Okay, I Found a Gunboat No. 47 (But, It Was From WW II)

If you remember, back on March 9 I asked anyone knew anything about a Gunboat 47 that Richard Hill served on in the New York Flotilla back in the War of 1812.  I kept looking, but to no avail. Now granted, the American gunboats in the War of 1812 weren't much to write home about, but come on, somehow, someone must have made mention of this particular ship.

Well, I did come across a Gunboat No. 47 listed in the "Ship's Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, 1930."  

It was in the index under "Gunboat 47 and had the name "Luzon."  In addition, it said to "see river gunboat."   Probably not the War of 1812 ship I'm looking for given the date and the name.  I can't imagine any U.S. ship being given that name during that war.

And, it wasn't.  

The USS Luzon (PG-47) was a river gunboat commissioned in 1928, one of eight gunboats built for service on the Yangtze River in China.  She ended up being scuttled in Manila Bay, Philippines in the opening days of World War II.

The Japanese raised her and used the ship until  it was torpedoed by an American submarine in 1944.  I may have to write about this ship in my World War II blog.  (I did, go to the Tattooed on Your Soul: World War II blog to the right of this, click on it and go to April 2022 and you will find several posts.)

At least I found a Gunboat 47, even if it isn't the right one.  Where, oh where, is my War of 1812 Gunboat 47?

Bet You Weren't Expecting World War II Stuff Here.  --Brock-Perry

So, Was There a New York Flotilla?

The gravestone of Richard Hill in Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Maine says he served during the War of 1812 on Gunboat 47 of the New York Flotilla.  In the last post I said that I have had no luck finding mention of Gunboat 47 anywhere.

A flotilla refers to a fleet or group of boats.

I also went looking for mention of a New York Flotilla.  I found plenty about a Chesapeake Flotilla.  I have written about it before.  But, at first I was having no luck with a New York Flotilla.

But, eventually I found a source that listed several American flotillas:  Baltimore, Chesapeake, Delaware, Gosport (Virginia), New York and Potomac.

I even came across the name of Jacob Lewis who is listed as the commander of the New York Flotilla.

So, there was evidently such a thing as a New York Flotilla.

But, I'd sure like to find information on Gunboat 47.

--Brock-Perry