December 27, 1814: USS Carolina Destroyed

DECEMBER 27, 1814:

WAR OF 1812

The American schooner Carolina is destroyed .  It was the last of Commodore  Daniel Patterson's makeshift fleet that fought a series of delaying actions that contributed to Andrew Jackson's victory at the Battle of New Orleans.

For more on the USS Carolina, click on the USS Carolina label below.  I had some difficulty in determining if this was the USS Carolina or USS Caroline, but now believe the ship's name was USS Carolina.

--Brock-Perry

USS Carolina-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

I'd never heard of the USS Carolina which I mentioned fought the HMS Sappho in yesterday's post so good old Wiki to the rescue.

The USS Carolina was a schooner commissioned 4 June 1813, 89 feet long and mounting three long 9-pdr. cannons and twelve 12-pdr. carronades.

It is the only ship in the U.S. Navy ever named for the British colony which eventually became North and South Carolina and was built in Charleston, S.C., and bought by the Navy while still on the stocks.

The other Wikipedia article reported the date of its fight with the HMS Sappho as being 20 June 1813, which would have made the chase just 16 days after commissioning.  However, there was no mention of the battle with the Sappho in this entry.  Perhaps this is a mistake or incorrect date.  I also did not find the fight anywhere else on the internet.

Maybe a Different Ship Vs. the Sappho?  --Brock-Perry

HMS Sappho-- Part 3: War of 1812

The engagement with Gunboat No. 168 took place before the war between the United States and Britain was declared.

However, the Sappho served well for the rest of the real war.

Between August 21 and November 26, 1812, the Sappho had a very successful prize-taking cruise off the U.S. coast when it captured nine ships.

On 20 June 1813, the USS Carolina was chasing a British 14-gun privateer when a ship believed to be the HMS Sappho hove into view.  Then the two British ships gave chase to the Carolina, which was able to draw away and escape after two tense hours.

--Brock-Perry