Vanguard by Ivan Berryman

74-gun 3rd rate ship of the line

• Launched in March 1787.
• Broken up in September 1821.
• Nelson served in her as a Rear-Admiral from March 1798 - June 1799.  His Captains were Edward Berry, from December 1797 - August 1798; and Thomas Hardy, from August 1798 - June 1799.

Career:

• 1793: In the Channel Fleet.
• 1794: Went to the West Indies. 
• March 1798: Nelson hoisted his flag aboard her in England.  Having recovered from the loss of his arm, he had been promised the Foudroyant, but she was not ready when he was, so he took the Vanguard instead, with his friend Captain Edward Berry.
• 7th June 1798: Nelson began his chase of the French fleet through the Mediterranean.  During a heavy storm off Sardinia, the Vanguard was badly damaged and dismasted, and would have been wrecked.  Captain Alexander Ball in the Alexander took a big risk in towing her to safety, against Nelson's orders to abandon the attempt and not risk his own ship, but in doing so he likely saved Nelson's life as well as that of the Vanguard's entire crew.  (Capt. Edward Berry)
• 1st August 1798: Fought at the Battle of the Nile as Nelson's flagship, Captain Edward Berry.  She captured the French Spartiate, but was very badly damaged and Nelson received a terrible head injury that left him with horrendous headaches for months.
• 19th August 1798: Nelson left Aboukir Bay for Naples.
• October 1798: Joined the blockade of Malta. (Capt. Thomas Hardy)
• December 1798: Evacuated the royal family of Naples to Palermo to escape the French invasion.  (Capt. Thomas Hardy)
• 1803: Off San Domingo, in a squadron which took the French frigate La Creole and the 74-gun Le Duquesne, as well as 3 privateers.  (Capt. James Walker)
• 1807: Fought at the 2nd Battle of Copenhagen and capture of the Danish fleet.  (Capt. Alexander Fraser)
• 1812: Became a prison ship.
• 1814: Became a powder hulk.