American Privateers-- Part 5: The Chasseur's Battle With the HMS St. Lawrence

Once, the resourceful Thomas Boyle threw ten cannons overboard and his spare sails to lighten his ship to escape a British trap.  Then he moved two of his cannons aft, sawed away the back rails to give his guns  freedom of fire.

On February 15, 1815, near Havana, Boyle met a schooner  that only appeared to have three guns.  As he got within boarding range,it was another British trick.  The schooner, which turned out to be the HMS St. Lawrence, unloosed a hidden broadside of ten guns.  But the Chasseur's deadly return fire  found its mark and the British ship  was captured in fifteen minutes.

--Brock-Perry

American Privateers in War of 1812-- Part 4: The Famous American Captain Boyle and the Comet and Chasseur

One of the most successful privateers of the War of 1812 was Thomas Boyle.  His first ship, the Comet, once captured a Portuguese ship warship that was big enough to carry the Comet  on her deck.  The second one, the Chasseur,  carried sixteen 12-pdr. guns and was known as "The Pride of Baltimore."

During his first cruise in the Chasseur, Captain Boyle captured 18 British merchant ships  As a result, the British made extraordinary efforts to capture him.  He escaped from four men of war at once then nearly fell for a trap by two brigs, "but edged down on one of them... fired a shot at him, showed the Yanky flag, hauled upon a wind, and outsailed both with ease."

Over the next three days, he escaped groups of three, four and five British ships trying to capture him.

--Brock-Perry

The Baltimore Fencibles-- Part 2: Privateer Interests

The Fencibles were also very actively engaged in the lucrative Baltimore privateer trade.  A large percentage of the men in this unit had large investments and time in numerous privateer vessels sailing out of Baltimore Harbor to prey on British merchant shipping.

The most notable of these was Captain Tom Boyle's ship, the Chasseur.  This ship later was widely known as the "Pride of Baltimore."

Privateers in the War of 1812 caused massive damage to the British economy, to the tune of over $40 million.  This is nearly what Britain was paying to wage a single year of military campaigns in North America at the time.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Privateers

From the July 11, 2012, New Hampshire Public Radio "The Tall Ship Privateers Who Shaped the War of 1812" by Brady Carlson.

The Pride of Baltimore II is a recreation of a topsail schooner like the ones that served so well as privateers during the War of 1812. Privateers served a vital role for the outmanned U.S. Navy in the war as, at its onset, the British Navy had 1,048 ships compared to just 17 for the United States.

Privateers were government sanctioned pirates whose job (for profit) was to go out and seize British merchants ships.

Several prominent New Hampshire families made their fortunes doing just this "annoying the heck out of the British" just like mosquitoes that sank, disabled or looted some 1700 of their merchant ships during the course of the war.

Maryland was attacked by the British fleet because of the many privateers built and based there. Shortly after the war, the original Pride of Baltimore, then known as the Chasseur, sailed to China and brought back tea and other goods.

Aye, It's a Privateer's Life for Me (And, It's Legal). --Brock-Perry