John Downes, USN-- Part 4: A Questionable Period and Making Sumatra Pay

Downes took command of the USS Macedonian in 1818 and set out on a three year show of American power to South America and beyond.  On this trip he decided to make some money giving protection, passage and banking to pirates, privateers and others.  He became quite rich from this.  I am surprised he was able to keep his rank in the Navy for doing this.

Regardles of this other stuff, John Downes became commodore of the Mediterranean Squadron and from 1828-1829, commanded the USS Java.

From 1832-1834, he commanded the Pacific Squadron.  In 1832, he went to the coast of Sumatra in the USS Potomac to avenge the attack on the American merchantman Friendship, of Salem, Massachusetts.  He attacked four Malay forts, killing all their defenders and then bombarded a village until it caught fire.

He then took the Potomac on an around the world voyage, becoming the second American vessel to circumnavigate the globe.  (The first was the USS Vincinnes, commanded by William B. Finch.)

--Brock-Perry

Timeline of Capt. Gwinn's Life-- Part 2: A Varied Career

1823-1825   Duty at United States Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts

1826   Duty on the USS Macedonian (frigate)

1829-1832  Executive Officer, United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1837   Commanded USS Vandalia (sloop of war) Home Squadron

1839-1842   Master Commandant,  United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania.

1839   USS Dale (sloop of war) launched and commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard.  I saw no reference that he commanded the ship as shown in the USS Dale (1839)  entry in Wikipedia, but probably got his name as commander because he was in charge of the overall Navy Yard.

1842    Promoted to Captain

1844-1845   Commanded USS Potomac (frigate)   Home Squadron

1848   Commanded USS Constitution (frigate),  Mediterranean Squadron.

1849  , September 4    Died Palermo, Italy

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn Papers-- Part 3: Rising Through the Ranks

1823-1825  Duty at  United States Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts.

1826   Duty on USS Macedonian (frigate) Brazil Station

1829-1832   Executive Officer, United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1837  Commanded USS Vandalia (sloop-of-war), Home Squadron

1839-1842  Master Commandant , United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1842  Promoted to captain. 1844-1845  Commanded USS Potomac (frigate), Home Squadron

1848  Commanded USS Constitution (frigate), Mediterranean Squadron

1849,  September 4  Died , Palermo, Sicily

--Brock-Perry

Dueling Frigates-- Part 8: There Will Be No Frigate Duel

Then it was Sttephen Decatur's turn to balk:  "But sir, if the [HMS] Statira is to avail herself alone of this concession [ of adding crew], it must be obvious to you and everyone,that should I be yielding to you an advantage I could not excuse to my government; and in making the crew of the Macedonian in any degree equal to such a conflict I should be compelled to break up the crews of this ship and the Hornet, and thus render a compliance with my orders to proceed to sea utterly impracticable."

Like Hardy, he saved face for his subordinate:  "You will have the goodness, sir, to inform Capt. Stakpoole that his letter was shewn to Capt. Jones according to his request, that Capt. Jones is  is extremely desirous of  that a meeting should take place between the Statira and Macedonian, but it is controlled by me for the reasons I have stated."

Of interest, both Decatur and Stackpoole were later killed in duels.

--Brock-Perry

Dueling Frigates-- Part 5: Setting Up a Frigate Duel

However, after the American single ship-to-ship victories in 1812 greatly embarrassed the Royal Navy, the British Admiralty ordered its captains not to engage the enemy ship-to-ship.  To comply with this order, Sir Thomas Hardy stated that he would not permit such action if the challenge were issued by a British commander.

On January 17, 1813, Decatur dispatched Captain James Biddle of the Hornet to issue an invitation to Hardy reading:  "If  Mr. Moran's statement be correct, it is evident that Captains Hope and Stackpoole have the laudable desire of engaging with their ships, the United States and the Macedonian.  --We, Sir, are ready and equally desirous  for such a meeting forthwith."

Hard turned the matter over to his captains, and Captain Hassard Stackpoole of the HMS Statira immediately replied:  "It will afford her Captain, officers and crew the greatest pleasure to meet Capt. Jones in the Macedonian to morrow, next day, or whenever such a meeting may better suit his purpose, let him only be pleased to appoint the day and place; say six or ten leagues [18 to 30 nautical miles] south on Montaug Point, or further if he pleases."

--Brock-Perry

Dueling Frigates-- Part 4: Get Out With a Duel?

The day of the battle between the Chesapeake and Shannon off Boston, Captain Stephen Decatur of the 56-gun frigate USS United States, 38-gun frigate USS Macedonian (previously the HMS Macedonian) and 20-gun USS Hornet, into the Thames River, by New London, Connecticut.

They then found themselves blockaded there by British ships for the next six months.

Decatur tried various schemes to break out.  One of the first attempts were the blue light signals which caused him to cancel one attempt.  Then, he hit upon another scheme.

Captain Decatur was at Brown's tavern in New London, Ct., in January 1813, when Captain Nicholas Moran, a coasting ship commander, came to him and said that he had just been the "guest" aboard the HMS Ramillies, and that Captain Henry Hope of the 46-gun HMS Endymion had said he thought Decatur was afraid of an engagement between their two ships.

Moran also claimed that Sir Thomas Hardy had "remarked, that he should be delighted to see a match between the [HMS] Statira and [USS] Macedonian since they were sister ships."

In Other Word, "Duel."  --Brock-PerryDuel

Preble's Flag-- Part 2: Opening of Japan

Commodore Matthew C. Perry (a War of 1812 veteran) arrived in Japan for the second time in February 1854 with ten ships, including the former frigate USS Macedonian now a sloop of war and under the command of War of 1812 veteran Captain Joel Abbott.  (The Macedonian had been built from the keel of the original Macedonian from the War of 1812).

Japan's opening was a new market for the United States, but trade with the Orient was nothing new as commerce with China had continued since 1785 when the Philadelphia merchant ship Canton had visited the country.

Chinese pirates began attacking American ships.  Perry determined at this time to stop these pirates.

--Brock-Perry

Jacob Nicholas Jones

From Together We Served site.  List of and dates of U.S. Navy Service.

1799-1801   USS United States
1801-1803   USS Philadelphia
1801-1805   Prisoner of War, Algeria

1805-1810   U.S. Navy
1810-1812   USS Wasp
1813-1814   USS Macedonian

1815   USS Macedonian
1816-1818   USS Guerriere
1818-1821   U.S. Navy

1821-1823   Mediterranean Squadron
1823-1826   U.S. Navy Board of Commissioners
1826-1827   Pacific Squadron

1829-1847   U.S. Navy
1847-1850  U.S. Naval Asylum

Not sure about the last place he was.  Did he command it or was he in it?

--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

USS Hornet-- Part 1: Launched 1805 in Baltimore

From Wikipedia.

Yesterday, I wrote that The USS Hornet captured the HMS Penguin on March 23, 1815, quite a few weeks after the war was over.

The USS Hornet was launched in 1805 in Baltimore and was a brig-rigged sloop-of-war that was sunk in a storm in 1829 with the loss of its entire crew.  The ship was 106 feet long and mounted eighteen 32-pdr. carronades and two 12-pdr. long guns.

It sailed under James Lawrence's command during early War of 1812 on a raiding voyage to South America.  On February 24, 1813, it engaged the HMS Peacock off Denerary (Guyana), forcing the British ship to surrender, but it was in such bad condition it sank.

Later, the Hornet joined the USS United States and USS Macedonian and was chased into the Thames River near New London, Connecticut, and was blockade for a while.

--Brock-Perry

The Second USS Macedonian-- Part 2: Civil War Service and to 1922

The USS Macedonian departed Portsmouth, New Hampshire and joined the USS Brooklyn off Pensacola, Florida on 12 January 1861.  After that, it patrolled the Gulf of Mexico and off South America after which it saw duty with the West Indies Squadron.

In July 1863, along with the USS Kearsarge, it looked for the CSS Southerner.

Noted naval person Alfred Mahan Thayer served aboard it.

From 1863 to 1870, it was a school and practice ship for midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy.  Put into ordinary in 1871 and then sold into merchant service.  By 1900, it had been converted into the Macedonian Hotel at City Island in the Bronx.  It was mentioned in Ripley's Believe It or Not in 1983.

It caught fire and burned down in 1922.

I saw a picture of it as the Macedonian Hotel and it sure didn't look much like a ship anymore.

--Brock-Perry

The Second USS Macedonian-- Part 1: From the Original's Keel

After the first USS Macedonian was decommissioned in 1828, the U.S. Navy ordered another one to the design of the original captured HMS Macedonian.  It was a Lively-class frigate for the Royal Navy, one of 16 ships built to a 1799 design.  They proved to be quite a workhorse and efficient class of ships.

This new Macedonian was rebuilt from the keel of the original one and launched in 1836 as the USS Macedonian and placed in service under Captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones (there he is again) and served in the West Indies Squadron and was one of the six warships in Commodore Perry's opening of Japan in 1854.

It also saw service in the Civil War.

--Brock-Perry

The First USS Macedonian

The USS Macedonuian was originally the HMS Macedonian, captured during the War of 1812, captured by Stephen Decatur and his USS United States on October 25, 1812.  After the capture, the ship was repaired for two weeks then brought into Newport, Rhode Island as a prize.  Decatur became even more famous for this feat.

It was commissioned into U.S. service after further repairs and served out the war.

It was decommissioned in 1828 and broken up in 1834.

Serving Two Navies  --Brock-Perry

HMS Macedonian: Lively-Class Frigate-- Part 6

From Wikipedia.

The HMS Macedonian was one of the outclassed British frigates which lost a solo battle with an American frigate during the war.

In 1810, it operated off Portugal and was involved in the Napoleonic Wars. In Jan. 1812, it went to Norfolk, Virginia (before war was declared in June), for a secret deal to keep the Bank of England solvent. While there, its captain, John Garden, bungled the mission by revealing it to his friend, U.S. Navy Captain Stephan Decatur while dining and drinking together. Garden even bet his beaver hat that his ship could beat Decatur's ship, the USS United States in a ship-vs.-ship fight.

On October 22, 1812, the two ships and captains met in that fight. The United States had the much heavier broadside and in short time, all three of the Macedonian's masts were down and the ship's hull was riddled with shot.

The Macedonian became the second British frigate to surrender to the U.S. Navy, the HMS Guerriere being the first. However, the Macedonian could be saved and after repairs, was taken into the U.S. Navy as the USS Macedonian.

--Brock-Perry

Commodore Jacob Nicholas Jones, USN

From Wikipedia.

(March 1768-August 3, 1850.  An American officer in the Quasi-War with France, the Barbary Wars and War of 1812.  Born in Kent County, Delaware.

He was definitely involved with some of the ships I wrote about last month on their 200th anniversaries.

Strangely, however, he didn't join the Navy as a midshipman until he was 31, that when some midshipmen were as young as 10.  Some think the death of his wife prompted him to do it.  During the Quasi War, he served on the USS United States under Commodore John Barry and was promoted to 2nd Lt. in 1801.

On Oct. 31, 1803, during the Barbary War, he was taken prisoner on the USS Philadelphia in the Bay of Tripoli, but freed in 1805.

In 1810, he was given command of the USS Wasp and during the War of 1812, on Oct. 18, 1812, captured the HMS Frolic and that same day he was again captured, this time by the HMS Poictiers.

He was widely acclaimed after his prisoner exchange despite losing his ship.  He then was given command of the USS Macedonian, a captured British ship before getting bottled up with the USS United States in New London, CT. in 1814.  He was then transferred to Lake Ontario and given command of the USS Mohawk during the last year of the war..

During the Second Barbary War, he again commanded the USS Macedonian and later captained the USS Guerriere, another captured British ship.  From 1821-1823, he commanded the Mediterranean Squadron, then the Pacific Squadron 1826-1829 and then was Navy Commissioner in Washington, DC. 

He commanded the Philadelphia Navy Yard from 1847 until his death.

So here was a guy captured twice and then who commanded two captured ships.

Must Have Been In His Blood.  --Brock-Perry

HMS Macedonian/USS Macedonian

The HMS Macedonian was a 38-gun Lively-Class frigate launched in 1810 and as I earlier blogged, captured in a one-sided battle versus the frigate USS United States on October 25, 1812. 

The ship was repaired and purchased by the US Navy and commissioned the USS Macedonian and participated on the American side in the War of 1812 after that.  But, she spent much of the time bottled up by the British with the American fleet at New London, Connecticut.  Its first American commander was John Jacobs, who had commanded the hapless USS Wasp when it was captured by the Poictiers.

Later, in 1815, it participated in the Second Barbary War in the Mediterranean.  It later patrolled the US East Coast for three years and then was sent to the Pacific Station.  Decommissioned in 1828, it was then broken up at the Norfolk Navy Yard.

Serving Both Sides.  --Brock-Perry