Timeline of Captain Gwinn's Life-- Part 1: 1791 to 1823

 From the John Gwinn Papers, Library of Congress.

1791, June 11  Born in Taneytown, Maryland

1809   Appointed midshipman

           Duty on John Adams (frigate)

1814   Duty on Frolic  (sloop of war), West India Squadron

           Prisoner of War, Halifax, Nova Scotia

1815   Duty on Boxer (brig), Mediterranean Squadron

1817   Duty on the Hornet (sloop of war), European Station

1819   Duty on the Independence (ship of the line) 

1823   Married  Caroline S. Lynch

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn Papers-- Part 2: His Navy Career

John Gwinn's Life

1791, June 11   Born in Taneytown, Maryland

1809   Appointed midshipman.  Duty on frigate John Adams

1814   Duty in sloop-of-war Frolic, West India Squadron  Prisoner of war, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

1815   Duty  on Boxer (brig) Mediterranean Squadron. 

1817  Duty on the USS Hornet (sloop-of-war)   European Squadron

1819  Duty on USS  Independence (ship of the line)

1823   Married Caroline S. Lynch

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn-- Part 6: War of 1812 and Beyond

John Gwinn was later ordered to Boston for the commissioning of the sloop-of-war USS Frolic.  Unfortunately Gwinn and the crew were captured on the ship's very first  cruise by the frigate HMS Orpheus and schooner HMS Shelburne on 20 April 1814.   The crew remained prisoners until the end of the war.

After release, Gwinn was promoted to lieutenant in 1816 and in the following decade made two deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and a voyage to northern Europe in three different ships.

Between 1828 and 1848, he spent a total of ten years commanding the Philadelphia Navy Yard, three years on leave and five "awaiting orders."  The remaining two years was divided between commanding the sloop-of-war Vandalia and the frigate Potomac.

He was promoted to captain in 1842.

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn, USN-- Part 1: Captured on USS Frolic

From Wikipedia.

In the last post, I wrote that the USS Dale, named for American Revolution naval hero Richard Dale, father of Midshipman Dale who I have written extensively about this past month, was commanded by John Gwinn when it was commissioned.

I hadn't heard of him before, so Wikipedia here I go.

JOHN GWINN, III

Born June 11, 1791  Died  September 1, 1849

Born in Maryland.

During the War of 1812, he was on the USS Frolic which was captured by the Royal Navy in 1814 and remained a POW or the remainder of the conflict.

Later commanded the USS Vandalia.

Later commanded the USS Constitution.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Shelburne-- Part 2: Former American Privateer

Continued from April 28, 2014.  Just click the label HMS Sheburne to see its American service and capture.

The British Admiraly bought the ship for 1940 pounds and renamed the ship for the town of Shelbourne, Nova Scotia.  In 1813, it captured three American merchant ships.

On 3 March 1814, the Shelbourne and HMS Epervier sailed with a convoy for Bermuda and the West Indies.  After parting ways, the Epervier was captured by the USS Peacock.

Later, the Shebourne joined the HMS Orpheus and captured the USS Frolic and then served off New Orleans.

A Busy Ship.  --Brock-Perry

HMS Shelburne: American Privateer and British Warship

From Wikipedia.

On April 20, 1814, the frigate HMS Orpheus and HMS Shelburne captured the USS Frolic in the Florida Straits. This is a follow-up on the story.

The HMS Shelburne was originally the American privateer Racer, built in Baltimore in 1811 and captured by the British in 1813. During its career as the Shelburne, it capturedseveral merchant ships and most notably, participated in the capture of the USS Frolic. It was sold in 1817.

 It was commissioned as a privateer in August 1812 under Captain Danield Chayton. On April 13, 1813, it was captured at the Battle of Rappahannock River in Virginia. British Admoral Sir John Bortase Warren's squadron chased four American schooners into the river and sent 17 boats upriver to capture them.

They succeeded, and one of them was the Racer.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Orpheus: Captured the USS Frolic

From Wikipedia.

One of seven Royal Navy ships to bear the name. A 36-gun Apollo-class 5th-rate frigate, 145 feet long with crew of 264.

Ordered 1807, laid down August 1808 at Deptford Dockyard, launched 12 August 1809 and completed in September.

Part of the British fleet blockading Long Island Sound. In May 1813, chased American privateet Holkar aground and destroyed it with cannon fire.

Part of the British squadron that chased Stephen Decatur's fleet into New London and blockaded it.

On April 20, 1814, it and HMS Shelburne captured the USS Frolic.

Broken up in 1819.

--Brock-Perry

The Short Career of the Sloop of War USS Frolic

From Wikipedia. 

One of a three-class group of sloops of war that also included the USS Peacock and USS Wasp, the Frolic cost $72,095 and was built at Charlestown, Massachusetts. Launched 11 September 1813, 509 tons, 119 feet long, 170 crew and carried 22 guns. 

On 18 February 1814, set out to sea under Cmdr. Joseph Bainbridge (younger brother of Commodore William Bainbridge) and cruised to the West Indies. On March 20th, it destroyed a British merchant ship and a Spanish-American privateer. On April 3rd, it sank another British merchant ship. 

On April 20th, while in the Florida Strait it was spotted by the 36-gun frigate HMS Orpheus and 12-gun schooner HMS Shelburne, who gave chase. The Frolic lightened ship by throwing guns and other items overboard, but was still captured after a six hour chase about 15 miles from Cuba. 

The British Admiralty purchased it and it became the HMS Florida until broken up in 1819. 

One Ship, Two Navies. --Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Timeline-- April 1814: USS Frolic Defeated

APRIL 20TH, 1814: The HMS Orpheus and HMS Shelburne defeat the USS Frolic in the Florida Straits. 

APRIL 22ND, 1814: A camp of instruction is established by American General Jacob Brown at Flint Hill, near Buffalo, New York. 

--Brock-Perry