HMS Diana (1775)

HMS Diana (1775) was a 20-gun Post ship of the Royal Navy built during the early years of the American Revolutionary War. Launched at Rotherhithe on the River Thames, she served primarily in North American waters, participating in several notable engagements against Continental Navy and privateer forces. Her career was cut short when she was deliberately set ablaze to prevent capture following the Treaty of Paris (1783). The vessel is remembered as a typical example of a sixth-rate frigate from this period of naval warfare.

Construction and commissioning

HMS *Diana* was ordered by the Admiralty in 1774 as part of a broader naval expansion in response to rising tensions in the Thirteen Colonies. She was built under contract by the shipwright John Randall at his yard in Rotherhithe, a major center for naval construction. Her design followed the established lines of the 20-gun Sphinx-class post ship, a class known for its balance of speed and firepower. Fitted out at Deptford Dockyard, she was commissioned in the autumn of 1775 under the command of Captain Alexander Schomberg, a seasoned officer from a prominent naval family, and prepared for service on the North America and West Indies Station.

Service history

Upon arrival in North American waters in early 1776, *Diana* was immediately deployed on patrol and convoy escort duties along the Atlantic Seaboard. She saw action during the New York and New Jersey campaign, supporting British Army operations and skirmishing with American gunboats. In 1777, she was part of the squadron under Vice-Admiral Lord Howe that operated in the Delaware River, engaging fortifications and providing crucial naval support during the Philadelphia campaign. The following year, under a new captain, she was active off New England, capturing several American privateers and merchant vessels. Her service continued through the later years of the war, including patrols in the West Indies following the entry of France and the Spanish Empire into the conflict, where she protected British trade routes.

Fate

The fate of HMS *Diana* was directly tied to the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War. Following the signing of the preliminary Treaty of Paris (1783), British forces began withdrawing from their former colonies. *Diana*, then stationed at the last British-held port of New York City, was among the final vessels to evacuate. In August 1783, as part of the withdrawal from Long Island, she was deliberately run aground and set on fire in the East River near Hell Gate to prevent her from falling into American hands. This act of destruction was a common practice to deny valuable naval assets to a former enemy, and her burning was recorded by observers from the Continental Army.

Legacy

Though her active career was relatively short, HMS *Diana* represents a standard British post ship of the era, illustrating the Royal Navy's reliance on such vessels for patrol, commerce protection, and inshore support roles. Her service history is documented in the admiralty records held at The National Archives and is occasionally cited in histories of the naval aspects of the American Revolutionary War, such as those by historian William Laird Clowes. No physical remains of the ship have been identified, but her name was subsequently reused for several other vessels in the Royal Navy, continuing a long-standing naval tradition.

Category:Royal Navy ships Category:American Revolutionary War ships of the United Kingdom Category:Sphinx-class post ships Category:Maritime incidents in 1783 Category:Ships built on the River Thames