 Engraving of HMSCulloden | |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg) Great Britain | |
| Name | Culloden |
| Ordered | 30 November 1769 |
| Builder | Deptford Dockyard |
| Laid down | July 1770 |
| Launched | 18 May 1776 |
| Fate | Ran aground 23 January 1781 onCulloden Point,Montauk, New York and destroyed to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy. |
| Notes |
|
| General characteristics[1] | |
| Class & type | Culloden-classship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1659 (bm) |
| Length | 170 ft (52 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam | 47 ft 2 in (14.38 m) |
| Depth of hold | 19 ft 11 in (6.07 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 650 officers and men |
| Armament |
|
H.M.S.Culloden Shipwreck Site[2] | |
| Nearest city | Montauk, New York |
| Coordinates | 41°4′20.5″N71°57′38.3″W / 41.072361°N 71.960639°W /41.072361; -71.960639 |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003795 |
| Added to NRHP | 5 March 1979 |
HMSCulloden was a74-gunthird-rateship of the line of theRoyal Navy, built atDeptford Dockyard, England, and launched on 18 May 1776.[1] She was the fourthwarship to be named after theBattle of Culloden, which took place inScotland in 1746 and saw the defeat of theJacobite rising.
She served with theChannel Fleet during theAmerican War of Independence. May, 1778 under command of Capt. George Balfour.[3] She saw action at theBattle of Cape St Vincent, before being sent out to theWest Indies. Her stay there was brief, sailing for New York City with AdmiralRodney in August 1780 to join the North American station. The ship's specific duties were to blockade the French atNewport, Rhode Island where a French army of 6,000 had disembarked in July 1780.[citation needed]
On 23 January 1781, while trying to intercept French ships attempting to run the blockade atNewport, Rhode Island,Culloden encountered severe weather and ran aground at North Neck Point (Will's Point) inMontauk.[4] All attempts to refloat the vessel were unsuccessful,[citation needed] but all the crew were saved, andCulloden's masts were taken aboardHMS Bedford.[5] The area is today known asCulloden Point.
The British conducted salvage operations on the ship throughout March, retrieving all 28 eighteen-pounder guns from the upper deck, and all 18 nine-pounders from thequarterdeck. The larger cannons were pushed into the sea and the ship was then burned to the waterline and abandoned.[6]
On 24 July 1781, Joseph Woodbridge ofGroton, Connecticut sent a letter toGeorge Washington offering to sell him sixteen 32-pounders from the wreck, and on 14 July 1815, Samuel Jeffers arrived inNewport, Rhode Island with 12 tons of pig iron and a 32-pounder from the wreck.[6]
In 1971 Henry W. Moeller, an undersea archaeologist associated withDowling College, discovered the keel and large wooden beams resting in between 10 ft (3.0 m) and 15 ft (4.6 m) of water 150 ft (46 m) off Culloden Point. Agudgeon imprinted with the nameCulloden was recovered. Subsequent recovery efforts brought up another 32-pounder cannon as well ascopper sheathing. A sketch of the outline of the ruins showed the ship resting on a large boulder.[citation needed]
Since 1979 the wreck site has been listed on theNational Register of Historic Places, which prohibitsSCUBA divers from taking artifacts from, or otherwise disturbing thewreck.[7] The designated area is a 'circle with a radius of approximately 200 feet (61 m) and a centre at the point formed byUTM coordinates 251370 4550810 19T.[6]
The application notes that in addition to Revolutionary War connections, the shipwreck is important for showing the British state-of-the-art copper sheathing of the ship as well as the possibility that it may reveal problems about corruption in the British shipyards at the time. The application notes:
Finally, the Culloden shipwreck site may provide material insight into the political conditions existent in theBritish Admiralty during this period. James [1926:7-18] has written describing the strength and organization of the Royal Navy at the end of theSeven Years' War (1755–1762) and its subsequent dissipation between 1771 and 1778 through mismanagement and corruption underLord Sandwich's control of the Admiralty. Construction of the Culloden occurred during the period that Admiralty corruption was at its height. Therefore, the Culloden may reflect in material terms corrupt practices plaguing England's shipyards at the time. Construction shortcuts and the manufacturing of parts that do not meet specifications have long characterized the defense industry of all nations. The Culloden shipwreck site may provide data illustrating this activity.[6]
