Battle of New Orleans.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

USS Siren-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

The USS Siren, originally named the USS Syren, was a 94-foot brig with crew of 120, mounting eighteen 24-pounder cannons.

Built for the Navy at Philadelphia by shipwright Nathaniel Hutton and launched in 1803 under Lt. Charles Stewart.

In the First Barbary War, the Syren carried gifts and money to the Dey of Algiers in 1803 and was later involved in the  attack to destroy the captured frigate USS Philadelphia along with the ketch USS Intrepid commanded by Stephen Decatur.

Later captured two Barbary ships and one became the USS Scourge.

In ordinary 1806 and recommissioned 1807.  In 1810, the name was changed to the USS Siren.  Not much is known of its War of 1812 service when it was initially commanded by Lt. Joseph Bainbridge.  At one point, it was searching for the HMS Herald.

On its last voyage in 1814, it captured and sank several British ships until on July 12, 1814, 200 years ago, it was seen and chased by the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Medway.  Despite lightening ship by throwing its cannons overboard, it was captured after an eleven-hour chase.

Just a Tad Outmatched.  --Brock-Perry

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