HMS Renegade was a schooner with a notable history rooted in piracy and maritime enforcement. Built in the United States around 1820, she initially operated as the pirate ship Zaragozana, possibly as a slaver or privateer. She was captured by the British Royal Navy on 31 March 1823 and subsequently commissioned into Royal Navy service as HMS Renegade. The vessel’s specifications are not explicitly detailed, but Lloyd’s List describes Zaragozana as a schooner of approximately 130–140 tons (bm), armed with one 18-pounder gun, three 9-pounder guns, and six swivel guns, with a crew of 80–90 men. She was involved in active piracy along the Cuban coast, capturing vessels such as the American schooners Lady’s Delight and Lively in February 1823. She engaged in violent encounters, including a notable battle with the USS Alligator, which resulted in the death of Lieutenant William H. Allen and the capture of Zaragozana, along with other pirate vessels. The British Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Renegade, a four-gun schooner. Her first commanding officer was Lieutenant John Harvey Boteler, who supervised her arming and crew before returning to England in September 1823 due to illness. Subsequent commanders included Lieutenant William Edward Fiott, who experienced a lightning strike damaging her mainmast and was involved in minor conflicts such as firing on vessels in March 1824. Other officers, including Lieutenant Joseph O'Brien and Lieutenant Henry Ommaney Love, commanded her during the remainder of her service, which largely involved convoy escort duties and anti-piracy operations. Renegade’s service was marked by her participation in the suppression of piracy and the slave trade around Cuba, sharing in the capture of other pirate ships like Lion and Assiduous. She was sold by the Navy in January 1826, ending her brief but active career as a vessel integral to early 19th-century maritime security efforts.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.