View source for HMS Levant (1813)

{{other ships|HMS Levant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Levant (1813); Cyrus (1813); Medina (1813); Carron (1813); Cyrene (1814); Falmouth (1814); Hind (1814); Slaney (1813); Lee (1814); Spey (1814); Esk (1813); Leven (1813); Erne (1813); Larne (1814); Tay (1813); Bann (1814) J4372.jpg
|Ship caption=''Levant''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Levant''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered= 18 November 1812
|Ship builder=William Courtney, [[Chester]]
|Ship laid down=January 1813
|Ship launched= 8 December 1813
|Ship acquired=
|Ship completed=By 22 April 1814
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=Broken up by 9 October 1820
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=Rated 20-gun [[Cyrus class post ship|''Cyrus''-class]] [[sixth rate]]
|Ship tons burthen=464 <small>{{frac|42|94}}</small> [[Builder's Old Measurement|bm]]
|Ship length=*{{convert|116|ft|m|abbr=on}} (overall)
*{{convert|98|ft|1+1/4|in|m|1|abbr=on}} (keel)
|Ship beam={{convert|29|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|9|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship hold depth={{convert|8|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed=
|Sail plan=[[Full-rigged ship]]
|Ship complement=135
|Ship armament= 2 × 6-pounders [[chase gun|bow chasers]] + 20 × 32-pounder [[carronade]]s
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Levant''''' was a 20-gun [[Cyrus class post ship|''Cyrus''-class]] [[sixth rate]] of the [[Royal Navy]] built by William Courtney, of [[Chester]]. She was one of five British warships that  {{USS|Constitution}} captured or destroyed during the [[War of 1812]]. She was soon recaptured, and after 1817 was reclassified as a [[sloop of war]]. She was broken up in 1820.

==Career==
[[File:Capture of H.M. Ships Cyane &amp; Levant, by the U.S. Frigate Constitution.jpg|thumb|A lithograph showing the capture of ''Cyane'' and ''Levant'' by ''Constitution'']]
''Levant'' was one of 16 ships of the ''Cyrus'' class that had the underwater lines of the French [[prize rules|prize]] [[HMS Bonne Citoyenne (1796)|''Bonne Citoyenne'']] (though slightly reduced). ''Levant'' was launched in December 1813. Her first commander was Captain Alexander Jones (younger brother of [[Charles Jones, 5th Viscount Ranelagh|Captain Charles Jones]])<ref>{{Cite NBD1849 |wstitle= Jones, Alexander |volume= 11.3 | pages= 589-590 |short=}}</ref> who was replaced by George Douglas on 28 April 1814. Under Douglas, ''Levant'' travelled from England to [[Quebec]] and then to [[Gibraltar]].

While escorting two British convoys together with {{HMS|Cyane|1806|6}}, a {{sclass|Banterer|post ship|0}} sixth-rate vessel, the two warships were attacked by USS ''Constitution'' under Captain [[Charles Stewart (1778–1869)|Charles Stewart]] on 20 February 1815. Although peace had already been declared ''Constitution'' had not received official information about the [[Treaty of Ghent]]. ''Cyane'' and ''Levant'' were able to fire heavier broadsides than ''Constitution'' but were still outgunned by range and gun power by the American vessel. With excellent seamanship ''Constitution'' outmanoeuvred both ships and forced ''Cyane'' to surrender first. After placing a prize crew on board ''Cyane'', Stewart chased ''Levant'' down. The sloop surrendered after two broadsides fired by the American vessel and was also taken a prize. With the help of the British prisoners all three ships set course for the [[Cape Verde Islands]].

A British squadron under [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore]] [[Sir George Collier, 1st Baronet|George Collier]] eventually sighted ''Constitution'' in heavy weather off [[Porto Praya]] on 11 March 1815.  She was proceeding with her two prizes. Due to the weather and some confusion, ''Constitution'' eluded the British.

Fire from {{HMS|Leander|1813|6}} led ''Levant''{{'}}s crew to run her ashore, where {{HMS|Acasta|1797|6}} then captured her.<ref name=Gossett>Gossett (1986), p.95.</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17010|page=871|date=9 May 1815}}</ref> Collier eventually left ''Acasta'' and {{HMS|Newcastle|1813|6}} windward of [[Barbados]] while he searched for ''Constitution''. However, she had returned to port, thus avoiding an engagement.{{#tag:ref|A first-class share of the prize money for ''Levant'' was worth [[£sd|£]]496 15[[shilling|s]]s 4[[pennce|d]]; a sixth-class share, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth £3 5s 4¼d, or about two months' pay.<ref>{{London Gazette|page=2366|issue=17200|date=14 December 1816}}</ref>|group=Note}}

Because [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portugal]] was unable to maintain its neutrality on its (former) soil the Portuguese government compensated the United States for the loss of ''Levant''.

Captain [[John Sheridan (Royal Navy officer)|John Sheridan]] commanded ''Levant'' from June 1815 until she was laid up in [[Chatham Dockyard|Chatham]] in November that year.

==Fate==
''Levant'' was intended to be repaired and returned to service in August 1820, but this was not carried out and she was broken up by 9 October 1820. Her captured ensign was on display at Mahan Hall at the [[United States Naval Academy|U.S. Naval Academy]], but was removed on 27 February 2018 for preservation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/usnamuseum/photos/a.766528580031105.1073741847.137100856307217/2004259799591304/?type=3&theater|title=U.S. Naval Academy Museum|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2018-02-28}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==Citations==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==References==
*Gossett, William Patrick (1986) ''The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793-1900''. (London: Mansell). {{ISBN|0-7201-1816-6}}
*{{cite book| last = James| first = William| authorlink = William James (naval historian)| year = 1837| title = The Naval History of Great Britain, from the Declaration of War by France in 1793, to the Accession of George IV.| publisher = R. Bentley|volume=6}}
* Martin, Tyrone G. (2003) ''A Most Fortunate Ship. A Narrative History Of Old Ironsides''. Revised Edition.
*{{cite book |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793&ndash;1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates|publisher=Seaforth|year=2008|isbn=978-1861762467}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|HMS Levant (ship, 1813)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090705163649/http://www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org/collections/FAQ_engagements.htm USS Constitution Museum]
* [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=1322#top Age of Nelson]

{{Cyrus class post ship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Levant (1813)}}
[[Category:1813 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in England]]
[[Category:Cyrus-class post ships]]
[[Category:Captured ships]]
[[Category:War of 1812 ships of the United Kingdom]]