she was under the command of Captian Charles H. Garnier, who was drowned in Yarmouth Road in the Isle of Wight leaving his ship in the evening.     

  1796, AURORA was under command of Captian P. Woodhouse from June to November when the command was taken over by Captian J. P. Robinson.     

  1796. Captian Henry Digby, Lisbon, who took the Spanish RECEVISO (6) on May 8th 1798. The French EGLITE (20) was destroyed 22nd June. VELOSA ARGONESA, 30 guns, armed en flute, was taken off the Azores 16th September.     

  1798, she was in the Mediterranean under Captian Thomas Caufield, with Commodore Duckworth's squadron, who had been detached by Earl St. Vincent, to act against Minorca at the end of October. Troops were landed on Minorca under General Stuart on 7th November and the island capitulated on the 15th.     

  1800, AURORA was still in the Mediterranean. Captained by Philip Beaver, under Lord Keith on MINOTAUR. Beaver was in control of the guns and mortar vessels together with armed boats of the squadron which carried out bambardments of the port and town of Genoa. During the fourth attack of the night of the 20th May and armed flotilla of French vessels attempted to drive off the British boats. Captain Beaver went to his assistance with a detachment of boats. Under cannon fire from the mole they carried and brought off the largest of the French ships, a galley called LA PRIMA, with 50 oars and 257 men, commanded by Patrizo Galleano. She was armed with two 36 pounders of brass guns, the men carrying muskets, pistols and cutlasses. Thirty brass swivels were later found in the ships hold. The AURORA arrived back in Portsmouth with a convoy from Lisbon on the 3rd March 1801, and returned on the 6th April. She arrived to Spithead from Lisbon and Cadiz 3rd January 1803. At St. Helen's she touched ground but amanged to get off on the tide and sailed into Portsmouth harbour on the 14th. On the spring tide she was docked going out of harbour to Spithead on the 15th March.     

  On the 24th, under the command of Captain M. Malbon, she set sail with the Determinee, with the 31st regiment who set sail for Jersey the following day. While sailing through the Great Russel passage, on the 26th, AURORA in the lead and nearing the harbour, Determinee struck rocks and was lost. Captain Malbon and the AURORA managed to save every man from the wreck. When she returned to harbour the crew was sent ashore to press gang every night, collecting 6-7 hands a day.     

  7th May the AURORA and CAMILLA sailed to Newfoundland.     

  1805 she was again in the Mediterranean with Captians John Wentworth Loring and Captain Hon. George Elliott. 1806, she was captined by George Francis Seymour, who had been promoted from Kingfisher and later removed to Pallas spring 1808.

  In 1808 Aurora was in the West Indies with Captain John Duer, and later took part in the blockade of San Domingo with the Polyphemus, under Captian Cumby.     

  1808, on the 10th November the Aurora, met up with FRANCHISE, DAEDALUS, REINDEER and PERT. Between them they decided to take the port of Saman which would help the Spanish patriots who were blockading San Domingo. The following day the took the harbour without oppersition capturing two French privateers, the EXCHANGE (5) and GUERRIER (5), a schooner, a brig and a sloop, laden with fish and coffee. Two days later they also sized two prizes, one of which was the british ship JAENNET, taken just outside the harbour. The French in San Domingo surrendered on the 6th July 1809.     

  1811, Out of commision in Sheernes.

Taken from  Michael Philip's Ships of the Old Navy.