The Seahorse Research Paper

The Voyage

The Seahorse, Lord Melville and Boadicea transports were shipwrecked on the south coast of Ireland; almost two hundred years ago, on January 30th 1816.There were probably at least 28 transports of troops on the seas, bound for Cork on that fateful night. The Lord Melville and the Seahorse sailed from Ramsgate together with the William Pitt while the transports Boadicea and Fox sailed from Dover. The Lord Melville was wrecked near the Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork, together with the Boadicea, while the Seahorse was wrecked about 80 miles up the coast in Tramore Bay, County Waterford. The Fox limped into Waterford Harbour on the following day. Ramsgate would have made a bustling scene as the troops

As there was little wind in the evening, they came to anchor in the Downs, an area of sea, near the English Channel off the East Kent coast. Here they were joined by the Boadicea, Fox, Promise and Fancy, Martin, Mariner 2nd, Promise, Betsy, Lord Cawdor, Patriot, Elizabeth, Mariner 3rd, Triton and William troop transports that sailed from Dover on the 26th bound for Ireland,, according to Naval Intelligence. The Boadicea and Fox were transporting the 82nd regiment to Cork, while the other ships were transporting the 16th and 35th regiments and the 2nd Garrison Battalion. The Harmony, John and Eleanor transports also sailed to Plymouth: the Britannia for Ostend and the Ulysses and Britannia transports with troops to Calais. The Brig Boadicea, No 561, J. Gibson, Master; had on board the following of the 82nd Regiment, Six officers One Surgeon and his wife, two hundred and five non-commissioned officers and privates, fifteen women and eighteen children. The master of the Fox was Captain Denis. On board were Lieutenants Hewetson and Goulden, 5 Serjeants and 114 rank and file also of the 82nd. An estimate of 9000 troops under sail would be on the conservative side. The ships parted company as they made their way through the

However not seeing the light after running for two hours, doubt set in and the Captain was unwilling to proceed any further, the weather being so thick and hazy, and the most tremendous sea running. He therefore, decided to take in the top sails and hauled close to the wind, heading on a WSW direction.
As it now blew a strong gale, and was becoming very hazy and dark, Captain Gibbs hauled his wind for Kinsale light, intending when he saw it to run down along the land for the entrance of Cork Harbour, but not seeing the light, after a run of two hours, while the weather was becoming thick and hazy, and the most tremendous sea running, the Captain was unwilling to proceed any further, he therefore close-reefed his top-sails and hauled close to the wind, lying