Next, William Allen was given command of the brig USS Argus, a two-masted, 95 1/2 foot ship mounting eighteen 24-pounders and two 12-pdr. guns.
Naval historian Ira Dye, in his book, "The Fatal Cruise of the Argus: Two Captains in the War of 1812," wrote that Allen sailed his ship to the British Isles and in the summer of 1813, attacked 20 vessels, burning, sinking and destroying all but two. This was more victims than any other U.S. ship of its size during the War of 1812.
On August 14, 1813, the Argus fought the much larges HMS Pelican under the command of Captain John Maples. The Argus was beaten and 97 prisoners captured. Twelve Americans were killed and Allen was badly wounded, but didn't die until four days later.
He was given a huge military funeral in Plymouth, England, and buried at St. Andrew's Churchyard.
Allen's family wanted the body brought back to Rhode Island like Perry's body was brought back from Trinidad in 1826.
--Bock-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