HMS Friendship, purchased by the British Royal Navy in 1795, refers to two vessels with overlapping histories and similar names, both ultimately lost in November 1801. The first vessel, a gun-boat, was commissioned in September 1796 under Master A. Chapman and later commanded by W. Cartwright in 1800. This Friendship was a small, presumably flat-bottomed vessel designed for coastal operations, equipped with a few small guns. Its notable service record includes coming into Plymouth to be paid off when it ran ashore on Portland; the crew was rescued, but the vessel was lost. The second vessel, also commissioned in September 1796, was a Thames sailing barge repurposed by the Navy as a gun-vessel. This vessel was smaller, with a crew of about 19 men, typically under the command of a sailing master. She was armed with two or three guns, suitable for patrolling and escort duties. Under the command of Lieutenant Peter Rigby, this Friendship was wrecked near Saint-Malo on 9 November 1801 during a gale that drove her out to sea from Guernsey Roads. Initially presumed lost, the vessel's crew was later found to have survived and been taken inland by French authorities after walking ashore when the tide receded. The crew, including Lieutenant Ashley, was held for ten days in a barn before being conveyed to Jersey in an open boat under a flag of truce. They ultimately returned to Plymouth, marking a notable incident of maritime rescue and prisoner exchange during wartime. Both vessels' histories highlight the perilous nature of naval service during this period, with weather, navigation hazards, and wartime hostilities contributing to their fates. The confusion surrounding their identities underscores the complexities of naval records from the era.

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