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

Sandy Hook (Where Is It?)

I have been mentioning Sandy Hook a bit in regards to the New York Flotilla and had no idea where it was located.  Just somewhere near New York City.  Time to find out a little more about it.

From Wikipedia.

Actually, it is in New Jersey and is what is called a barrier spit, about six miles in length and varying from 0.1 mile to 1.0 mile in width.  It encloses the southern entrance of the Lower New York Bay south of New York City.  The name comes from the Dutch  "Sant Hoek."

The defunct Fort Hancock is at the northern end of Sandy Hook and was built in 1896.

--Brock-Perry

Jacob Lewis & the NY Flotilla-- Part 2: Who Pays for More Gunboats and Their Crews?

In February, before the British announced their blockade of New York, Secretary of the Navy William Jones had  reduced the number of gunboats in the New York Flotilla to fifteen as a cost-cutting measure.  He stipulated that Lewis could  bring the excess gunboats back into service in an emergency and have them crewed by volunteers.

When the Royal Navy squadron appeared off Sandy Hook, Lewis returned the laid off gunboats to service and requested the Navy Department to pay for the crews.  This request brought a strong rebuke from  Jones, who reminded him that he was to find volunteer crews to man the gunboats and that Lewis could be held personally responsible for any costs his actions incurred. He then ordered Lewis to take the extra gunboats out of service unless the British were to attack.

(Don't you know that Lewis hit the ceiling when told this which was most likely the reason he tried to get Secretary of State James Monroe in on his side.)

Nicholas Fish, the Federalist chairman of New York City's Committee of Defense, asked Jones to authorize the addition gunboats for which the city would pay for the crews.  Jones agreed to this compromise and told Lewis to bring up to  fifteen additional gunboats into service.

This situation was a successful example of sharing defense responsibilities between the federal and state governments.

--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

Jacob Lewis on the New York Flotilla-- Part 3: The Manpower Problem Solved

**  The New York Flotilla could have been in complete readiness right now had so many men not been enticed to service on warships or in the Lakes (Erie and Champlain where a major shipbuilding race was going on).

**  He has lost hundreds of men to warships and the lakes.

**  "I am  perfectly aware of the importance of Gun Bs so much so, that I would, suggest a plan to take from the two frigates which are and  will remain Blockaded in the Chesapeake their Crews & send them to the Lakes they will make all Canada tremble."

He suggests taking the men needed to man the new warships on Lake Champlain and Lake Erie from the crews of the two frigates blockaded in the Chesapeake Bay and not going anywhere instead of the men he needs to man his flotilla ships.

**  "I am perfectly satisfied to Command  what has always been   despised by the Navy, and this make it useful."

--Brock-Perry

Jacob Lewis Writes Sec. of War Monroe About the N.Y. Flotilla-- Part 2

"Gunboats hitherto have been held in the utmost contempt, owing to a false prejudice the inhabitants of  this vast City now begin to believe, that the City cannot be defended without the Auxillary force of this floating defence."

He has gotten many requests from the First masters of New York ships to joining his flotilla and that he could have a hundred of them if he chose.

Plus, he feels their is a "prejudice of the Navy against G Boats" because the Navy Department means that appropriations to the gunboats mean there is less for regular warships like frigates.

"Gun Boats take the place of Frigates in the defence of harbours therefore frigates instead of being employ'd for that purpose go on the bosom of the Ocean and Cruize for Glory & pelf."

In case you're wondering, pelf means money.  In the case of frigates that would be prize money from captures of British ships and shipping. (I had to look it up myself.)

--Brock-Perry

Jacob Lewis Writes to Secretary of State Monroe About His New York Flotilla

February 27, 1813

** "I am very desirous of possessing the confidence of the present  Secretary of the Navy as I did the late Mr. Secy. Hamilton.'  (Paul Hamilton)  The Secretary of the Navy after Hamilton was William Jones.  (Evidently Lewis did not get along with Jones very well.  At first I thought Mr. Secy. Hamilton was Alexander Hamilton.)

**  Raising and organizing crews of NY Flotilla.    Intends to make them able to fight on land as well as sea.    Wants to be able to put as many as 1000 on the shore and also be be able to "place the  flotilla in of perfect safety where the Enemy could not possibly  get at them."

**  Will train crews on landing, embarking marching, forming and "displaying  Colloms."  (columns)

**  "They shall be  amphibious Soldiers."

**  But needs  the support of the Secretary of the Navy.  (Evidently not getting it.)

**  The gunboats are  "held in the utmost contempt" by the City of New York.

--Brock-Perry

Jacob Lewis & the New York Flotilla-- Part 1

From the "Naval War of 1812:  A Documentary History" by William S. Dudley.

Jacob Lewis & the New York Flotilla.

Jacob Lewis was the commander of the privateer Bunker Hill early in the war and was appointed master commandant in the U.S. Navy in 1812.  Given command of all the  gunboats and fire ships stationed at New York, Lewis accepted this new challenge and set out to immediately assess the status of his flotilla.

One of his new ships was probably Gunboat No. 47, Richard Hill's ship.

He found his new command to be undermanned and "in a pitiable State owing to the prejudice against it."  Lewis knew that he had local support because the committee for harbor defense, fearful of a swarm of British ships in the spring, exhorted the state legislature for money for defense.

Unsure of Navy Secretary Jones' support, he enlisted the support of Secretary of State James Monroe in convincing the Navy Department that gunboats used in  coastal defense freed frigates for sea duty.

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