HMS Racehorse (1806)

HMS Racehorse was an 18-gun Racehorse-class brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, launched in 1806. She served during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, primarily engaged in convoy escort and anti-privateering duties.

Racehorse was built at Bridport, and commissioned in 1806 under Commander James Crawford. Details regarding her operational history vary, but she is known to have operated in the English Channel, the North Sea, and later, off the coast of North America during the War of 1812. She was involved in the capture and destruction of several French and American privateers and merchant vessels.

Specific details regarding her crew complement, armament, and specific actions are limited in currently accessible historical records. The Racehorse class was a relatively common design for its time, intended for patrol and escort work.

The fate of HMS Racehorse is not definitively known. Naval records suggest she may have been paid off and broken up or sold after the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, but conclusive evidence is lacking. Further research into contemporary Admiralty records and naval databases would be required to establish her ultimate disposition with certainty.