HMS Forester (1832)

HMS Forester was a 10-gun Cherokee-class brig-sloop built for the Royal Navy during the 1830s.

Description

The Cherokee-class brig-sloops were designed by Henry Peake, they were nicknamed 'coffin brigs' for the large number that either wrecked or foundered in service, but modern analysis has not revealed any obvious design faults. They were probably sailed beyond their capabilities by inexperienced captains tasked to perform arduous and risky duties. Whatever their faults, they were nimble; quick to change tack and, with a smaller crew, more economical to run. Forester displaced and measured long at the gundeck. She had a beam of, a depth of hold of, a deep draught of and a tonnage of 230 tons burthen. The ships had a complement of 52 men when fully manned, but only 33 as a packet ship. The armament of the Cherokee class consisted of ten muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns: eight carronades and two guns positioned in the bow for use as chase guns.

Construction and career

Forester was ordered on 23 May 1826 and laid down in September 1830 at Chatham Dockyard. The ship was launched on 28 August 1832 and was fitted out as a brigantine with three guns on 2 January 1833. She was commissioned in October 1832 for service off the west coast of Africa.
On 14 February 1833, she ran aground on a reef off St Martin's, Isles of Scilly, with the loss of a crew member. She was later refloated and towed by the paddle sloop-of-war to Plymouth, Devon, England, where she was paid off in ordinary.