Boreas by Geoff Hunt 

28-gun 6th rate frigate

• Launched in 1774.
• Sold in 1802.
• Nelson was her captain from March 1784 to December 1787.

Career:

• 18th Dec 1778: In the Leeward Islands, Captain Charles Thompson.  Attacked a French convoy off Martinique, capturing two ships and driving others ashore, even though she was being shot at by two 74s, two frigates, and shore batteries. 
• 6th July 1779: Fought at the Battle of Grenada, commanded by Capt. Charles Thompson.  See the Lion for more details of the battle.
• March 1784 - Dec 1787: As her Captain, Nelson had command of her in the Leeward Islands.  He sailed there with the wife and family of Rear-Admiral Richard Hughes, who was Commander-in-Chief.  During this time, his main role was to suppress illegal trade with America, a duty which he took very seriously, to the point that his superiors disapproved of some of his actions.  During this time, he met Frances Nisbet at Nevis, and after a two-year courtship, married her on the 11th March 1787 - although, before her, he was besotted with Mrs Moutray, wife of the Commissioner of the Navy at Antigua, until she left in February 1785.  He was also aide-de-camp to Prince William Henry, who was Captain of the Pegasus.  Nelson became involved in a dispute between the Prince and the first Lieutenant of the Pegasus, Isaac Schomberg, which proved to be controversial.  The Boreas was an unhappy ship during this time, and almost half the men on the ship were flogged for mutinous behaviour and attempts to desert - it was very unusual for Nelson to exact such a high number of punishments.
• March 1797: Became a slop ship, selling stocks of supplies such as clothing, bedding and tobacco to ships' crews, at the Nore.