HMS Zebra (1780) - Napoleonic Wars

Napoleonic Wars

Between March and May 1803 Zebra underwent another fitting out at Woolwich. At some point in 1803 Commander William Proctor took command.

In July and August 1804 Zebra, participated in the squadron under Captain Robert Dudley Oliver in HMS Melpomene at the bombardment of French vessels at Le Havre. The bomb vessels' shells and carcasses set the town on fire on 23 July. On 1 August, the vessels kept a continuous fire for three hours. Still, it is not clear that the bombardment did much damage to the French flotilla.

On 20 July 1804, Zebra, under the command of William Beauchamp, was in the company of hired armed cutter Favorite and some other vessels when Zebra captured the Shepherdess. Nine days later, Zebra, captured the Postillion.

Zebra was recommissioned in August 1804 under Commander William Parkinson. Lieutenant George Harris replaced him in 1805. His replacement, in March 1806, was Commander Thomas Whinyates. Under Whinyates Zebra was on the North Sea station. Commander William Bowles took over in 1807.

The Zebra then returned to Copenhagen for the second battle of Copenhagen in 1807. Zebra joined the "Advanced Squadron", which was protecting the batteries the British were building to support their attack on the city. On 17 August, the bomb vessels opened fire on the city's flotilla of row boats whose fire was harassing the left of the British line. Zebra was one of several vessels sharing in the capture of the Danish merchant vessel Sally on 22 August. On 2 September, the bomb vessels joined the land-based mortar batteries in bombarding Copenhagen. The bombardment set the town on fire and the Danes finally asked for an armistice on 5 September. The prize money for Copenhagen to an ordinary seaman was £3 8s.

On 20 June 1808, Zebra was in the Baltic, under the command of Thomas R. Toker, when she captured the Danish sloop Emenzius. Commander George Trollope took command in January 1809.