John M. Gamble-- Part 5

While in command of the Greenwich, he captured the British armed whaler Seringapatam after a sharp engagement on or about  13 July 1813.  This engagement earned him much publicity in American newspapers of the time as the British ship was considered the biggest threat to American whalers in the Pacific at the time.

Porter later ordered the Greenwich burned to deprive Britain of valuable whale oil.  Later, during the Nuku Hiva Campaign, David Porter again ordered Gamble to take command of the prize ship Sir Andrew Hammond.

After the Seringpatam Mutiny, Gamble set out to the Leeward Islands in the Sir Andrew Hammond, but was intercepted on the way by the HMS Cherub.

--Brock-Perry

John M. Gamble, USMC-- Part 4: The Only Marine Officer to ....

Lt. Colonel John M. Gamble is chiefly remembered in history as the only Marine to ever command a U.S. Naval vessel, and he did this not once, but twice.  He commanded two separate prizes captured by the USS Essex while operating in the Pacific Ocean.  

The Essex was commanded by David Porter, father of eventual Union Admiral David Dixon Porter. and raised another Union Admiral who achieved fame also in the Civil War, David Glasgow Farragut.  As a matter of fact, Farragut accompanied David Porter in this Pacific cruise.

The two ships that Gamble commanded were the aforementioned Sir Andrew Hammond and Greenwich.  For want of Navy officers, Gamble was placed in charge.

--Brock-Perry

John Downes, USN-- Part 3: Cruising with the Essex and the Second Barbary War

Among the prizes taken by the USS Essex was the whaler Atlantic.  Captain Porter fitted it out as a cruiser and classified it as a sloop-of-war with twenty guns and named her Essex Junior.  The ship was placed  under the command of Lieutenant Downes.  The Essex and Essex Junior were both captured at the same time on 28 March 1814.

Downes was promoted to master commandant in 1813 and two years later commanded  the brig Epervier in the squadron under the command of  Stephen Decatur against Algiers.  On June 17, 1815, he assisted in the capture of the Algerian frigate Mashouda.  Two days later, the Eperviere and three smaller vessels captured the Algerian brig Estedio off Cape Palos.  

After the conclusion of peace with Algiers, Decatur transferred Downes to his ship, the USS Guerriere.

Downes also served on the Ontario and Independence before becoming a captain in 1817.

--Brock-Perry

John Downes, USN-- Part 2: Service in the First Barbary War and War of 1812

From Wikipedia.

Commodore John Downes (December 23, 1784-August  11, 1854) was a career naval officer, whose service covered the first half of the 19th century.

John Downes was born in Canton, Massachusetts,  on December 23, 1784.  He served as  acting midshipman from September 9, 1800, and was appointed midshipman from June 1, 1802.  He rendered distinguished service during the  First Barbary War in  1804 on the frigate Congress and distinguished himself again on the frigate New York in a boat attack upon Tripolita feluccas (a type of ship).

In March 1807, he was made a lieutenant and served as executive officer for Captain David Porter on the USS Essex during her cruise in the Pacific during the War of 1812..  In an action off James Island (in the South Pacific) Downes was in command of the sloop Georgiana during the capture of three British whalers.

He also participated in the action off Charles Island (Galapagos Islands) before sailing to Nuku Hiva to assist in building America's first base in the Pacific Ocean.

--Brock-Perry

Francis B. Gamble: How He Ended Up on the Captured HMS Alert and was Captured

I was more than a little bit confused in the last post when the source said that Francis B. Gamble was captured on the British ship Alert, a prize of the USS Essex and that he was made prisoner and eventually exchanged.  

So, I looked up further information on it.

From Wikipedia.

USS Essex

The ship was a 32 or 36 gun U.S. frigate that was in the Quasi-War with France, the First Barbary War and the War of 1812.  The British captured her in  1814 and she then became the HMS Essex and served the British Navy until sold at public auction in 1837.

When  the War of 1812 broke out, the Essex was commanded by Captain David Porter (the father of later Civil War Admirals David Dixon Porter, and adoptive son David G. Farragut) made a successful cruise southward.  On 11 July, she attacked a British convoy and captured one of them.  On 13 August she engaged and captured the HMS Alert.  

(This would be when Francis Gamble ended up on the Alert which evidently was recaptured by the British when he was aboard it.)

By the time the Essex returned to Boston, it had taken, she had captured ten prizes.

--Brock-Perry

Francis B. Gamble

From records of officers and men on New Jersey in wars 1791-1815" by New Jersey Adjutant General's Office.

Another one of the Gamble Boys.

GAMBLE, FRANCIS B.

Midshipman, May 18, 1809

Ordered to Frigate "Essex,"  Captain David Porter, North Atlantic Squadron February 5, 1812.

Captured with British ship "Alert," a prize of the "Essex," and sent to Halifax, N.S., August 1812

Exchanged and returned to duty, October 17, 1813

Ordered to sloop-of-war at Navy Yard Boston, Mass., December 21, 1813;

Ordered to duty  on Lake Champlain, 1814.

Ordered to New York, N.Y., for duty with Captain David Porter, November 17, 1814;

Lieutenant December 19, 1814, and remained on station until the close of the war, 1815.

(For subsequent and continued record, see War with Algiers."

--Brock-Perry

Captain Thomas Gamble in the War of 1812

From the same source as the previous post.

GAMBLE, THOMAS (For previous record see War with Tripoli)--  Midshipman; on Frigate "Essex," 1806; transferred to merchant service. August 25,  1806, and again transferred to the same service, April 20, 1807;

Ordered to duty at New York, N.Y., August 5, 1807; ordered to duty under command of Lieutenant Melancthon T. Woolsey for service on the lakes, July 5, 1808; ordered to duty  at New York, N.Y., April 27, 1809;n  transferred to merchant service, July 10,  1809; ordered to duty under Captain John Rodgers, August 16, 1809;

Lieutenant, April 27, 1810; on Frigate "President," Captain John Rodgers, North Atlantic Squadron, May 1811; ordered to Baltimore, Md. September 3, 1814; on Frigate "Guerriere," November 13, 1814; ordered to New York, N.Y., to join West  India Squadron, Captain David Porter, November 28, 1814.  

(For subsequent service and continued record, see War with Algiers.)

--Brock-Perry

USS Fulton-- Part 2: Just One Day of Service

On March 9, 1814, Congress authorized construction of a steam frigate to the design of Robert Fulton, a pioneer in the construction of steam ships.  Construction began in June at the civilian yard of famed shipbuilders Adam and Noah Brown in New York City and launched  October 29.

Delivered to the U.S. Navy in June 1816, but never formally named.  Fulton christened it the Demologos (or Demologus), but after his death, it was named the USS Fulton.

By the time of completion, the War of 1812 was over and she saw only one day of actual service when it carried President James Monroe on a tour of New York Harbor.

Its first commander, Captain David Porter (father of David Dixon Porter of Civil War and Fort Fisher fame and essentially a step father to David Glasgow Farragut) ordered a two-masted lateen rig built on the ship.  In 1821 its armament and machinery were removed and the remainder of its career spent in reserve.

After 1825, she became a floating barracks ship for the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  Its end came on June 4, 1829 in a gunpowder explosion while at anchor.  An officer and 47 men were killed.

--Brock-Perry

John Rodgers, U.S. Navy-- Part 2: Quasi-War, Barbary War and War of 1812

United States Navy officer.

He married Minerva Denison in 1806 and they had eight children.  Many of the children served in the military.

He became a hero in the pre-War of 1812 naval squabbles with France and Great Britain.  Served with distinction in the Quasi-War with France.  Helped defeat the Tripolitan naval forces in the Barbary War and defeated  a British sloop-of-war  in 1811, which brought back a measure of respect  for the U.S. Navy in the wake of the USS Chesapeake-HMS Shannon affair.

He commanded several squadrons in the War of 1812 and helped defend to successfully defend Baltimore against the British  in 1814.

After the war, he was named President of the U.S.  Navy Board of Commissioners (which included fellow  commodores Isaac Hull and David D. Porter).

--Brock-Perry

How a Prank Almost Sank the Port City

From the April 17, 2014, Alexandria (Va.) Times "My View: How a Prank Almost Sank the Port City" by Daniel Lee.

Seven British warships dropped anchor alongside Alexandria's waterfront in late August 1814.  Captain James Gordon's men "maintained a remarkable level of discipline while obsconding with large amounts of flour, tobacco and beef" while many residents claimed they were not paid for it either.

While leaving the town, British Midshipman John Went Frasier of the HMS Euryalus, was collared by American Captain David Porter (father of the Civil War's David Dixon Porter and foster father of David Glasgow Farragut) and Master Commandant John Orde Creighton.

Upon hearing this, British Captain Gordon turned his guns on the town and that "shirt collar gave way" and Frasier got back to his ship.

Porter went on to command the new USS Essex, formerly the frigate USS Columbia.  Creighton went on to command the new corvette USS Argus.

Both men are buried in Washington, D.C..

--Brock-Perry

U.S. Navy "Subscription" Ships-- Part 2: USS Essex

USS ESSEX:

Of the these "subscription" ships, the one with the most noteworthy War of 1812 accomplishments, even though it was captured. The ship was a 36/32-gun frigate that fought in the Quasi War, First Barbary War and War of 1812.

Built for $139,362 subscribed by the people of Salem and Essex County, Massachusetts. Presented to the U.S. Navy and commissioned in 1799. Its first commander was Edward Preble.

In 1812, it was commanded by Captain David Porter, father of Civil War Admiral David Dixon Porter and Commodore William D. Porter. On board, he had a ten-year-old midshipman, his foster son by the name of David Glasgow Farragut.

It was captured by the British on 28 March 1814 and it became the HMS Essex.

Definitely some famous naval names connected to this ship, including its first commander.

--Brock-Perry

Famous War of 1812 U.S. Naval Officers

From the Naval History and Heritage Site.

William Bainbridge
Joshua Barney
James Biddle
Stephen Decatur
Isaac Hull
James Lawrence
Thomas Macdonough
Oliver Hazard Perry
David Porter (father of Civil War Admiral David D. Porter who was at Fort Fisher.)
Edward Preble
Silas Talbot
Thomas Truxton

I've heard of all but the last two.

Brock-Perry