Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 7: A Duel, Command of USS Constitution and More Charges

In 1820, Elliott was second to Commodore James Barron when the latter fatally shot Stephen Decatur in a duel.  He was transferred to the Brazil Squadron in 1825, served as the captain of the USS Cyane for two years and commanded the West Indies Squadron from 1829 to 1832.

Elliott commanded the Boston Navy Yard in 1832 and then  to command of the frigate USS Constitution and the Mediterranean Squadron from 3 March 1835 to 18 August 1838.  During his Mediterranean assignment, he was charged for minor offenses by several of his junior officers, including using his official position for personal gain and  transporting animals he had purchased aboard the Constitution.

This looks like an interesting topic for more detail.

--Brock-Perry

200 Years Ago: USS Levant Recaptured

MARCH 11TH, 1815:  The HMS Leander captured the USS Levant near the Cape Verdes Islands,  It had been captured by the USS Constitution on February 20th.

The USS Constitution and USS Cyane (which had also been captured on the 20th) escaped.

--Brock-Perry

USS Cyane-- Part 6: Uriah Levy, First Jewish Commodore

Another important person in U.S. Navy history who served aboard the USS Cyane was Uriah P. Levy, the first Jewish person to attain the rank of commodore in the U.S. Navy.  During the War of 1812, while on the Argus, the ship seized more than 20 vessels in the English Channel before it was captured August 14, 1813.  He spent 16 months imprisoned in England.

The Cyane was laid up at the Philadelphia Navy Yard where it sank in 1835 and was broken up in 1836.

--Brock-Perry

USS Cyane-- Part 5: U.S. Navy Midshipman Commands a Slaver

On 5 April 1820, off the coast of Africa, the USS Cyane captured six vessels believed to be involved in the slave trade.  The Esperanza and Endymion were of American registry and became prizes for carrying slaves in violation of U.S. law.  The Esperanza was out of Charleston, S.C..  The Endymion was out of Baltimore and under the command of master Alexander M'Kim Andrews, a midshipman in the U.S. Navy.

I looked up this man, but couldn't find any more information.  This would have to be an interesting story.  I'm sure he must have lost his commission.

Notables who served on the Cyane:

In 1819, Matthew Calbraith Perry, brother of War of 1812 hero Oliver Hazard Perry.  He was also at the Battle of Lake Erie with his brother and later became famous for opening Japan.

Also Jesse Duncan Elliott who commanded the USS Niagara at the Battle of Lake Erie until Perry transferred his flag from the battered USS Lawrence.  Elliott later came under fire for keeping his ship out of the battle as long as he did, enabling the British to concentrate their fire on the Lawrence.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Cyane/USS Cyane-- Part 4: Cyane Gets Away, Levant Doesn't

The HMS Leander and a British squadron caught sight of the American ships on March 11th and recaptured the Levant, but the Cyane escaped.  It arrived at the North River on 10 April and anchored by the USS Constitution.  It was later adjudicated as a prize of war (despite the peace treaty having been already ratified) by a prize court and purchased by the U.S. Navy and commissioned at the USS Cyane.

It served off the West Coast of Africa 1819-1820 and the West Indies 1820-1821.  It protected the newly established Liberian colony (where American slaves were sent) and suppressed piracy and the slave trade.The Cyane then  served in the Mediterranean 1825-1826 and then was at the Brazil Station 1826-1827.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Cyane/USS Cyane-- Part 2

In 1810, the HMS Cyane guarded a convoy going to South America and in 1812 was at the Jamaica Station. From 1812-1814, it was under the command of Captain Thomas Forrest.  On July 11, 1812, it captured the French privateer Serene, bound for New Orleans.In September, the Cyane captured six American ships.  Her crew received lots of prize money.

In January 1814, the Cyane accompanied the 74-gun, 3rd rate ship-of-the-line Venerable and her prize, the Jason, when they spotted two French 44-gun frigates and captured one of them.  The Cyane and Jason gave chase to the other one and caught up but were outgunned and drew off.  The Venerable came up and captured it as well.

Again doing convoy duty, the Cyane and the HMS Levant were 100 miles east of Madeira on 20 February 1815, when they encountered the USS Constitution.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Cyane/USS Cyane-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

This past week, I have been writing about the USS Constitution capturing the HMS Levant and HMS Cyane 200 years ago.

The Levant got away, but the famous American ship was able to hold on to the Cyane.

The HMS Cyane was a 22-gun Banterer-class post ship, 6th rate, built in 1806 and originally named the HMS Columbine.  It was 118 feet long and had a crew of 155.

In 1807, it was operating off Copenhagen against the Danish Navy and then it blockade Zealand Island off the Danish coast.

In February 1808, it captured eight merchant ships in the Mediterranean.  On 22 May, she captured the privateer Medusa, the last Spanish ship captured before Spain turned against Napoleon. to begin fighting the French.

More to Come.  --Brock-Perry