HMS Levant was a 28-gun sixth-rate frigate of the , which saw Royal Navy service against France in the Seven Years' War, and against France, Spain and the American colonies during the American Revolutionary War. Principally a hunter of privateers, she was also designed to be a match for small French frigates, but with a broader hull and sturdier build at the expense of some speed and manoeuvrability. Launched in 1758, Levant was assigned to the Royal Navy's Jamaica station from 1759 and proved her worth by defeating nine French vessels during her first three years at sea. She was also part of the British expedition against Martinique in 1762 but played no role in the landings or subsequent defeat of French forces at Fort Royal.

The frigate was decommissioned following Britain's declaration of peace with France in 1763, but returned to service in 1766 for patrol duties in the Caribbean. Decommissioned for a second time in 1770, she was reinstated at the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War and sent to the Mediterranean as part of a small British squadron based at Gibraltar. Over the next three years she captured or sank a total of fourteen enemy craft including an 18-gun American privateer. In 1779 she brought home news of an impending Spanish assault on Gibraltar, ahead of Spain's declaration of war on Great Britain.

The ageing frigate was finally removed from Navy service later that year, and her crew discharged to other vessels. She was broken up at Deptford Dockyard in 1780, having secured a total of 31 victories over 21 years at sea.

Construction

Levant was an oak-built 28-gun sixth rate, one of 19 vessels forming part of the of frigates.Winfield 2007, pp. 227–231Gardiner 1992, p. 17 As with others in her class she was loosely modelled on the design and dimensions of , launched in 1756 and responsible for capturing five French privateers in her first twelve months at sea.Winfield 2007, p. 227 Orders from Admiralty to build the Coventry-class vessels were made after the outbreak of what was later called the Seven Years' War, at a time when the Royal Dockyards were fully engaged in constructing or fitting-out the Navy's ships of the line. Consequently, and despite some Navy Board misgivings, contracts for most Coventry-class vessels were issued to private shipyards, with an emphasis on rapid completion.

The contract for Levants construction were issued on 20 May 1757 to shipwright Henry Adams of Buckler's Hard in Hampshire. It was stipulated that work should be completed within ten months for the 28-gun vessel measuring approximately 586tons burthen. Subject to satisfactory completion, Adams would receive a comparatively modest fee of £9.5s per ton to be paid through periodic imprests drawn against the Navy Board.Winfield 2007, pp. 229230Baugh 1965, pp. 255256 As private shipyards were not subject to rigorous naval oversight, the Admiralty also granted authority for "such alterations withinboard as shall be judged necessary" in order to cater to the preferences or ability of individual shipwrights.

After consultation with Admiralty, Adams took advantage of this freedom to make four substantive changes to the Tartar design. The ship's wheel was moved from behind the mizzen mast to before it to improve the helmsman's line of sight.Gardiner 1992, p. 76 The tiller was relocated, from an exposed position on the quarterdeck to a safer location belowdecks and near the stern. The vessel's hawseholes were relocated from the lower to the upper deck to allow additional storage space inside the hull.Gardiner 1992, p. 18 Finally, in recognition of the vessel's likely role in chasing small enemy craft, the leading pair of gunports were moved from the sides of the vessel to the bow in order to form a battery of chase guns.

Levants keel was laid down in June 1757 but work proceeded slowly and the vessel was not ready for launch until July 1758. As built, Levant was long with a keel, a beam of , and a hold depth of . After Adams' modifications, she was of 595 tons burthen, nearly ten tons more than the figure specified in the contract. Her armament comprised 24 nine-pounder cannon located along her gun deck, supported by four three-pounder cannon on the quarterdeck and twelve -pounder swivel guns ranged along her sides. The Admiralty-designated complement was 200, comprising two commissioned officers a captain and a lieutenant overseeing 40 warrant and petty officers, 91 naval ratings, 38 Marines and 29 servants and other ranks.Rodger 1986, pp. 348351 Among these other ranks were four positions reserved for widow's men fictitious crew members whose pay was intended to be reallocated to the families of sailors who died at sea.

The vessel was named after the Levant, an area of the eastern Mediterranean. This continued a Board of Admiralty tradition, dating to 1644, of naming ships for geographic features. Overall, ten of the nineteen Coventry-class vessels, including Levant, were named after well-known regions, rivers or towns. With few exceptions the remainder of the class were named after figures from classical antiquity, following a more modern trend initiated in 1748 by John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, in his capacity as First Lord of the Admiralty. In sailing qualities Levant was comparable with French frigates of equivalent size, but with a shorter and sturdier hull and greater weight in her broadside guns. She was also comparatively broad-beamed which, when coupled with Adams' modifications, provided ample space for provisions, the ship's mess and a large magazine for powder and round shot. Taken together these characteristics enabled Levant to remain at sea for long periods without resupply.Gardiner 1992, pp. 107108 She was built with broad and heavy masts which balanced the weight of her hull, improved stability in rough weather and made her capable of carrying more sail. The disadvantages of this heavy design were seen in reduced manoeuvrability and slower speed in light winds.Gardiner 1992, pp. 111112

Seven Years' War

17581760 Levant was launched on 6 July 1758 and sailed to Portsmouth Dockyard for fitting-out and to take on armament and crew. She was formally commissioned in October, entering Royal Navy service during the early stages of the Seven Years' War against France. Command was assigned to Captain William Tucker, a nephew of London philanthropist Ralph Allen, and previously the commander of the sixth-rate .Winfield 2007, pp. 257258 There were delays in mustering sufficient crew, and the frigate was not finally ready to put to sea until June 1759. On 14 June Captain Tucker received orders to take position off Guadeloupe and the Leeward Islands, there to join a squadron commanded by Commodore John Moore. Levant set sail for this assignment on 23 July.

The British squadron, of which Levant was part, was tasked with disrupting French trade through the Caribbean and hunting privateers. However the frigate saw little action in her first six months in the region; French trade had virtually ceased since the outbreak of war with Britain, while a smallpox outbreak killed some among Levants crew. In November 1759, Levant and the Antigua-based privateer Bristol captured two French vessels loaded with coffee and sugar heading to trade at the neutral Dutch island of Sint Eustatius. It was not until early 1760 that Levant defeated her first armed opponent, a 14-gun French privateer which was sunk with the loss of 120 of her crew. Thereafter combat was more frequent. Two small privateers were captured in early 1760 – the 8-gun Poissan Volante and the 12-gun St Pierre – and these vessels and their crews were delivered into British custody on the Leeward Islands. In June Pickering, a British merchantman previously captured by the French, was retaken and sailed to Antigua as Levants prize. A further victory followed on 29 June with the capture of French privateer Le Scipio, after which Levant was put into harbour in Antigua for resupply. One contemporary source at this time records her as carrying only 20 of her 28 guns. She returned to sea before the end of the year, capturing the privateer L'Union on 18 December.

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British military successes in European waters in 1760 offered freedom for the Navy to support offensive operations in the Caribbean in the following year. In January Major General Robert Monckton set sail from North America to the Caribbean with 2,000 men and four ships of the line, for a planned invasion of French Dominica.Robson 2016, p. 173 Levant saw little action in advance of Monckton's arrival and captured only one vessel, the privateer La Catherine, on 15 February. Monckton arrived in Antigua shortly after this capture; Captain Tucker was then deputised to carry the general aboard Levant for a visit to the various Leeward Island settlements while the invasion force assembled at Guadeloupe. Monckton departed the Leeward Islands in April and Levant resumed her hunt for privateers, capturing La Dulcinée on 13 July and L'Aventurier six days later. Another French privateer, Conquerant, was captured on 19 November while Levant was in company with her fellow Royal Navy frigate, the 26-gun . At least four other vessels were also taken in this period; Superbe, Polly, Petit-Creolle and Elizabeth.

Dominica having fallen to Monckton's forces in June, the British then set their sights on the French stronghold of Martinique. Britain's Secretary of State for the Southern Department, Sir William Pitt, concluded that Martinique's capture would be the decisive battle for control of the Caribbean, and instructed that all available resources be committed to its invasion. An army of 13,000 troops was assembled, supported by a fleet under Admiral George Rodney.Robson 2016, pp. 174175 Levant was added to Rodney's sizeable command in late 1761 and sailed as part of the expedition in January 1762. She was present when the British landings commenced but is not recorded as having engaged with enemy forces either there or in the subsequent French defeat at Fort Royal between 25 January and 3 February.

Levant then returned to her station off the Leeward Islands, arriving there on 10 February. Captain Tucker had fallen ill with gout, and on 20 February he was replaced by Captain John Laforey, previously of the sixth-rate .Winfield 2007, p. 276 Levant made one capture under Laforey's command, and her last victory in that war, when she defeated French privateer La Fier on 13 May 1762.

+Vessels captured or sunk by Levant during the Seven Years' War Date Ship Nationality Type Fate Ref. March 1760 Not recorded French Privateer, 14 guns Sunk By April 1760 Poissan Volante French Privateer, 8 guns Captured 29 April 1760 Le Saint Pierre French Privateer, 12 guns Captured After April 1760 Superbe French Not recorded Captured After April 1760 Polly Not recorded Not recorded Captured After April 1760 Petit-Creolle French Not recorded Captured After April 1760 Elizabeth Not recorded Not recorded Captured June 1760 Pickering British Merchant vessel Recaptured 29 June 1760 Le Scipio French Privateer, 10 guns Captured 19 November 1760 Conquerant French Privateer Captured 18 December 1760 L'Union French Privateer Captured 15 February 1761 La Catherine French Privateer, 10 guns Captured 13 July 1761 La Dulcinée French Privateer Captured 19 July 1761 L'Aventurier French Privateer Captured 13 May 1762 Le Fier French Privateer Captured

Peacetime service