HMS Herald (1806)

HMS Herald was an 18-gun ship-sloop of the Cormorant class in the Royal Navy, launched in 1806 at Littlehampton. In 1810 she was reclassed as a 20-gun sixth rate ship (but without being re-armed), and again re-rated as 24 guns in 1817, just before she was broken up.

Adriatic
Herald was commissioned in March 1806 under Captain G. M. Hony. On 18 May 1807 he sailed her to the Mediterranean, where he proceeded to cruise off Corfu in the early stages of the Adriatic campaign. Herald attacked French shipping off the island and later in the year cruised off the Dardanelles before returning to the Adriatic off Otranto, attacking a number of coastal merchant vessels with success.

On 25 October 1807, Herald was off Otranto when she found an armed trabaccolo anchored under the fortress. Despite resistance, Herald's boats cut out the vessel, which turned out to be the French privateer César, armed with four 6-pounders. César was sailing from Ancona to Corfu with a cargo of rice and flour. All but four of the crew escaped. Herald suffered four men wounded.

In January 1808 Commander George Jackson took command. Herald operated off the Italian coasts, capturing or destroying numerous French and Italian merchant ships during the year.

In August 1810 Herald was re-rated as a 20-gun post ship, though Jackson did not receive his promotion until one year later, in August 1811. In the meantime, on 9 May 1811, boats from Herald and HMS Pilot (1807) cut out four coasting vessels from the town of Monastarrachi.

War of 1812
On 4 July 1812, Jackson sailed Herald for Jamaica. There she captured the American ship Venus on 17 December.

In May 1813 Captain Clement Milward took command of Herald off Halifax, Nova Scotia. Operating off the American coast during the War of 1812, Herald captured one English, one French and four American vessels during 1813, all of which she sent to Nassau, New Providence.
 * English vessel Lune, in ballast, taken June 3;
 * French vessel Vengeance, carrying wine, silks, &c. taken June 27;
 * American vessel Adeline Cecilia, in ballast, taken August 13, 1813;
 * American vessel Jane, carrying cotton and sugar, taken December |3, 1813;
 * American vessel Eliza and Ann, carrying sundries, taken December 21; and
 * American vessel Liberty, carrying sundries, taken December 23.

On 14 January 1814, Herald captured the American ship Adolphus, and shared the prize money, by agreement, with HMS Forester (1806) and HMS Contest (1812). At the end of 1814, Herald was at the Battle of New Orleans. First, she was among the vessels sharing in the proceeds of the capture of five American gunboats at the Battle of Lake Borgne. The British took the five gunboats into service under the names Ambush, Firebrand, Destruction, Harlequin, and Eagle. Then, with HMS Nymphe (1812), Aetna, Meteor, Thistle and Pygmy, Herald went up the Mississippi River to create a diversion.

In accordance with Cochrane's orders, Herald was moored off Prospect Bluff, and embarked troops of the 5th Battalion of the West India Regiment on 5 April 1815, arriving in Jamaica on 10 May. Herald accompanied a convoy, arriving in Portsmouth on 25 September.

Fate
On 9 September 1817, Herald was broken up at Chatham Naval Dockyard.