HMS Lark (1762)

HMS Lark was a 16-gun sixth-rate sloop-of-war in the Royal Navy, launched in 1762. She served during the American Revolutionary War and was captured by the French in 1778.

Lark was built by contract at Limehouse and commissioned in 1762 under Commander William Maltby. During her early service, she was deployed to the Mediterranean.

At the outbreak of the American Revolution, Lark was deployed to North American waters, actively participating in naval operations against the rebellious colonies. She served off the coasts of New England and further south, enforcing the blockade and engaging in skirmishes with colonial vessels.

In 1778, while patrolling off the coast of Rhode Island, Lark was captured by a French squadron under the command of the Comte d'Estaing. The French were providing crucial naval support to the American revolutionaries. Following her capture, Lark was taken into French service. Her subsequent fate under French ownership is less well documented.