HMS Cydnus (1813)

HMS Cydnus was one of eight Royal Navy 38-gun Cydnus-class fifth-rates. This frigate was built in 1813 at Blackwall Yard, London, and broken up in 1816.

Design, construction and armament
The entire class was a version of the Leda-class frigates, but built of red fir (pine), which was cheaper and more abundant than oak. Most importantly, it permitted noticeably faster construction, but at a cost of reduced durability.

To enable the new frigate to meet the American frigates on less unequal terms, Cydnus, and her sister Eurotas received medium 24-pounders and an increased complement of men. Cydnus's 24-pounders were of a design by General Sir Thomas Blomefield, 1st Baronet and measured 7 ft. 6 in. in length while weighing about 40 cwt. The 24-pounders on Eurotas were to a design by Colonel Congreve.

During December 1813 and January 1814, Cyndus and Eurotas actually temporarily exchanged six 24-pounders, presumably to enable both vessels to test the designs against each other. Ultimately, the Royal Navy adopted General Blomefield's design.

Service
Cydnus was commissioned in May 1813 under Captain Frederick W. Aylmer, but command passed later that month to Captain Frederick Langford. On 2 December, Briton captured the Wolf's Cove, while Cydnus and a squadron were in company.

On 8 January 1814, Cydnus recaptured the English ship Rachael and Ann, of 14 guns, 226 tons. and 20 men. She had been sailing from Buenos Aires for London.

On 14 March 1814 Cydnus and Pomone captured the American privateer Bunker's Hill, of 14 guns and 86 men. Though Bunker's Hill had been known for her past successes, on this cruise she was eight days out of Morlaix without having captured anything. Bunker's Hill was the former Royal Navy cutter HMS Linnet (1806), which the French frigate Gloire had taken on 25 February 1813 near Madeira. Cydnus carried out convoy duties to the East Indies in 1814.

Cydnus served in the operations against New Orleans in 1814. Her boats participated in the British victory at the Battle of Lake Borgne. On 8 December 1814, two US gunboats fired on HMS Sophie (1809), HMS Armide (1806) and the sixth-rate frigate HMS Seahorse (1794) while they were passing the chain of small islands that runs parallel to the shore between Mobile and Lake Borgne.

Between 12 and 15 December 1814, Captain Lockyer of Sophie led a flotilla of some 50 boats, barges, gigs and launches to attack the US gunboats. Lockyer drew his flotilla from the fleet that was massing against New Orleans, including the 74-gun Third Rate HMS Tonnant (1798),  Armide, Cydnus, Seahorse, HMS Manly (1812) and Meteor.

Lockyer deployed the boats in three divisions, of which he led one. Captain Montresor of the gun-brig Manly commanded the second, and Captain Roberts of Meteor commanded the third. After rowing for 36 hours, the British met the Americans at St. Joseph's Island. On 13 December 1814, the British attacked the one-gun schooner USS Sea Horse. On the morning of the 14th, the British engaged the Americans in a short, violent battle.

The British captured or destroyed almost the entire American force, including the tender, USS Alligator, and five gunboats. The British lost 17 men killed and 77 wounded; Cydnus had four men wounded. HMS Anaconda (1813) then evacuated the wounded. In 1821 the survivors of the flotilla shared in the distribution of head-money arising from the capture of the American gun-boats and sundry bales of cotton. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "14 Dec Boat Service 1814" to all surviving claimants from the action.

On 18 January 1815, Captain the Honourable William Henry Percy faced a court martial on board Cydnus, off Cat Island, Mississippi for the loss of his vessel, Hermes, during his unsuccessful attack at the Battle of Fort Bowyer in September 1814. The court acquitted him of all blame, finding that the attack was justified.

Langford died early in 1815 at Jamaica. Sir Alexander Cochrane appointed Captain Robert Cavendish Spencer, of the sloop Carron, to command Cydnus in 1815, for his efforts in Louisiana and Florida. Spencer then spent a month camped at Prospect Bluff on the Apalachicola River with Britain's Indian allies, charged with settling their claims and dismissing them from British service. Apparently he left them with some cannons as well. Lieutenant Colonel Edward Nicolls received orders to withdraw his troops from the fort at Prospect Bluff. In accordance with Cochrane's orders, the Cydnus was moored off Prospect Bluff, and embarked the Royal Marine detachment on 22 April, arriving at Bermuda on 13 June 1815, to allow the detachment to rejoin the 3rd Battalion as a supernumerary company. Thereafter Cydnus salied to Halifax, arriving on 24 June 1815.

Fate
The Cydnus was then paid off. The Napoleonic Wars had ended and as she was not durable, she was broken up at Portsmouth in February 1816.

Cydnus was among the ships and vessels under the command of-Admiral Lord Viscount Keith entitled to share in the Parliamentary grant for service in 1813 and 1814.