Captain Thomas Gamble-- Part 4: Service in the War of 1812 and Death

Thomas Gamble later fought and was seriously wounded in the first naval engagement of the War of 1812 while serving as second lieutenant on the frigate USS  President.  This was the fight with the British frigate HMS Belvidera. This took place just a few days after war was declared in June 1812.

Upon his recovery, Gamble returned to active duty and was eventually promoted to master commandant..  His first independent command was the  USS Spark in the Mediterranean.

After his death, Gamble's fellow officers arranged  for the transport of his body from Pisa to Leghorn (English Cemetery in Livorno, Italy).  he was transported there in his last command, the USS Erie. Furthermore, $3,000 was raised to provide a marble monument at the grave

--Brock-Perry

Privateer Bunker Hill-- Part 2: HMS Belvidera

From the "The War of 1812:  A Complete Chronology with  Biographies

AUGUST 21, 1812

"The HMS Belvidera intercepts and seizes the privateer  Bunker Hill (Jacob Lewis, master), a 175-ton schooner that operates out of New York.  At the time of its capture, the Bunker Hill is carrying cargo that includes ammunition and guns, along with provisions."

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From "Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society"

"Also arrived at New York, a British  brig from Quebec for Bermuda, a prize  to the Bunker Hill privateer of this port."

--Brock-Perry

Privateer Bunker Hill, Jacob Lewis and the HMS Belvidera

From "New York City and Vicinity During the War of 1812-15" by Rocellus Sheridan Guernsey.

"On the 22nd of July (1812), a pilot-boat built schooner sailed out of New York as a privateer called the Bunker Hill, in command of Jacob Lewis, who afterwards became known as Commodore Lewis, commander of the gunboats in New York harbor."

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From "A History of American Privateers" by Edgar Stanton Maclay.

"In the earlier part of the war Captain Hewes commanded  the privateer Bunker Hill, a schooner of six guns, which made six prizes.  She was captured while off  our coast, August 21, 1812, by the British frigate Belvidera.  As this occurred shortly after the narrow escape  of this frigate from the Captain Rodgers' squadron, the commander of the Bevidera, Captain Richard  Byron,  undoubtedly congratulated himself on his lucky capture.

"A second Bunker Hill was launched toward the close of the war."

--Brock-Perry

American Privateer Bunker Hill, Commanded by Jacob Lewis

On March 11, I wrote that Jacob Lewis had commanded the privateer Bunker Hill.

From the Three Decks. org.  American  Privateer schooner 'Bunker Hill' (1812).

Guns:  7

Commissioned:  12 July 1812

Home Port:  New York

Ship Type:  Schooner

Captured: 21 August 1812 by the HMS Belvidera  (36 guns)

Crew Complement:  60

Ship Commander:   12 July 1812-21 August 1812.  J. Lewis

--Brock-Perry

David Conner, USN-- Part 1: Service in War of 1812

While doing research on Jacob Zeilen of the USMC, I found he was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia and a lot of famous people are buried there.

One of them is David Conner, USN, who fought in the War of 1812 and the Mexican War.

1792-1856

Became a midshipman 16 January 1809 and served on the USS President.

During the War of 1812, he was on the USS Hornet during the chase of the HMS Belvidera and saw action against the HMS Peacock in the fall of 1813 and the capture of the HMS Penguin March 1815 in which he received a wound.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Belvidera-- Part 4: A Long Career

On 7 March 1814, the Belvidera and two other British warships captured the American privateer Mars, mounting 15 guns and with a crew of 70. Throughout the rest of the war, the Belvidera continued capturing many other American ships, including, on 2 April 1814, the U.S. ship New Zealander which had been captured by the USS Essex and was sailing from Valparaiso to Philadelphia.

At the end of the war, the Belvidera was decommissioned at Portsmouth, refitted and relaunched in 1817 and cruised the Mesditerranean and West Indies waters.

In 1846, it became a store ship and in 1852, became the receiving ship at Portsmouth where it served until 1890. In 1906, it was sold for 1,800 British pounds.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Belvidera-- Part 3

Between June 1812 and Dec. 14, 1812, the HMS Belvidera captured seven American merchant ships In February 1813, she captured the letter of marque (privateer) Lottery which went on to become the HMS Canso.

The Belvidera continued capturing ships. On December 25, 1813, mentioned in my timeline, it captured the USS Vixen, a 14-gun brig commissioned for the Americans in that same year. The Vixen was sailing from Wilmington, NC, to Newcastle, Delaware, without armament or stores. This was an earlier USS Vixen which was captured by the HMS Southampton.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Belvidera-- Part 2: Chased By U.S. Frigates

On July 22, 1810, the Belvidera and HMS Nemesis captured 3 Danish vessels. After that, the Belvidera was transferred to the Halifax Station in North America.

Just five days after the U.S. declared war, on 23 June 1812, it encountered the American heavy frigates President, Congress (not the Civil War one) and United States. Any one of these ships could take the Belvidera single-handedly.

The crew of the Belvidera were not even aware that war had been declared, but managed to escape anyway and in so doing, led the American ships away from the convoy it was escorting.

On 16 July 1812, the Belvidera was part of a British squadron that chased the USS Constitution which was able to escape despite a light breeze by using its anchors to pull itself. The Belvidera did likewise and eventually pulled close enough to exchange gunfire.

For the remainder of the war, the ship was on blockade duty and quite successful at it.

Quite a Successful, But Little-Known Ship. --Brock-Perry

HMS Belvidera-- Part 1

Yesterday, I mentioned the HMS Belvidera capturing the USS Vixen off Delaware on today's date 200 years ago. I didn't remember ever hearing of either ship so did some more research. It turns out I had written about the British ship in an earlier blog entry.

From Wikipedia.

The HMS Belvidera was a 36-gun Apollo-class, fifth rate frigate built in Deptford in 1809 and was 145 feet long and had a crew of 264. It saw action in the Napoleonic Wars and War of 1812 and actually survived to 1906 when it was sold for breaking up.

It served the British Navy as a warship until 1846 and then became a harbor service ship and in 1860 became a receiving ship.

More to Come. --Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Timeline-- December 23-25: 1813

DECEMBER 23RD:

U.S. forces attack the Muscogee (Creek) Nation village at Eccanachaca, Mississippi territory.

DECEMBER 25TH:

HMS Belvidera captures USS Vixen off coast of Delaware.

And that ends the first full year of warfare between the United States, Britain, Canada and the Indians. The war had been fought for a year and a half now and had one more year to go.

--Brock-Perry

The Bicentennial of Lewes Attack

From the Lewes Military and History page.

This past weekend marked the bicentennial of the British attack on the small town on April 6-7, 1813.

"Cannonballs and Congreve rockets shattered the calm of coast and countryside on April 6-7, 1813, during America's 'second war of Independence'."  The War of 1812 washed ashore at little Lewes on Delaware Bay where for a dramatic 22-hour there was an exchange of cannonballs."

The 74-gun HMS Poictiers and 36-gun Belvidera needed food and water and demanded those from Lewes, offering to pay Philadelphia prices for it.  The demands "were denied by the spunky Americans, and the enemy attacked the town by cannonade. 

Although there was no loss of life and little property damage, it took great courage for the defenders led by a native, Colonel Samuel Boyer Davis, to retort under such odds.

Cannons facing seaward today and the Cannonball House-Marine Museum, in the vicinity of the post office on Front Street, are reminders of the brave stand."

It Was 200-Years Ago.  --Brock-Perry