Painting byJoseph Marshall (1773–1775) ofKingfisher hull model
History
Great Britain
Name	HMSKingfisher
Ordered	18 January 1766
Builder	Chatham Dockyard Master shipwright: Joseph Harris
Laid down	January 1769
Launched	13 July 1770 (1770-07-13)
Completed	21 November 1770
Commissioned	September 1770
Fate	Burnt to avoid capture atNewport, Rhode Island, 7 August 1778
General characteristics
Class & type	Swan-classship sloop
Tons burthen	3028⁄94bm
Length	96 ft8+1⁄2 in (29.5 m) (gundeck) 78 ft10+1⁄2 in (24.0 m) (keel)
Beam	26 ft 10 in (8.2 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft 10 in (3.91 m)
Complement	125
Armament	14 × 6-pounder guns

HMSKingfisher (also spelledKing's Fisher orKingsfisher) was the second ship in the 14-gunSwan class ofship sloops, to which design 25 vessels were built in the 1760s and 1770s. She was launched on 13 July 1770 atChatham Dockyard, and completed there on 21 November 1770. She took part in theAmerican Revolutionary War, enforcing theblockade of theDelaware Bay, and served in theBattle of Turtle Gut Inlet, nearCape May, New Jersey. While under the temporary command of LieutenantHugh Christian, she was burnt by her own crew to avoid capture on 7 August 1778 inNarragansett Bay during theBattle of Rhode Island.^[1]

Kingfisher was commissioned in September 1770 under CommanderThomas Jordan, and sailed for North America on 1 August 1771. In September 1772 command passed to Commander Jacob Lobb, then on 9 April 1773 CommanderGeorge Montagu, (Her Captain on 1 January 1775 is listed as Cpt. Jas Montagu.)^[2] and in November 1775 under CommanderAlexander Graeme.

Kingfisher under Commander Montagu arrived atNorfolk, Virginia, on 8 September 1775, along withMercury under Commander Graeme andOtter under CommanderMatthew Squire.^[3] On 30 September 1775, the mayor and council of Norfolk wrote toLord Dunmore about the "illegal and riotous" behaviour of the crews ofKingfisher andOtter.^[4]

On 1 January 1776, she began aheavy bombardment of Norfolk along withLiverpool andOtter, setting the town on fire.^[5]

In early June 1776, while enforcing the blockade of the Delaware Bay, CommanderHenry Bellew ofLiverpool and Commander Graeme reported to Vice AdmiralMolyneux Shuldham about their encounter with the American shipsReprisal,Lexington, andHornet.^[6]

Later in the month, on the afternoon of 28 June 1776,Kingfisher spotted the AmericanprivateerNancy sailing toward Cape May and began chase, followed byOrpheus with CommanderCharles Hudson.^[7]Early on the morning of 29 June 1776,Kingfisher andOrpheus resumed chase.^[8]Nancy, to evade capture of her supplies of gunpowder and arms, ran aground atTurtle Gut Inlet. She was assisted by the American shipsLexington,Reprisal, andWasp.^[9] In the ensuingbattle,Nancy was set on fire and exploded, killing themaster's mate and six men onlongboats fromKingfisher.^[8] Also during 1776,Orpheus andKingfisher captured theAdrian, which was sailing from Philadelphia to France with a cargo of tobacco, flour, bread and staves.^[10]

On 27 August 1777,Kingfisher under Commander Graeme engaged the newly built 14-gunOliver Cromwell under Captain Samuel Chace, Jr., ran her ashore, and burnt her. During the fight, thebrigantineHampden escaped.^[11]

On 7 February 1778,Kingfisher under Lieutenant Hugh Christian was stationed in theSakonnet Passage to Narragansett Bay.^[12] On 30 May, Christian led the boats of the squadron, which were carrying a detachment of troops, in an attack on the saw mills on a creek nearTaunton River. The attack was successful.^[13]

On 18 March, 1778 she captured a sloop that was aground in Seaconnett Passage, Rhode Island. Unable to refloat her she was burned.^[14]

Between 29 May and 18 July, the British captured a number of vessels: the sloopsSally andFancy,snowBaron D'Ozell,Olive Branch, sloopBetsey, and schoonerSally.Kingfisher shared the prize money withLark,Hope,Sphinx, and thegalleyPigot.^[15]

French Admirald'Estaing's squadron arrived in Narragansett Bay on 29 July 1778 to support the American army under General George Washington during thebattle of Rhode Island. AsKingfisher lay in Sakonnet Passage, Christian moved her into Foglands Bay. There she landed all her guns and stores.^[16] On 30 July he and her crew abandoned her and set her on fire to prevent the French from capturing her.^[17][18] The Royal Navy ended up having to destroy ten of their own vessels in all.^[16]

Lieutenant Christian went on to command the armed shipVigilant, of 20 guns and 150 men.^[19]

• Burning of Norfolk
• Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet
• Battle of Rhode Island

• Clark, William Bell, ed. (1966).Naval Documents of The American Revolution, American Theatre: Sept. 3, 1775 – Dec. 7, 1775(PDF). Vol. 2. Washington, D.C.:Naval History Division/Naval Historical Center,Department of the Navy.
• Clark, William Bell, ed. (1968).Naval Documents of The American Revolution, American Theatre: Dec. 8, 1775 – Feb. 18, 1776(PDF). Vol. 3. Washington, D.C.:Naval History Division/Naval Historical Center,Department of the Navy.
• Crawford, Michael J., ed. (2005).Naval Documents of The American Revolution, American Theatre: January 1, 1778 – March 31, 1778(PDF). Vol. 11. Washington, D.C.:Naval History Division/Naval Historical Center,Department of the Navy.
• Hale, Edward E. (1887)."The Naval History of the American Revolution". InWinsor, Justin (ed.).Narrative and critical history of America. Vol. VI. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Co.
• Hepper, David J. (1994).British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot.ISBN 0-948864-30-3.
• Morgan, William James, ed. (1970).Naval Documents of The American Revolution, American Theatre: May 9, 1776 – July 31, 1776(PDF). Vol. 5. Washington, D.C.:Naval History Division/Naval Historical Center,Department of the Navy.
• Morgan, William James, ed. (1986).Naval Documents of The American Revolution, American Theatre: June 1, 1777 – Sept. 30, 1777(PDF). Vol. 9. Washington, D.C.:Naval History Division/Naval Historical Center,Department of the Navy.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969].Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing.ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.OCLC 67375475.
• Winfield, Rif,British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing, 2007.ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.

• Media related toHMS Kingfisher (ship, 1770) at Wikimedia Commons

• Sloops of the Royal Navy
• 1770 ships
• Swan-class ship-sloops
• Ships built in Chatham, Kent

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