HMS Scorpion was a Royal Navy Cruizer-class brig-sloop built by John King at Dover and launched in 1803. She was the first of the class to be built since the launching of Cruizer in 1797. Scorpion had a long and active career during the Napoleonic Wars, earning her crews three clasps to the Naval General Service Medal when the Admiralty authorized it in 1847, two for single-ship actions. She also took a number of prizes. Scorpion was sold in 1819. Service history Scorpion was commissioned in November 1803 under Commander George Nicholas Hardinge for the Channel and the Downs. On 15 December the sloop Jane, Dedwith, master, was sailing from Liverpool to Cork when she ran foul of Scorpion near St David's Head and foundered. Scorpion rescued the crew and landed them at Waterford. Scorpions first medal action took place between 28 March and 3 April 1804. Capture of the brig Atalanta On 25 March 1804 Rear-Admiral Edward Thornbrough detached Scorpion to reconnoiter the Vlie Passage to the Texel. There Hardinge saw two Dutch national brigs at anchor, the closest being Atalanta. She mounted sixteen long 12-pounders and had 76 men on board. On 31 March the 14-gun ship-sloop , under Commander Charles Pelly (or Pelley), arrived. That night Hardinge led five boats, three from Scorpion and two from Beaver, with about 60 officers and men, including Pelly, to attack Atalanta, which was under the command of Captain Carp. Hardinge was first on deck. The decks were slippery after rain and he fell as he tackled a mate of the watch but he recovered and killed the mate. Hardinge then engaged Carp, who disarmed Hardinge; Woodward Williams, Scorpion's master, saved Hardinge, who then called on Carp to surrender. Carp kept on fighting until the British killed him. This necessity greatly distressed Hardinge, who admired Carp’s courage. The Dutch finally surrendered after having lost their captain and three other men killed, and twelve officers and men wounded. All the British casualties were Scorpions; she had five wounded, including Williams and Lieutenant Buckland Bluett. The British put forty of the Dutch into irons below deck and prepared to capture the other brig. However, a gale came up and at daybreak they saw that the gale had moved the vessels too far apart. The gale lasted three days and until it passed it prevented the British from bringing Atalanta out. Eventually, the British