Some More on Richard Hill of the New York Flotilla's Gunboat No. 47

From "African American Historic Burial Grounds" by Glenn A. Knoblock.

Richard Hill (ca. 1792-1861)  Born in Maine according to census records and living in Portland, Maine, by 1830.  Served on Gunboat 47, part of the New York Flotilla during the War of 1812.

Gunboats such as he served on were small sloop or schooner rigged vessels about fifty feet long manned by a crew of about 40 and carried several guns.  The gunboats of the New York Flotilla saw quite a bit of action in Long Island Sound, and some of them, possibly including Hill's vessel were present at the Battle of Baltimore and witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry.

After the war, his whereabouts were not known until 1830, but it seemed he served as a sailor.  he was married by 1830 and had at least one child, a son named Richard, and worked as a laborer.

He was a widower when he was shot to death by his troubled son Richard on September 12, 1861.

--Brock-Perry

Jacob Lewis & the New York Flotilla-- Part 1: Watching the British

From "New York's War of 1812: Politics, Society and Combat" by Richard V. Barbuto.

A small flotilla of gunboats defended the waters around New York City and was under the command of  Jacob Lewis, former commander of the privateer Bunker Hill, as a master commandant, but he was given the honorific title of commodore.

He kept his gunboats actively engaged with most of his gunboats near Sandy Hook.  There they could observe the enemy fleet and, at the same time, be protected by  sandbars and shoals from deeper draft and stronger British ships.

On occasion, long-range shots were traded between the two sides, but with little damage to either.

He also kept gunboats by Long Island Sound to challenge British ships approaching from there.

So, Obviously There Was a New York Flotilla That Richard Hill Belonged To During the War.  --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

So, Was There a Gunboat 47?

Richard Hill, according to his gravestone, served aboard Gunboat 47.  I have not been able to find any mention of this ship anywhere.  If someone knows about it, please let me know.

I do know that the Jeffersonian Gunboats were numbered as opposed to having names.

Also, I'm not sure that he would have been on that ship if it was in the New York Flotilla at the Battle of Baltimore and the attack on Fort McHenry.  It would have had to sail in open water to get from New York to Baltimore and that stretch was controlled by the British navy and a gunboat would not do well against a British warship.

I'm thinking he did serve in the U.S. Navy, but perhaps the information we have on him is wrong.

So if anyone out there has any information on Gunboat No. 47, let me know.

So, Lots of Questions About His Service.  --Brock-Perry

Richard Hill Gets His Due-- Part 4: His Death

Richard Hill was the father to a troubles son named Richard L. Hill, who robbed a boot store as a teenager.  At the time, prominent Portlanders unsuccessfully lobbied to have the sentence repealed.

After he was released, the young Hill killed his father by shooting  him with double pistols in 1861.

June McKenzie of Portland,  whose black roots go back generations in the city, said she was happy to  help unveil Hill's  new grave marker.

"It's about time he gets some recognition.  He served well and still had a hard life," McKenzie said.

She said it is important to tell the stories of people like Hill.

I wish I could have found out more about him.

--Brock-Perry

Richard Hill Gets His Due-- Part 3: His Story

Historian Hern Adams of Portland, Maine, has found information on the life of Richard Hill, including newspaper accounts of his death. 

Hill was born about 1792, but it is not clear if he was born in Portland or moved there later in life.  records show that during the War of 1812, he served on the  U.S. Gunboat  47 with the New York Flotilla.

"The U.S. Navy was not segregated then, and that might have been the first time in his life that Hill was on equal footing with his co-workers," Adams said.  His gunboat was probably in  Baltimore Harbor on  September 14, 1814, when the British shelled Fort McHenry.  "Both Hill and Key witnessed one of the iconic moments of U.S. history," according to Adams.

I have not been able to find if Gunboat 47 was at the battle.

After the war, he returned to Portland and worked as a common laborer.  He was one of 400 Blacks who lived in  neighborhoods  at the foot of Munjoy Hill.  At one point, he applied for and received 160 acres of government land in the Ohio hills as an 1812 veteran.  Adams said Hill probably sold it for a fraction of what it was worth.

That was the only veterans benefit he ever received (well, now he has the government-issued headstone, even with the incorrect death date).

--Brock-Perry

Richard Hill Gets His Due-- Part 2: Most Maine Men Served in War as Massachusetts Militia

Richard Hill's story very likely wouldn't have been told had it not been for the diligence of Larry Glatz of South Portland, Maine,  who rediscovered Hill during research on Mainers who fought as federal troops against the British in the War of 1812.

According to him, some 20,000 men served in the state militia when called upon to defeat Portland when it was thought a British attack was imminent.  (And, these men were fighting as Massachusetts militia.)

Another 5,000 Mainers fought as federal troops during the three-year war.  "Most of the federal troops were buried in unmarked graves," according to Mr. Glatz.  A desire to mark the War of 1812 graves sparked his research.  Several other 1812 graves have been found in Eastern Cemetery.

--Brock-Perry

Richard Hill Gets His Due for War of 1812 Service-- Part 1

From the September 15, 2002, Central Maine.com "War of 1812 veteran gets his due" by Beth  Quimby, Portland   Press Herald.

Taps was finally played for Richard Hill on Saturday, some 151 years after his death.  He was a black War of 1812 sailor and these military honors were delivered at the so-called "Colored Ground" burial area at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery.

Hill is believed to have witnessed the British attack on Fort McHenry in 1814 which led to Francis Scott Key writing the words to what is today known as the "Star-Spangled Banner."

He and his grave site were forgotten after his death in 1861 at the hands of his son, who murdered him outside their home on Munjoy Hill.  Unfortunately, all is not yet correct with him as his new stone is engraved with his death year as being 1881.

Military honors were  provided by the Harold T. Andrews American Legion Post 17 of Portland and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6859 0f Portland.

His new stone was paid for by the  federal government and stands  beside Portland's black American Revolutionary War veterans at Congress and Mountfort streets.

--Brock-Perry

Richard Hill, OS-- Part 3: What Was an Ordinary Seaman?

USS Constitution Museum site.

ORDINARY SEAMAN

Among the enlisted men, Ordinary Seaman stood in the middle of the lower deck hierarchy.  These men had typically sailed just one or two voyages and knew basic seamanship.

Like the Able Seamen (the next higher rank), they could  hand (furl or take in), reef (reduce a sail's area), and steer, but some of the more complicated  maneuvers were foreign to them.

Many  ordinary seamen were numbered among the  topmen, the young and agile crewmembers who were responsible for working aloft on the masts and yards.

The ordinary seaman made $10 a month.

--Brock-Perry

Richard Hill, OS. So, What Is an OS?

Richard Hill is listed as an OS in the U.S. navy on his grave marker at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery.  So, that got me to wondering, what is an OS, presuming it might indicate his ship rank.

I looked it up, and in today's Navy, OS stands for Operations Specialist. They are key members of the ship's combat team with jobs  ranging from navigation and plotting specialists, operations administrator,  warfare operator, electronics systems operator and combat air controller.

None of these would seem applicable to the U.S. Navy of the War of 1812.

So, what was an OS during the War of 1812?

More Research Needed Here.  --Brock-Perry

Black War of 1812 Sailor Richard Hill gets His Due in Portland, Maine

From the September 15, 2012,  WMTW Channel 8, ABC, Portland (Maine)  "War of 1812 veteran gets his due." 

Yesterday, I included the name Richard Hill, a seaman on the Gunboat 47 in the New York Flotilla during the War of 1812, who is buried at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery.

Seaman Richard Hill, a black man who fought in the War of 1812,  has finally received honors at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery,  150 years after his death in 1861.

The honors were delivered Saturday by the local American Legion and veterans of Foreign Wars posts.

His new headstone, paid for by the federal government,  stands beside the graves of Portland's Black American Revolution veterans who are buried in the historic cemetery.

The Portland Press-Herald newspaper said Larry Glatz of  South Portland came across Hill's name while researching Portland residents who served in the country's federal forces during the War of 1812.

Richard Hill is believed to have witnessed the British attack on Fort McHenry which inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

He was killed by his own son in 1861.

His gravestone says that he served on Gunboat 47 of the New York Flotilla.  I can't find out anything about this gunboat.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Veterans Buried in Portland's Eastern Cemetery-- Part 4

**  SGT. JAMES HENLEY

Mass Militia  1782  1843

**  SEAMAN RICHARD HILL

Gunboat 47, New York Flotilla 1792 Sept. 12, 1881

**  PVT. DANIEL HOW

Died  Sept. 16, 1819, age 57

**  SGT. JOHN SIMON HOW

Died June 26, 1859

**  CAPT. JOSEPH HOW

Died Aug. , 1820

**  CORP. NATHAN HOWE  

Mass Militia  1781  1859

**  GEORGE INGRAHAM

Mass Militia   1795  1875

**  DEACON WILLIAM JENKS

So, the Hows.  --Brock-Perry