From the July 12, 2012, Strategy Page "War of 1812: Waging War With the Navy You Have" by Austin Bay.
The frigate USS Constitution was nearly captured over July 16-19, 1812, off the coast of New Jersey when the sails of an unidentified ship were spotted. The Constitution pursued, only to find that it was more than a single ship, it was a British battle squadron which gave chase.
The wind flagged (dropped) and the British ships got close, but the American ship escaped by "warping," and not Star Trek-style, but by rowing a boat with an anchor ahead, dropping the anchor to the sea bed then dragging the ship along by winding up the chain.
British squadron commander Philip Broke, wrote that the Constitution escaped by very superior sailing "tho' the Frigates under my Orders are remarkably fast ships."
The USS Constitution and her sister ships were fast, super-frigates larger and more heavily armed than their British counterparts. So, generally, a one-on-one action would result in an American victory, but a one vs. many wouldn't work out so well.
A Narrow Escape. --Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
No comments:
Post a Comment