Battle of New Orleans.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

The Revenue Cutter Louisiana

From the Louisiana Military Heritage Site.

I was still wondering about this USS Louisiana.  If it was such a major Navy vessel, why would they not mention its sinking in the 1812 hurricane?

After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the government needed a revenue cutter in newly acquired New Orleans.  On June 18, 1804, the Collector at Baltimore, Md., was authorized by Congress to build a 60-foot cutter, about 60 tons with a six-foot draft.

It was named the Louisiana and set sail for New Orleans December 16, 1804,  in a voyage that took twenty days.  Its first commander was Revenue Captain Joseph Newcomb and, on his first voyage out of New Orleans, ignored his orders and went to Pascagoula (in still-disputed territory and occupied by the Spanish) and confiscated large quantities of coffee.  To avoid a diplomatic incident, the Port Collector ordered the coffee returned.

On April 16, 1805,the Louisiana captured the schooner Felicity which had been privateering.
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More to Come.  --Brock-Perry

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