1812: The Navy's War (58 page)
Finally, on February 14 Stewart made his first captures—a merchantman in the morning and the 18-gun British schooner
Picton
in the afternoon. Two days later, he captured another small merchantman, and the next day he took one off Grenada. He then shaped a course for Puerto Rico. On February 23, after passing through the Mona Passage, he finally saw what he wanted, the 36-gun British frigate
Pique
. Both ships cleared for action, but the
Pique
, following the Admiralty’s orders, ran away. Stewart went after her, but he was becalmed for a time, while the
Pique
had enough wind to stay ahead until darkness allowed her to escape.
Picton
in the afternoon. Two days later, he captured another small merchantman, and the next day he took one off Grenada. He then shaped a course for Puerto Rico. On February 23, after passing through the Mona Passage, he finally saw what he wanted, the 36-gun British frigate
Pique
. Both ships cleared for action, but the
Pique
, following the Admiralty’s orders, ran away. Stewart went after her, but he was becalmed for a time, while the
Pique
had enough wind to stay ahead until darkness allowed her to escape.
Stewart then steered north, expecting to see some action. His bad luck continued, however. As he approached the New England coast, he had not seen either a convoy or another warship since passing the Bahamas. Then, on April 3, when he was approaching Boston, two frigates came into view, the 38-gun
Tenedos
and the 38-gun
Junon
, sailing in company. They immediately gave chase. What a prize the
Constitution
would be. Stewart threw on every sail, lightened his ship, and barely managed to reach Marblehead Harbor, where the British ships, respectful of the town’s defenses, did not follow. When later bad weather gave Stewart an opening, he left Marblehead and sailed the fourteen miles back to Boston.
Tenedos
and the 38-gun
Junon
, sailing in company. They immediately gave chase. What a prize the
Constitution
would be. Stewart threw on every sail, lightened his ship, and barely managed to reach Marblehead Harbor, where the British ships, respectful of the town’s defenses, did not follow. When later bad weather gave Stewart an opening, he left Marblehead and sailed the fourteen miles back to Boston.
His frustrations from an unproductive voyage were exacerbated when Secretary Jones demanded to know why he had returned so soon. Commodore Bainbridge—no friend of Stewart’s—was in charge in Boston, and he recommended a court of inquiry. It convened on May 2. Bainbridge and Oliver Hazard Perry, who had come up from Newport, were the only members of the court. Stewart explained that scurvy had broken out on board, he was low on water and food, and the mainmast was in such poor shape she might have given way at any time. Perry was uncomfortable during the proceedings, which he considered a needless waste of time. No court-martial was recommended. Bainbridge noted that he thought Stewart should not have returned so soon, and that was the end of the matter. Stewart immediately went back to work preparing the
Constitution
for her next cruise.
Constitution
for her next cruise.
THE FIRST OF the new sloops of war to get to sea was the 22-gun
Frolic
, named after the ship taken by the
Wasp
in 1812. Master Commandant Joseph Bainbridge (the commodore’s younger brother) was her skipper. She carried twenty thirty-two-pound carronades; two long eighteens; and a crew of a hundred and sixty. Bainbridge stood out from Boston in February, using a storm to avoid the blockade, and shaped a course for the Caribbean—Secretary Jones’s preferred hunting grounds. Bainbridge captured two prizes before spotting a pair of strangers on April 20, sailing in company near Matanzas on Cuba’s north coast. They were the British 36-gun frigate
Orpheus
(Captain Hugh Pigot) accompanied by the 12-gun schooner
Shelburne
(Lieutenant David Pope). Bainbridge identified them immediately and fled, while they threw on all sail and tore after him. The chase continued for sixty miles. Bainbridge lightened the
Frolic
in every way he could, including jettisoning her guns, but to no avail, and he was forced to surrender. Unexpectedly, Pigot allowed the
Orpheus
’s crew to pillage the captured ship and her crew, something Bainbridge never would have permitted. Hatred of the American navy ran high among some officers in the Royal Navy.
Frolic
, named after the ship taken by the
Wasp
in 1812. Master Commandant Joseph Bainbridge (the commodore’s younger brother) was her skipper. She carried twenty thirty-two-pound carronades; two long eighteens; and a crew of a hundred and sixty. Bainbridge stood out from Boston in February, using a storm to avoid the blockade, and shaped a course for the Caribbean—Secretary Jones’s preferred hunting grounds. Bainbridge captured two prizes before spotting a pair of strangers on April 20, sailing in company near Matanzas on Cuba’s north coast. They were the British 36-gun frigate
Orpheus
(Captain Hugh Pigot) accompanied by the 12-gun schooner
Shelburne
(Lieutenant David Pope). Bainbridge identified them immediately and fled, while they threw on all sail and tore after him. The chase continued for sixty miles. Bainbridge lightened the
Frolic
in every way he could, including jettisoning her guns, but to no avail, and he was forced to surrender. Unexpectedly, Pigot allowed the
Orpheus
’s crew to pillage the captured ship and her crew, something Bainbridge never would have permitted. Hatred of the American navy ran high among some officers in the Royal Navy.
The
Peacock
, named for the ship that Lawrence sank in the
Hornet
, had a much different experience. Noah and Adam Brown built her in New York, launching her on September 19, 1813. She had a hundred forty men and carried twenty thirty-two-pound carronades and two long twelve-pounders. Her skipper, Master Commandant Lewis Warrington, was an ambitious fighter. He eluded the blockading squadron and slipped out of New York on March 12, 1814, sailing first to St. Mary’s, Georgia. On the way, Warrington saw a number of larger British warships, but he successfully evaded them. He had orders to rendezvous with the
President
, but she remained trapped in New York.
Peacock
, named for the ship that Lawrence sank in the
Hornet
, had a much different experience. Noah and Adam Brown built her in New York, launching her on September 19, 1813. She had a hundred forty men and carried twenty thirty-two-pound carronades and two long twelve-pounders. Her skipper, Master Commandant Lewis Warrington, was an ambitious fighter. He eluded the blockading squadron and slipped out of New York on March 12, 1814, sailing first to St. Mary’s, Georgia. On the way, Warrington saw a number of larger British warships, but he successfully evaded them. He had orders to rendezvous with the
President
, but she remained trapped in New York.
While waiting for Decatur and the
President
to escape, Warrington cruised south to an area off Great Isaac, a Bahamian cay twenty miles north-northeast of Bimini—an excellent place to intercept a convoy coming from Jamaica or Cuba. When Warrington obtained intelligence that the Jamaica convoy he was expecting had powerful escorts, however, he changed his mind about attacking it and sailed north.
President
to escape, Warrington cruised south to an area off Great Isaac, a Bahamian cay twenty miles north-northeast of Bimini—an excellent place to intercept a convoy coming from Jamaica or Cuba. When Warrington obtained intelligence that the Jamaica convoy he was expecting had powerful escorts, however, he changed his mind about attacking it and sailed north.
On April 29 a small convoy of three merchantmen out of Havana appeared off Cape Canaveral (now Cape Kennedy). The brig
Epervier
, under Commander Richard Wales, was guarding them. She carried eighteen thirty-two-pound carronades and 101 men. When the convoy spotted the
Peacock
, the merchantmen ran, while the
Epervier
steered toward the enemy and beat to quarters. Warrington, in turn, sailed to meet the
Epervier
and prepared for battle.
Epervier
, under Commander Richard Wales, was guarding them. She carried eighteen thirty-two-pound carronades and 101 men. When the convoy spotted the
Peacock
, the merchantmen ran, while the
Epervier
steered toward the enemy and beat to quarters. Warrington, in turn, sailed to meet the
Epervier
and prepared for battle.
Approaching from opposite directions, the two ships closed quickly. The fight began at 10:20, with both ships sailing on opposite tacks, firing guns from their starboard sides. After
Epervier
raced past the
Peacock
, she turned downwind and sailed a parallel course to the
Peacock
’s, firing her port broadside, which disabled the
Peacock
’s foresail and foretopsail. But Warrington’s jibs remained intact, and he kept his ship a little off the wind, which was blowing from the south, and delivered one devastating broadside after another, crushing the
Epervier
, whose gunnery, after the opening rounds, was remarkably poor.
Epervier
raced past the
Peacock
, she turned downwind and sailed a parallel course to the
Peacock
’s, firing her port broadside, which disabled the
Peacock
’s foresail and foretopsail. But Warrington’s jibs remained intact, and he kept his ship a little off the wind, which was blowing from the south, and delivered one devastating broadside after another, crushing the
Epervier
, whose gunnery, after the opening rounds, was remarkably poor.
In desperation, Wales tried to organize a boarding party, but his crew, thinking it would be suicide, refused. They appeared to be a disgruntled lot, and their marksmanship showed it. It was apparent that, as in most British cruisers, the crew had been given little or no practice at the guns. The battle lasted for forty-five minutes. At the end of it, the
Epervier
was a wreck, with forty-five shots in her hull and five feet of water in her hold and rising. She had eight killed and fifteen wounded, while the
Peacock
had two wounded and none killed.
Epervier
was a wreck, with forty-five shots in her hull and five feet of water in her hold and rising. She had eight killed and fifteen wounded, while the
Peacock
had two wounded and none killed.
The dissatisfaction of
Epervier
’s men had been in evidence long before she met the
Peacock
. Two months earlier, the
Epervier
, with the same crew, had captured the privateer
Alfred
out of Salem, Massachusetts. The privateer carried sixteen long nine-pounders and a crew of 108. While the
Epervier
sailed with her prize to Halifax, the prisoners conspired with
Epervier
’s prize crew to take over the
Alfred—
and possibly the
Epervier
herself—and run them into Salem. A sudden gale put the mutineers’ scheme on hold while they fought the storm. Before the gale was over, Captain Wales reached Halifax with
Epervier
and the
Alfred
, putting an end to the mutineers’ plans. This same crew fought the
Peacock
. British Admiral Edward Codrington insisted (privately) that the disgruntlement among crews in the Royal Navy was caused by the hands being “tyrannically treated.”
Epervier
’s men had been in evidence long before she met the
Peacock
. Two months earlier, the
Epervier
, with the same crew, had captured the privateer
Alfred
out of Salem, Massachusetts. The privateer carried sixteen long nine-pounders and a crew of 108. While the
Epervier
sailed with her prize to Halifax, the prisoners conspired with
Epervier
’s prize crew to take over the
Alfred—
and possibly the
Epervier
herself—and run them into Salem. A sudden gale put the mutineers’ scheme on hold while they fought the storm. Before the gale was over, Captain Wales reached Halifax with
Epervier
and the
Alfred
, putting an end to the mutineers’ plans. This same crew fought the
Peacock
. British Admiral Edward Codrington insisted (privately) that the disgruntlement among crews in the Royal Navy was caused by the hands being “tyrannically treated.”
By nightfall, Warrington had the
Epervier
repaired and headed north for Savannah. On the way he examined the prize and found to his amazement that she was carrying $118,000 in specie. His joy was short-lived, however. During the night, he discovered two British frigates nearby and immediately sent the
Epervier
to sail close to shore, while he drove the
Peacock
south and escaped. The
Epervier
appeared at the mouth of the Savannah River on May 2 and the
Peacock
two days later.
Epervier
repaired and headed north for Savannah. On the way he examined the prize and found to his amazement that she was carrying $118,000 in specie. His joy was short-lived, however. During the night, he discovered two British frigates nearby and immediately sent the
Epervier
to sail close to shore, while he drove the
Peacock
south and escaped. The
Epervier
appeared at the mouth of the Savannah River on May 2 and the
Peacock
two days later.
After repairing his ship in Savannah, Warrington, having given up the idea of a rendezvous with the
President
, set out from Savannah on June 4 intent on pursuing an independent course. He sailed first to the Grand Banks and then to the Azores. From there he went to Ireland, traveling up the west coast, and then around the north of Ireland to the Shetland Islands off Scotland’s northeast coast. From there, he turned northwest and sailed to the remote Faroe Islands, 62˚ north, halfway between Scotland’s northern coast and Iceland. He then retraced his steps, sailing back down Ireland’s west coast and from there to the Bay of Biscay and along the Spanish coast. He then headed for the West Indies and cruised there for a time before traveling north along the American coast and, on October 30, slipping into New York, where he became part of Decatur’s squadron.
President
, set out from Savannah on June 4 intent on pursuing an independent course. He sailed first to the Grand Banks and then to the Azores. From there he went to Ireland, traveling up the west coast, and then around the north of Ireland to the Shetland Islands off Scotland’s northeast coast. From there, he turned northwest and sailed to the remote Faroe Islands, 62˚ north, halfway between Scotland’s northern coast and Iceland. He then retraced his steps, sailing back down Ireland’s west coast and from there to the Bay of Biscay and along the Spanish coast. He then headed for the West Indies and cruised there for a time before traveling north along the American coast and, on October 30, slipping into New York, where he became part of Decatur’s squadron.
During this long voyage in the months of July and August, Warrington captured fourteen prizes. He burned twelve, as Jones had ordered, and two he used as cartels to ferry prisoners to England. It was one of the most successful voyages of the war, confirming Jones’s belief in the sloops of war.
ON THE FIRST of May the
Peacock
’s sister ship
Wasp
departed Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on her first cruise. She had been built in nearby Newburyport, Massachusetts, and commissioned at Portsmouth; her skipper was Master Commandant Johnston Blakeley. She had a crew of 173 and carried twenty thirty-two-pound carronades and two long twelve-pounders—a fast, potent ship with an aggressive commander.
Peacock
’s sister ship
Wasp
departed Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on her first cruise. She had been built in nearby Newburyport, Massachusetts, and commissioned at Portsmouth; her skipper was Master Commandant Johnston Blakeley. She had a crew of 173 and carried twenty thirty-two-pound carronades and two long twelve-pounders—a fast, potent ship with an aggressive commander.
Blakeley shaped a course to take him one hundred to two hundred miles south of the Irish coast at the approaches to the English Channel—perfect hunting grounds for a commerce raider. On the way he captured a prize on June 2 and another on June 13, when he was on station. During the next fifteen days, Blakeley took seven additional merchantmen, burning all except one, which he used as a cartel ship to ferry prisoners to England.
On June 28, in latitude 48½˚ north and longitude 11˚ east, the
Wasp
spied the 18-gun
Reindeer
, under Captain William Manners, out of Plymouth, England. It was four o’clock in the morning. By ten the two ships were closing and signaling, and by one o’clock they both cleared for action. The
Reindeer
was much inferior to the
Wasp.
She had sixteen twenty-four-pound carronades, two long guns, and a crew of 118. Not only was Manners at a disadvantage in men and caliber of guns, but his ship was made of inferior Baltic fir. The
Reindeer
was well led, however, and had an excellent crew. She was as unlike the
Epervier
as two similar ships in the same service could be. She had the weather gauge, but the wind was unreliable. The gallant British captain pressed forward, intent on fighting an obviously stronger enemy. He approached on the
Wasp
’s weather quarter. His only chance was to use the weather gauge to cross the
Wasp
’s stern or bow, rake her, and then board. His first lieutenant, Thomas Chambers, had drilled the men hard in hand-to-hand combat.
Wasp
spied the 18-gun
Reindeer
, under Captain William Manners, out of Plymouth, England. It was four o’clock in the morning. By ten the two ships were closing and signaling, and by one o’clock they both cleared for action. The
Reindeer
was much inferior to the
Wasp.
She had sixteen twenty-four-pound carronades, two long guns, and a crew of 118. Not only was Manners at a disadvantage in men and caliber of guns, but his ship was made of inferior Baltic fir. The
Reindeer
was well led, however, and had an excellent crew. She was as unlike the
Epervier
as two similar ships in the same service could be. She had the weather gauge, but the wind was unreliable. The gallant British captain pressed forward, intent on fighting an obviously stronger enemy. He approached on the
Wasp
’s weather quarter. His only chance was to use the weather gauge to cross the
Wasp
’s stern or bow, rake her, and then board. His first lieutenant, Thomas Chambers, had drilled the men hard in hand-to-hand combat.
Manners fired the first shot at 3:15. Blakely responded by putting his helm alee and turning the
Wasp
to the right. The
Reindeer
crossed the
Wasp
’s bows, however, and raked her, but her shots did not have the devastating effect that Manners, who was wounded in the early going, expected. The two ships then ran parallel to each other at close range, Blakeley firing his deadly thirty-two-pounders and crushing the weaker ship. The ships now came together, and Manners tried to board. As he was crossing over, however, he was killed and his first lieutenant severely wounded. Manners’s well-trained men continued trying to board, but after savage hand-to-hand fighting, Blakeley’s crew pushed them back before they ever reached the
Wasp
’s deck. Blakeley’s men then boarded the
Reindeer
, and she quickly surrendered. The battle was over in nineteen minutes. The
Reindeer
was in terrible condition. She suffered twenty-three killed and forty-two wounded—over half her crew—while the
Wasp
had eleven killed and eighteen seriously injured.
Wasp
to the right. The
Reindeer
crossed the
Wasp
’s bows, however, and raked her, but her shots did not have the devastating effect that Manners, who was wounded in the early going, expected. The two ships then ran parallel to each other at close range, Blakeley firing his deadly thirty-two-pounders and crushing the weaker ship. The ships now came together, and Manners tried to board. As he was crossing over, however, he was killed and his first lieutenant severely wounded. Manners’s well-trained men continued trying to board, but after savage hand-to-hand fighting, Blakeley’s crew pushed them back before they ever reached the
Wasp
’s deck. Blakeley’s men then boarded the
Reindeer
, and she quickly surrendered. The battle was over in nineteen minutes. The
Reindeer
was in terrible condition. She suffered twenty-three killed and forty-two wounded—over half her crew—while the
Wasp
had eleven killed and eighteen seriously injured.
The
Reindeer
was so badly torn up that Blakeley burned her and then proceeded to L’Orient, on France’s west coast, to repair his ship. On the way he took two more prizes. The reception he got in the French port could not have been more hospitable. Even though France had a new monarch friendly to Britain, her people had not all of a sudden fallen in love with the English. “We have experienced every civility from the public authorities,” Blakeley wrote to Jones. The British ambassador protested, but to no avail. The French allowed Blakeley to remain at L’Orient for seven weeks, restoring his ship and his crew.
Reindeer
was so badly torn up that Blakeley burned her and then proceeded to L’Orient, on France’s west coast, to repair his ship. On the way he took two more prizes. The reception he got in the French port could not have been more hospitable. Even though France had a new monarch friendly to Britain, her people had not all of a sudden fallen in love with the English. “We have experienced every civility from the public authorities,” Blakeley wrote to Jones. The British ambassador protested, but to no avail. The French allowed Blakeley to remain at L’Orient for seven weeks, restoring his ship and his crew.
On August 27 Blakeley sortied from L’Orient in his refurbished ship. In the next four days he took three British merchantmen and burned them. On September 1 he happened on an enemy convoy and managed to destroy the munitions transport
Mary
. One of the convoy’s escorts, the 74-gun
Armada
, tore after him, but he raced away and easily eluded her.
Mary
. One of the convoy’s escorts, the 74-gun
Armada
, tore after him, but he raced away and easily eluded her.
Later in the afternoon of the same day, Blakeley spotted the 18-gun brig
Avon
, under Captain James Arbuthnot. She had been sailing in company with the 18-gun
Castillian
, under Captain David Braimer, and two other warships, but she got separated from them. The
Wasp
chased her, and by 8:45 in the evening, Blakeley was up with her. After some preliminary maneuvering and a broadside from each, the two ships closed to within half pistol shot of each other and blazed away. The smaller
Avon
, although well managed, could not stand the brutal fire, and when her mainmast fell at ten o’clock, she was in dire straits. It took ten more minutes and more punishment from the
Wasp
, however, before she finally submitted. The
Avon
had ten killed and thirty-two wounded. The
Wasp
had two killed and one wounded.
Avon
, under Captain James Arbuthnot. She had been sailing in company with the 18-gun
Castillian
, under Captain David Braimer, and two other warships, but she got separated from them. The
Wasp
chased her, and by 8:45 in the evening, Blakeley was up with her. After some preliminary maneuvering and a broadside from each, the two ships closed to within half pistol shot of each other and blazed away. The smaller
Avon
, although well managed, could not stand the brutal fire, and when her mainmast fell at ten o’clock, she was in dire straits. It took ten more minutes and more punishment from the
Wasp
, however, before she finally submitted. The
Avon
had ten killed and thirty-two wounded. The
Wasp
had two killed and one wounded.
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