HMS Atropos

From Hornblower

HMS Atropos was a sloop-of-war named after a Greek mythological figure. Atropos was Horatio Hornblower’s first command as a Post-Captain.

The Atropos was a Sixth-rate built at Chatham in 1781, a ship just large enough to support the dignity of a Post-Captain.

Her commission under Hornblower began in November, 1805. She had already been fitted out at Deptford. Her previous captain, Caldecott, suffered a mental breakdown. To replace Caldecott, Hornblower was unexpectantly assigned to her. The Atropos had a varied career under Hornblower’s command, including retrieving sunken treasure off the coast of Turkey, rescuing kidnapped citizens of Malta from the Barbary Pirates of Tunis, and fighting a ship twice her size, the Spanish frigate Castilla.

The Atropos was armed with eighteen 12lb carronades and four 9lb guns and supported a crew of 155 men.

[edit] Known Crewmembers

• Carslake, Purser
• Clout, Gunner
• "Fatty", Cook's Mate
• Horrocks, Midshipman
• Horatio Hornblower, Captain
• Hunt, Midshipman
• John Jones, First Lieutenant
• Leadbitter, Coxswain
• Nash, Master's Mate
• Owens, Gunner
• Smiley, Midshipman
• Still, Second Lieutenant
• George Turner, Master

[edit] Appearances

• Hornblower and the Atropos (First appearance)