Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 6: The Feud Continues and Further Service

Oliver Hazard Perry left his list of charges and specifications against Elliott with his friend, Commodore Stephen Decatur when he left for his diplomatic mission to Venezuela (during which he died).  Elliott served as second for Captain James Barron in the duel in which Barron killed Decatur in 1820.

Decatur's widow published Perry's charges years later as she held Elliott at least partially responsible for her husband's death.

These people obviously did not like each other.

***********************

LATER CAREER

Elliott commanded the sloop USS Ontario during the Second Barbary War, and was promoted to captain in 1818, serving as on a naval commission selecting sites for navy yards, lighthouses and other coastal fortifications until 1822.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Montgomery, USN-- Part 2: War of 1812 Service

From Wikipedia.

He was born in New Jersey and entered service in the US Navy as a midshipman during the War of 1812 where he served during the attack on Kingston, Upper Canada, in Novenber 1812 and in the capture of York in April of the following year.

For gallantry and distinguished service aboard the USS Niagara at the Battle of Lake Erie, he received a vote of thanks and a sword from Congress.

In 1815, he served in Stephen Decatur's squadron in the Second Barbary War in the Mediterranean Sea.

From Geni.

He was also involved in the capture of Little York, Fort George and Newark.  In 1814, he was at the blockade and attack on Mackinaw Island in August.

--Brock-Perry

Jacob Jones and the Destroyer Named After Him

Today, I posted about the discovery of the shipwreck of the destroyer USS Jacob Jones this past August in my Cooter's History Thing blog.  It was discovered off the coast of England's southwest side.  It was the first U.S. Navy destroyer sunk in enemy action.

It was torpedoed by a German U-boat, the U-53, on 6 December 1917, after the United States had entered World War I.

It was named after Jacob Nicholas Jones who had quite a career in the American Navy that spanned the Quasi-War with France, The First Barbary War, the War of 1812 and the Second Barbary War.

I have written a whole lot about him.  Just click on his name in the labels below.

--Brock-Perry

USS Congress (1799)-- Part 2: Action in First and Second Barbary Wars, War of 1812 and Against West Indies Pirates

Her first duties with the U.S. Navy were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi War with France and to defeat Barbary pirates during the First Barbary War.

During the War of 1812, she made several extended cruises in company with her sister ship, the USS President.  During those, the Congress captured or assisted in the capture of twenty British merchant ships.

At then end of 1813, because of lack of materials for repairs, the Congress was placed in ordinary for the remainder of the war.

In 1815, she returned to duty for service in the second Barbary War and made patrols through 1816.  In the 1820s, she helped suppress piracy in the West Indies and made several voyages to South America.

The Congress was also the first American ship to visit China.

The last ten years of her service were as a receiving ship until ordered broken up in 1834.

The next USS Congress, (1841) was a 52-gun frigate destroyed by the CSS Virginia in 1862.

--Brock-Perry

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine

I have been writing about this shipyard in Maine in my Tattooed On Your Soul: World War II blog.  During the 1900s, this place was very involved in the construction of submarines, but I also saw there were some ships with War of 1812 connections.

There were three American Revolution ships as well.

The USS Portsmouth, a 24-gun sloop of war was constructed with funds from the citizens of Portsmouth for use during the Quasi War with France in 1799 and sold in 1801.

The USS Congress was a 38-gun frigate was launched in 1799 and saw service in the Quasi War with France, First Barbary War, War of 1812, and Second Barbary War.  It was broken up in 1834.

The USS Washington was a 74-gun ship of the line launched in 1814.  Served until 1820 and broken up in 1843.

--Brock-Perry

Machine Guns in the War of 1812-- Part 12: War Ends Before Used

Benjamin W. Crowinshield succeeded William Jones as Secretary of the Navy on 16 January 1815.  A little over a month later, Congress ratified the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812.

That, in turn was followed by the decision to send naval units to the Mediterranean Sea to put down a recurring Algerine pirate problem.  The Barbary Pirates had taken advantage of the U.S. being involved in the war with England to begin attacking American ships again.

One of the ships was known to have had Chambers' machine guns on board, but nothing is recorded saying that it was ever used.

The Chambers repeating weapons had caused a brief thrill, but ended their days being imoperative weapons staffed by people completely unskilled in their use.

--Brock-Perry

Stephen Decatur and the Second Barbary War-- Part 3

On June 17, 1815, Decatur's fleet captured the Algerian frigate and flagship Mashouda in the Battle Off Cape Gata after a short engagement and two broadsides into the ship.  Four Americans were killed and 10 wounded.  Algerian casualties were 30 killed, many wounded and 406 captured.

The helped convince the Bey of Algiers to come to terms with Decatur and end the war.

--Brock-Perry

Stephen Decatur and the Second Barbary War-- Part 2: Decatur's Fleet

From Wikipedia.

Wikipedia did not list the USS Saranac as being in Decatur's fleet.    Either a mistake on its part, or, it was with Bainbridge's fleet or maybe it didn't go at all.

Decatur's fleet was interesting as it consisted of two previously captured British ships.and the flagship was named for one the USS Constitution had sunk.

FRIGATES

USS Guerriere, 44 guns.   Flagship.  Named after the HMS Guerriere.  Capt. William Lewis
USS Constellation, 36 guns,  Capt. Charles Gordon
USS  Macedonian, 38 guns.  Captured from British.  Capt. Jacob Jones

SLOOPS

USS Epervier.  Captured bu USS Peacock.  Captain John Downes.  This ship disappeared carrying dispatches regarding the surrender of the Dey of Algiers after the war was over.
USS Ontario, 16 guns.  Capt. Jesse D. Elliott

BRIGS

USS Firefly, 14 guns.  Lt. George W. Rodgers
USS Spark, 14 guns.  Lt. Thomas Gamble
USS Flambeau, 14 guns.  John B. Nicholson

SCHOONERS

USS  Torch, 12 guns.  Lt. Walcott Chauncey
USS  Spitfire, 12 guns.  Lt. Alexander J. Dallas

But No Saranac.  --Brock-Perry

Stephen Decatur and the Second Barbary War-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

On Friday I wrote about the USS Saranac which accompanied Stephen Decatur to the Mediterranean Sea in what became known as the Second Barbary War.  Again, I have not been able to find out much about this ship, but decided to at least find out something about the war it fought in back then.

Once the War of 1812 was over, it became necessary for the U.S. Navy to again turn its attention to the Mediterranean Sea where the Barbary pirates were once again harassing and capturing American merchant ships and holding them for ransom.

On February 23, 1815, President James Madison asked Congress for a declaration of war against them and it became so on March 2.

Two squadrons were assembled, one under Decautur at New York and the other at Boston under William Bainbridge.  Decatur's fleet of ten ships (one of which was the USS Saranac) was ready first and left for Algiers on May 20, 1815.

--Brock-Perry

The War of 1812's USS Saranac

From War of 1812: A Complete Chronology.

While researching for the USS Saranac which went hunting for the Confederate raider CSS Shenandoah at the end of the Civil War, I came across a USS Saranac in the War of 1812.  I, however, was unable to find out much about it.

It was a brigantine laid down in 1814 and named after a river in New York that flowed into Lake Champlain, although it did not serve on the Great Lakes.  It was not completed in time to fight in the war and launched in 1815.  On June 20, 1815, it sailed from New York as part of Commodore Stephen Decatur's squadron, one of two squadrons sent to the Mediterranean Sea to deal with the Barbary Pirates in Algiers.

It was decommissioned in 1818.

--Brock-Perry