HMS Cherokee was the lead vessel of her class of 10-gun brig-sloops in the British Royal Navy, constructed based on a design by Henry Peake. Laid down at Blackwall Yard in London by John Perry in December 1807, she was launched on 24 February 1808. As built, Cherokee displaced approximately 237 tons (burthen) and measured 90 feet 1 5/8 inches (27.47 meters) in length on the gun deck, with a keel length of 73 feet 8 5/8 inches (22.47 meters). Her beam was 24 feet 7 inches (7.49 meters), and her draft ranged from 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters) at the bow to 9 feet 2 inches (2.79 meters) aft. Armed with eight 18-pounder carronades and two 6-pounder guns serving as bow chasers, Cherokee had a crew complement of 75 men. Her initial operational deployment was in the English Channel under Commander Richard Arthur, who commissioned her in April 1808. During her service, she captured French vessels Union and Juene Emma in 1809 and participated in the Walcheren Campaign, earning prize money for property captured in the Scheldt area. Notably, on 10 January 1810, Cherokee undertook a daring reconnaissance of the port of Dieppe, successfully fighting off privateers and shore batteries to bring out the French vessel Amiable Nelly, an action for which Commander Arthur was promoted to post-captain. Subsequently, command passed to William Ramage, and Cherokee operated from Leith in the North Sea and Norway. Later, Commander Thomas Smith assumed command in 1817, and in 1818, she conveyed Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este to Ireland, earning him a gold snuff box as gratitude. Command later transferred to Commander Theobald Jones in 1819 and then William Keats in 1822, with her base remaining at Leith and Cork. The Navy sold Cherokee in 1828 for £610, after which she became a merchant vessel trading between Liverpool and Africa. Her maritime career ended when she was wrecked in August 1831 near Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, while returning from a voyage from New Calabar. Her crew were saved, but the vessel was lost in a fog, marking the end of her service.

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