Privateer General Armstrong (I)

Actually, there were two privateers using this name.  One operating out of Charleston, S.C., and the other out of New York City.

By far, the more famous of the two was the one from New York

This is the other one.

GENERAL ARMSTRONG

Captain:  John Sinclair

Commissioned:  23 November 1812

Operated out of Charleston, S.C.

Owners:  Rensalaer Havens, Thomas Formar, Thomas Jenkins, John Sinclair, John Everingham Smith (New York owned)

Ship:  205 tons

Crew:  120 to 100

16 guns

Prizes:  3 (0)

--Brock-Perry

USS Revenge, Perry's Lost Ship-- Part 2: Seizing the Diana From the British

In 1809, Oliver Hazard Perry took command of the ship.  With the passage of the Non-Intercourse Act on 1 March 1809, most restrictions to commerce with foreign countries were removed, with the exception of France and Britain.  The Revenge began cruising as far south as the tip of Florida and north to New England.

In 1810, the Revenge entered Washington Navy Yard for needed repairs.

July 1810 found the ship cruising off Charleston, S.C. when it was ordered to Amelia Island, Florida, then part of Spanish Florida.  It was to attempt to free an American ship, the Diana, which had been seized in Spanish waters and placed under British colors.

Despite the presence of two British warships in the area, Perry boarded the Diana, seized it, placed a prize crew on board and sailed away.

The Gallant Perry  --Brock-Perry

USMA Class of 1806: William Partridge-- Part 1: Corps of Engineers

Eighteenth graduate of USMA at West Point.

December 13, 1805- October 30, 1806.

There was another Partridge who graduated from the USMA in 1806, Alden Partridge.  I'm wondering if they were related?

Commissioned 2nd lieutenant in Corps of Engineers.  Served at West Point in 1807 and then as assistant engineer in construction of defenses at Charleston, S.C. 1808-1810.

Promoted to 1st Lt. Corps of Engineers Feb. 23, 1808.  Served at West Point 1810 to 1812.  Captain Corps of Engineers July 1, 1812.

He was chief engineer in the Campaign of 1812 in Michigan Territory in the army of Major General William Hull and, because of Hull's surrender of Detroit on August 16, 1812, became a POW.

--Brock-Perry

Charles Chocteau Gratiot-- Part 1: Rapid Rise in the Army

From Wikipedia.

CHARLES CHOCTEAU GRATIOT ( 1786-1855)

Back on June 15th, I mentioned that Fort Hampton was engineered and built by Captain Charles Gratiot so decided to do some research on him.  Interesting fellow.

He was born in St. Louis to a rich fur-trading father and President Thomas Jefferson personally appointed him to the United States Military Academy at West Point in July 1804.  Gratoit was a member of the Class of 1806, the 4th graduating class.  (Back then cadets attended for varying numbers of years before graduation.)

Commissioned into the Corps of Engineers (which usually received the top graduates), he made captain by 1808, which was a remarkable rise in the peacetime army back then.  One of his first assignments was to assist Alexander Macomb in the construction of the Charleston, S.C. defenses.  It was during this time that he oversaw the construction of Fort Hampton.

Chales Gratiot returned to the USMA in 1810 and became commander of the Army garrison,  a post he held from 1810-1811.

A Rising Young Officer.  --Brock-Perry

American Privateer Saucy Jack-- Part 1: Charleston-Based

In the last entry I mentioned that the HMS Sappho, which captured a prize of the Saucy Jack and also engaged Gunboat No. 168 at Fernadina, Florida, before war was declared and also was at St. Marys when the Hurricane of September 17, 1813 struck and was run aground by the surge.

I decided it was time to find out some more about this, what turns out, was one of the more successful privateers in American service.

From Foundery site "The Saucy Jack -- American Pirate Ship."  Most likely calling the Saucy Jack a pirate ship would indicate a British source.

The Saucy Jack was owned by the Chazal family and operated out of Charleston, South Carolina.  It was one of dozens of privateers operating from that port.  The Chazals were from Santo Domingo and were refugees to Charleston in 1794 because of the slave rebellion there.

Jean Pierre Chazal captained the Saucy Jack.

A Pirate's Life for Me.  --Brock-Perry

USS Carolina-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

I'd never heard of the USS Carolina which I mentioned fought the HMS Sappho in yesterday's post so good old Wiki to the rescue.

The USS Carolina was a schooner commissioned 4 June 1813, 89 feet long and mounting three long 9-pdr. cannons and twelve 12-pdr. carronades.

It is the only ship in the U.S. Navy ever named for the British colony which eventually became North and South Carolina and was built in Charleston, S.C., and bought by the Navy while still on the stocks.

The other Wikipedia article reported the date of its fight with the HMS Sappho as being 20 June 1813, which would have made the chase just 16 days after commissioning.  However, there was no mention of the battle with the Sappho in this entry.  Perhaps this is a mistake or incorrect date.  I also did not find the fight anywhere else on the internet.

Maybe a Different Ship Vs. the Sappho?  --Brock-Perry