HMS Ranger was a 14-gun revenue cutter originally launched in 1776 under the name Rose. The Royal Navy purchased her in 1787 and commissioned her as HMS Ranger in April of that year. As a revenue cutter, she was a relatively small and agile vessel, equipped with 14 guns, designed primarily for coastal and support duties. She was initially commanded by Lieutenant Samuel Featherstone and served in the waters around Portland and the Start. Throughout her service, Ranger underwent several refits and reassignments. In 1788, she was fitted at Portsmouth for foreign service but was paid off the following year. She was later fitted again in 1790 for Channel service. Under Lieutenant Isaac Cotgrave, she participated in the broader naval operations of the period, including the Battle of the Glorious First of June in 1794, where she served as a support vessel within Admiral Lord Howe’s fleet. Though she did not take part in the battle itself, her involvement connects her to a significant engagement of the era. In June 1794, Ranger encountered the French frigate Railleuse off Brest. After some resistance, she was captured by the French, who treated her crew harshly—stripping them naked and confining them in poor conditions. The French took her into service, re-rigging her as a brig at Lorient between June and July 1795, and she retained her name under French control. During her time as a French vessel, Ranger was active in patrols and captures, including capturing vessels such as Providence, Somme, Supply, Betsy, Brother, and Britannia, some of which she burned or returned. In October 1797, while cruising near the Canary Islands, Ranger was captured by HMS Indefatigable, which destroyed her dispatches. She was then recaptured by the French privateer Vengeance and subsequently re-recaptured by the Royal Navy off the Gironde by HMS Galatea in November 1797. The Royal Navy renamed her HMS Venturer following her final recapture and returned her to service. HMS Venturer arrived in Plymouth in August 1798 and underwent fitting before being recommissioned. She served until she was paid off in Gibraltar in January 1803 and was sold in February of that year. Her career reflects the tumult of the late 18th-century naval conflicts, serving both British and French interests in a small but active vessel.

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