Composition of Royal Navy Boarding Parties

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Grammont
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Composition of Royal Navy Boarding Parties

Post by Grammont »

Royal Navy boarding parties consisted of three elements, boarders (B), sail-trimmers (S) and fire-men (F), the numbers of each primarily being determined by the number of guns the vessel carried.

1st (100 guns)

(B) Four men from each gun the lower deck, three from each gun on the middle deck, and two from each upper deck gun; in all, 145. To be commanded by the first and seventh lieutenants, with two mates and four midshipmen.
(S) Two men from each gun on the middle deck, and two from each gun on the upper deck ; in all, 70 men, under the direction of the second lieutenant, one mate, and three midshipmen.
(F) One man from every gun; in all, 50 men, under the direction of the third lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.

2nd (90 guns)

Same as a 1st Rate

3rd (80 guns)

(B) 125, under the direction of the first and fifth lieutenants, one mate, and four midshipmen.
(S) 65, under the direction of the second lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.
(F) 40, under the direction of the third lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.

3rd (74 guns)

(B) 116, under the direction of the first and fifth lieutenants, one mate, and three midshipmen.
(S) 63, under the direction of the second lieutenant, one mate, and three midshipmen.
(F) 40, under the direction of the third lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.

3rd (64 guns)

(B) 105, under the first lieutenant, one mate, and three midshipmen.
(S) 64, under the second lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.
(F) 40, under the third lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.

4th (50 guns)

(B) 74, under the first lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.
(S) 50, under the second lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.
(F) 30, under the third lieutenant and two midshipmen.

5th (44, 38 and 36 guns)

(B) 65, under the first lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.
(S) 40, under the second lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.
(F) 30, under the third lieutenant and two midshipmen.

6th (32 and 28 guns)

(B) 50, under the first lieutenant, one mate, and two midshipmen.
(S) 30, under one mate and one midshipman.
(F) 23, under the second lieutenant and two midshipmen.

6th (24 guns)

(B) 35, under the first lieutenant, one mate, and one midshipmen.
(S) 25, under one mate and one midshipman.
(F) 20, under two midshipman.

Source: The Sea-gunner's Vade-mecum: Being a New Introduction to Practical Gunnery [1812] https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=azt ... &q&f=false
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