HMS Canso-- Part 3: Capturing American Vessels

The attack on Fort Peter occurred at the same time as the siege of Fort St. Phillip in Louisiana and was part of the British occupation of St. Marys and Cumberland Island.

At Fort St. Peter, the British captured two American gunboats and twelve merchant ships, including the East  Indianman Countess of Harcourt which an American privateer had captured on her way between India and London.  Prize money from it and other Canso captures was finally paid in April 1824  (and it had to be a lot).

During her service with the British, the former American privateer did much better than she did in U.S. service.

On 31 January, the British squadron captured St. Simons, Georgia, and later three more prizes.  In July 1815, the Canso seized four more vessels at Bermuda.

The Royal Navy sold the Canso 30 May 1816.

A Real Bane to America.  --Brock-Perry

Bomb Vessel HMS Volcano-- Part 2

After the Battle of Baltimore, the Volcano served on the Potomac River.  On October 31, 1814, while escorting a merchantman to Jamaica, it was nearly captured by the 7-gun privateer Saucy Jack.

It was then sent to the Mississippi River with the bomb vessel HMS Aetna, and the HMS Herald (18 guns), HMS Thistle (12 guns), HMS Pygmy (11 guns).  They participated in the bombardment of Fort St. Philip, downriver from New Orleans.

After the retreat from New Orleans, it sailed the Gulf Coast and in the siege of Fort Bowyer by Molbile.

It was sold at Dortsmouth 28 August 1816.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 British Bomb Vessels-- Part 2

Bomb vessels were built with really strong hulls.  Some were later fitted out for Arctic and Antarctic exploration.

The "Bombs Burst in Air" at the Battle of Baltimore in 1814 was provided by the bomb vessels Volcano, Meteor, devastation, Aetna and the Terror.

Bomb vessels also comprised part of the British force that attacked Fort St. Phillip on the Mississippi River at the end of the war in what became known as the Siege of Ft. Philip.

--Brock-Perry

200 Years Ago: Capture of the USS President, Bombardment of Ft. St. Philip Continues

JANUARY 16, 1815:  The HMS Endymion, one of a squadron of four British frigates, captures the USS President.

JANUARY 9-18, 1815:  The Battle of Ft. St. Philip, Louisiana, continues as British fleet continues bombardment.  Eventually they gave up and left on the 18th.

--Brock-Perry

1812 Louisiana Hurricane

No, we're not talking Katrina here. This is before hurricanes were named.

From Wikipedia War of 1812 Chronology.

AUGUST 19, 1812, a hurricane made landfall at New Orleans with high winds and storm surge.  The parade ground at American Fort St. Philip, downriver, had eight vfeet of water in it.  A British fleet was approaching at the time and it was scattered.

The 16 gun warship USS Louisiana, the largest ship at the port, sank, but evidenly was later raised because it took part in the events leading up to the 1815 Battle of New Orleans.  Of interest, another USS Louisiana became the famous powdership at Fort Fisher during the Civil War.

The Big Blow.  --Brock-Perry