War of 1812 Bomb Vessels-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Also called Bomb Ships and Bomb Ketches.  Primary weapon was the mortar  bomb.

By the 1800s, British bomb vessels were designed as full-rigged ships with three masts and two mortars.  Mortars back then were the only kind of naval armament to fire explosive shells instead of solid shot.

This is where Francis Scott Key got his "Bombs bursting in air."

Bomb vessels were usually accompanied by a tender to carry the ammunition  Being assigned to one of these ships, either the tender of bomb vessel was considered to be very dangerous work because of these shells and the reinforcing for the mortar platforms which made the ship unstable.

British bomb vessels were traditionally given the names of volcanoes or a name suggesting an explosive quality.

--Brock-Perry