HMS Tartarus was originally a mercantile vessel named Charles Jackson, launched in 1792 at Newcastle. She first appeared in Lloyd’s Register in 1793 and was primarily engaged in trade with Saint Petersburg. In April 1797, the British Royal Navy purchased her and she was converted at Chatham into a bomb vessel, a type specialized for bombarding shore targets with mortars. The fitting process took place between 28 April and 9 September 1797, after which she was commissioned in July by Commander Samuel Kempthorne. Commander Thomas Hand took over command in October of that year. During her service, HMS Tartarus participated in notable military campaigns. In May 1798, she was part of Sir Home Riggs Popham’s expedition to Ostend, aimed at destroying the sluice gates of the Ostend-Bruge Canal. The operation involved landing 1,300 troops, who succeeded in blowing up the locks and gates, though adverse winds prevented re-embarkation, leading to the surrender of the forces. Tartarus also played a role in the Egyptian campaign from 8 March to 2 September 1801, supporting the landing at Aboukir Bay. Positioned to utilize her mortars, Tartarus contributed to the bombardment during the Battle of Abukir, supporting the Allied forces alongside other vessels and supporting craft. Fitted again at Woolwich between June and August 1803, she was commissioned in July by Commander Francis Temple and later commanded by Commander Mauritius de Stark and subsequently Commander Thomas Withers. Her maritime service ended in tragedy when she was lost during a gale on 20 December 1804 at Margate Sands. Despite being anchored to weather the storm, her cables parted, and she drifted onto the sands, ultimately capsizing as the sea entered her hull. Some crew were rescued, but the incident resulted in the loss of life and led to a court martial that reprimanded the officers for neglect and improper watchkeeping. HMS Tartarus’s service exemplifies the versatility and risks faced by naval bomb vessels during the Napoleonic Wars.

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