HMS Camilla was a Royal Navy 20-gun Sphinx-class post ship. Camilla was built in Chatham Dockyard to a design by John Williams and was launched in 1776. She served in the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars, before being sold in 1831.
American Revolution
Camilla was commissioned in May 1776 and sailed for North America in August. There she captured the privateer schooner Independence, John Gill, Master, of six carriage guns, eight swivels, and 50 men. She was on a cruise from Boston. Camilla also captured Admiral Montague, sailing from Hispaniola to Rhode Island with a cargo of molasses and coffee, Chance sailing to Georgia with coffee, and Polly, sailing to Surinam in ballast.
On 23 January 1777, north of Charlestown, South Carolina, Camilla, under Captain Charles Phipps, captured the American sloop Fanny, which was heading to that port from Cap-Français, Hispaniola, with a cargo of molasses. Then in February Captain John Linzee took command of Camilla.
On 20 February 1777, Camilla and , Captain George Keith Elphinstone, captured the 170-ton snow, Adventure. They captured her northeast of Antigua, British West Indies, as she was going from Newburyport, Massachusetts to St. Eustatius, Netherlands West Indies, with a cargo of fish, staves, spermacaeti candles and pine planks. Camilla fired eleven shots before Adventure would stop. Perseus and Camilla shared the prize money. Eight days latter, Camilla captured Ranger, William Davies, Master, which was sailing in ballast from St. Lucia. Fanny, Adventure, and Ranger were all condemned and sold at Antigua.
April 1777 was a busy month for Camilla. On 6 April she captured the brig Willing Maid, bound from St. Thomas, Danish West Indies, to Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina, with a cargo of sugar, rum, and salt. However, the brig sprang a leak and sank. On 11 April 1777, Camilla was patrolling with 44-gun frigate near the mouth of the Delaware River, just north of the Cape Henlopen lighthouse, when they came upon the American merchantman Morris. Gunfire from the two British vessels drove Morris ashore, where she suddenly blew up with such force that it shattered the windows on the British vessels. Reports indicate that Morris was carrying 35 tons of gunpowder and that the captain and six crewmen still on the vessel were laying a train of gunpowder to blow her up, when things went wrong. It is not clear whether the powder train burnt too quickly or a shot from Camilla or Roebuck set it off. What is clear is that the vessel disintegrated and all aboard her died in the explosion. Much of her cargo of arms was, however, salvageable, and Americans onshore were able to get it.
On 15 and 20 April Camilla took two more prizes that were carrying rum, molasses and sugar, and molasses, respectively, but there are no details available. On 21 April, she captured Perfect, Etienne Codnet, Master, bound from Cape Nichola, Hispaniola, with a cargo of molasses. Then on 25 and 26 April she took two more unknown vessels, both carrying rum and rice. She also captured Fonbonne, W. De Gallet, master, and W. Galley, owner, which was sailing from Cap-Français to Miquelon with a cargo of wine and molasses.
In July 1777, boats from Camilla and captured and burnt the Continental schooner Mosquito.
Camilla captured several merchantmen in late 1777 or early 1778. On 15 November she captured the sloop Admiral Montague, sailing from Hispaniola to Rhode Island with a cargo of molasses and coffee. That same day, she captured Chance, Thomas Bell, master, which was sailing to Georgia with a cargo of flour and rum. Lastly, on 14 March 1778, Camilla captured Polly, William Thompson, master, which was sailing to Surinam in ballast.
When Philadelphia fell to the British in 1777, several American vessels found themselves trapped between the city and the British fleet further down the Delaware River. The Americans launched some three fire ships towards the British, but gunfire from Roebuck, Camilla, and other British vessels caused the Americans to set their ships on fire too soon, and to abandon them. British boats were able to pull the fire ships on shore where they could do no harm.
In February 1778 Captain John Collins took command of Camilla. She then participated in two operations, one at Newhaven on 5 July and another at Penobscot from 21 July to 14 August.
On 29 May 1779, Camilla was part of Admiral George Collier's small flotilla that sailed up the Hudson River and captured Stony Point, two months later the site of the American victory in the Battle of Stony Point. Amongst other services, she exchanged fire with Fort Lafayette.