HMS Starr (1805)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Starr and HMS Meteor.

HMS Starr was a 16-gun Revived Merlin-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was built by Tanner, of Dartmouth and launched on 26 July 1805. She actually carried 16 32-pounder carronades and eight 12-pounder guns.

Napoleonic Wars

She was commissioned in October 1805 under Commander John Simpson. She escorted a convoy to Newfoundland in August 1807 and another to the Leeward Islands in 1808. While briefly under Commander Francis Collier, she participated in the capture of Martinique in February 1809 where he landed in command of a detachment of seamen and marines.

She was rebuilt as a bomb vessel from November 1811 to May 1812 and renamed HMS Meteor. As a bomb vessel, Meteor carried eight 24-pounder carronades, two six-pounders, and a 10" and 13" mortar. She was recommissioned in February 1813 under Commander Peter Fisher and operated in the Baltic.

War of 1812

In 1814 command passed to Samuel Roberts. Under Roberts, Meteor was one of the bomb vessels involved in actions off the American coast in the War of 1812. She participated in the bombardment of Fort Washington, Maryland on the Potomac River in August 1814 and the bombardment of Fort McHenry in the Battle of Baltimore.

In January 1815 she also took part in the naval expedition that led to the Battle of New Orleans. Her captain commanded one of the three divisions of boats that participated in the Battle of Lake Borgne, which resulted in the British capturing five American gunboats and some other vessels. (Capt. Montresor of the gun-brig HMS Manley commanded another. Capt. Lockyer of HMS Sophie served as overall commander as well as serving as commander of a division.) On 13 June Roberts received a promotion to Post-captain.

Fate

In June 1815 command passed to Commander Daniel Roberts. On 16 October 1816 Meteor was sold at Deptford to Mr. Mellish for ₤1,450.

References

• Clowes, W Laird, Sir, Clements R Markham, Sir, et al. (1996-7) The Royal Navy : a history from the earliest times to the present. (London: Chatham).
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: the complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham. ISBN 9781861762818. OCLC 67375475. 
• Naval History of Great Britain
• Winfield, Rif (2008) British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1793-1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing, 2nd edition. ISBN 978-1-84415-717-4.