The Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse in Bay St. Louis, cites four reasons why this particular battle should be better known:
1. It was a classic "David vs. Goliath."
2. The battle saved New Orleans and gave Jackson time to prepare its defenses.
3. It was a precursor of "The Alamo."
4. It was the last naval battle of the War of 1812 between U.S. Navy ships and a foreign power in U.S. territorial waters.
Now, You Know. --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.
Showing posts with label Bay St. Louis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bay St. Louis. Show all posts
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
USS Sea Horse-- Part 3: Victory and Scuttling
The British gunboats landed at Pass Christian and attacked the garrison there in the early morning. Meanwhile, the Sea Horse dropped anchor and its crew was sent to get some sleep. The British attacked and got in closer than before this time. The Sea Horse spotted them and the alarm was raised. The crew opened fire with muskets and drove the British off.
Captain Lockyer decided to move on to his main objective, Lake Borgne and ceased attacking the Sea Horse.
During the action, several British longboats were damaged and there were an unknown number of casualties.
U.S. losses were two killed, two wounded and damage to the Sea Horse.Sailing Master William Johnson sailed to the Ulman Avenue Pier and set fire and scuttled his ship to prevent capture by expected future attacks.
I wonder if the remains of the Sea Horse are still there?
A Brave Little Ship and Crew --Brock-Perry
Captain Lockyer decided to move on to his main objective, Lake Borgne and ceased attacking the Sea Horse.
During the action, several British longboats were damaged and there were an unknown number of casualties.
U.S. losses were two killed, two wounded and damage to the Sea Horse.Sailing Master William Johnson sailed to the Ulman Avenue Pier and set fire and scuttled his ship to prevent capture by expected future attacks.
I wonder if the remains of the Sea Horse are still there?
A Brave Little Ship and Crew --Brock-Perry
Monday, January 19, 2015
USS Sea Horse-- Part 2: Mission to Destroy Supplies Before Capture
On the night of December 13, 1814, British Admiral Alexander Cochrane ordered Captain Lockyer of the HMS Armide to proceed to Lake Borgne with 42 armed longboats and 1200 sailors and Marines along with 8 to 24-pdr cannons.
The USS Sea Horse, commanded by Sailing Master William Johnson was on a mission at that very moment to Bay St. Louis with orders to destroy weapons and gun powder before the British captured it (as they would be passing by the bay on their way to Lake Borgne.
The ship one 6-pdr. cannon and 14 men. The USS Alligator was also in the bay at the time as it was stationed there.
The Sea Horse was spotted by Lockyer and longboats were sent to capture it. A fight ensued and the Alligator was destroyed and Sea Horse damaged. The Sea Horse retreated to a dock in the bay and continued the fight. As the British came into range, a U.S. shore battery opened fire as well, forcing the British to withdraw.
--Brock-Perry
The USS Sea Horse, commanded by Sailing Master William Johnson was on a mission at that very moment to Bay St. Louis with orders to destroy weapons and gun powder before the British captured it (as they would be passing by the bay on their way to Lake Borgne.
The ship one 6-pdr. cannon and 14 men. The USS Alligator was also in the bay at the time as it was stationed there.
The Sea Horse was spotted by Lockyer and longboats were sent to capture it. A fight ensued and the Alligator was destroyed and Sea Horse damaged. The Sea Horse retreated to a dock in the bay and continued the fight. As the British came into range, a U.S. shore battery opened fire as well, forcing the British to withdraw.
--Brock-Perry
USS Sea Horse-- Part 1
From the History of the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse site.
The Krewe takes its name from the USS Sea Horse and the Battle of Bay St. Louis on December 13, 1814. It is also called te Battle of Lake Borgne and Battle of Pass Christian.
The British Navy was advancing on New Orleans after engagements at Pensacola and Mobile. Their plan was to sail through Rigolets and into Lake Ponchetrain, but the USS Sea Horse and the later Battle of Lake Borgne stopped it.
This battle also has an "Alamo" connection. Supposedly at the Alamo, one fighter exclaimed "Remember the Battle of the Bay." This battle pitted a small group of Americans against a much larger group of British.
--Brock-Perry
The Krewe takes its name from the USS Sea Horse and the Battle of Bay St. Louis on December 13, 1814. It is also called te Battle of Lake Borgne and Battle of Pass Christian.
The British Navy was advancing on New Orleans after engagements at Pensacola and Mobile. Their plan was to sail through Rigolets and into Lake Ponchetrain, but the USS Sea Horse and the later Battle of Lake Borgne stopped it.
This battle also has an "Alamo" connection. Supposedly at the Alamo, one fighter exclaimed "Remember the Battle of the Bay." This battle pitted a small group of Americans against a much larger group of British.
--Brock-Perry
Monday, December 22, 2014
The Gulf Coast USS Alligator (1813)
From Wikipedia.
This is the one at Bay St. Louis.
The Navy purchased the ship in 1813 at New Orleans and commissioned as a tender to the other warships there. It mounted one 4-pdr. gun.
After the capture of Pensacola, Florida, Andrew Jackson arrived in New Orleans to take over its defense and sent a flotilla to Lake Borgne to guard that strategic spot. This is when the USS Sea Horse and Alligator were sent to Bay St. Louis.
There is some confusion about whether the Alligator was sunk at Bay St. Louis or captured at the Battle of Lake Borgne.
--Brock-Perry
This is the one at Bay St. Louis.
The Navy purchased the ship in 1813 at New Orleans and commissioned as a tender to the other warships there. It mounted one 4-pdr. gun.
After the capture of Pensacola, Florida, Andrew Jackson arrived in New Orleans to take over its defense and sent a flotilla to Lake Borgne to guard that strategic spot. This is when the USS Sea Horse and Alligator were sent to Bay St. Louis.
There is some confusion about whether the Alligator was sunk at Bay St. Louis or captured at the Battle of Lake Borgne.
--Brock-Perry
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Cannons Boomed in Bay St. Louis a Week Ago
From the December 13, 2014, Sun-Herald (Biloxi-Gulfport and Mississippi Gulf Coast "200th anniversary of the Battle of Bay St. Louis goes off with a bang" by James Skrmetto.
Cannons boomed in the harbor at 3 p.m. to pay homage to the bicentennial of this War or 1812 engagement in which 6 Americans and 17 British died.
Two Biloxi, Ms., schooners, the Mike Sekul and Glenn L. Swetman, played the parts of American ships at the battle USS Sea Horse and USS Alligator.
The battle has been commemorated before, but this was the first year with a cannon.
Just three years after the battle, Mississippi became a state.
--Brock-Perry
Cannons boomed in the harbor at 3 p.m. to pay homage to the bicentennial of this War or 1812 engagement in which 6 Americans and 17 British died.
Two Biloxi, Ms., schooners, the Mike Sekul and Glenn L. Swetman, played the parts of American ships at the battle USS Sea Horse and USS Alligator.
The battle has been commemorated before, but this was the first year with a cannon.
Just three years after the battle, Mississippi became a state.
--Brock-Perry
Friday, December 19, 2014
New Krewe Honors the USS Sea Horse
From the WLBT-WDBD MS News, March 3, 2014 "New Krewe rolls in downtown Bay St. Louis" by Jonathan Brannon.
A new Mardi Gras krewe, the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse had its first Mardi Gras parade on Monday in Bay St. Louis and there were many more people on the streets in town than usual. The group has only been in existence for a few months and was formed to honor the handful of Americans on the USS Sea Horse and shore who fought off an overwhelming British attack in 1814.
this could best be described as a "David vs. Goliath" fight.
However, even in victory, the USS Sea Horse, it became necessary to scuttle and burn the American ship at the foot of the street just down from where the parade started. The parade back in March was considered the first event in a year-long bicentennial preparation to mark the battle, concluding in December.
The parade was described as a much more intimate (fewer people) than other ones in the area.
--Brock-Perry
A new Mardi Gras krewe, the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse had its first Mardi Gras parade on Monday in Bay St. Louis and there were many more people on the streets in town than usual. The group has only been in existence for a few months and was formed to honor the handful of Americans on the USS Sea Horse and shore who fought off an overwhelming British attack in 1814.
this could best be described as a "David vs. Goliath" fight.
However, even in victory, the USS Sea Horse, it became necessary to scuttle and burn the American ship at the foot of the street just down from where the parade started. The parade back in March was considered the first event in a year-long bicentennial preparation to mark the battle, concluding in December.
The parade was described as a much more intimate (fewer people) than other ones in the area.
--Brock-Perry
Thursday, December 18, 2014
USS Sea Horse (1812)
From Wikipedia.
As I mentioned earlier this week, this ship was destroyed by its crew in the bay St. Louis, Mississippi, right before the Battle of Lake Borgne.
It was a one-gun schooner purchased by the Navy in 1812 for service on Lake Borgne.
In 13 December 1814 it repelled two British attacks in long boats at Bay St. Louis and was beached and burned to prevent capture.
--Brock-Perry
As I mentioned earlier this week, this ship was destroyed by its crew in the bay St. Louis, Mississippi, right before the Battle of Lake Borgne.
It was a one-gun schooner purchased by the Navy in 1812 for service on Lake Borgne.
In 13 December 1814 it repelled two British attacks in long boats at Bay St. Louis and was beached and burned to prevent capture.
--Brock-Perry
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Battle of Lake Borgne, Louisiana-- Part 3: Destruction of USS Sea Horse at Bay St. Louis
British Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane ordered the frigate HMS Seahorse, Armide and Sophie to proceed from Pensacola to Lake Borgne and en route, they were attacked by two American gunboats and mast lookouts reported seeing the masts from three more enemy ships. This alerted the British to the American presence.
The British ships collected their ships' boats and sent out 42 longboats and barges mounting one 12, one 18 and one 24-pdr carronades. There were also 3 gigs mounting long brass 12-pdr cannons. Also included were 1200 sailors and Royal Marines.
They set off on the night of December 12 and encountered the one gun schooner USS Sea Horse on a mission to destroy a powder magazine at Bay St. Louis. The schooner and a shore battery fought off two British attacks by the longboats, but was burnt later to prevent capture.
--Brock-Perry
The British ships collected their ships' boats and sent out 42 longboats and barges mounting one 12, one 18 and one 24-pdr carronades. There were also 3 gigs mounting long brass 12-pdr cannons. Also included were 1200 sailors and Royal Marines.
They set off on the night of December 12 and encountered the one gun schooner USS Sea Horse on a mission to destroy a powder magazine at Bay St. Louis. The schooner and a shore battery fought off two British attacks by the longboats, but was burnt later to prevent capture.
--Brock-Perry
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