USS Preble (1813)

From Wikipedia.

On Monday I wrote about Lt. Charles A. Budd commanding the USS Preble at the Battle of Lake Champlain.

The USS Preble, sometimes called the Commodore Preble, was the first U.S. ship named for Commodore Edward Preble.  It was purchased on Lake Champlain in 1813 and converted into a warship.

Commissioned 8 August 1813, with Lt. Charles Augustus Budd in command.

It had a crew of 30 and mounted seven 12-pdrs. and two 18-pdrs..

Fought at the Battle of Lake Champlain  11 September 1814.  After the battle it was laid up and sold at Whitehall, New York, in July 1815.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Confiance-- Part 2

At the Battle of Plattsburgh, the Confiance battled the Saratoga for two and a half hours and was at a major disadvantage because the crew was largely untrained (and only on the ship a few weeks. It was forced to surrender and taken to Whitehall for repairs. During the winter of 1814-1815, it was Macdonough's headquarters ship.

With the war over, it was stripped of cannons and anything useful and housed over to prevent deterioration. It was moved to a site below Whitehall.

Rot quickly spread because of the greenness of the wood. Later, it was towed to the mouth of the Poultney River, known as East Bay, and allowed to sink. In 1825, the Whitehall naval station was closed and all remaining War of 1812 hulks were sold.

In a 1839 map of the area shows a spot with the "wreck of the Confiance." Then, in 1873, dredging work to the channel caused the Confiance's wreck to slip into it and block it. Local contractor, J.J. Holden, known as "Nitroglycerine Jack" was hired and some mighty explosions erased the Confiance.

 Goodbye Confiance. --Brock-Perry

USS Linnert, USS Saratoga and USS Confiance Sold in 1825

While looking up information on these three War of 1812 ships involved in the Battle of Lake Champlain (PLattsburgh) in New York, I noticed that all three were sold in 1825. //// I thought that to be too coincidental until I read that the United States government closed the naval station at Whitehall, New York, in that year. All three ships were in ordinary or just hulks there at the time.//// The Linnert and Confiance were formerly British ships. I wasn't able to find out what happened to the Saratoga or Linnert after they were sold, but most likely they were broken up. There was information on the Confiance after 1825, which I will write about when I do the thumbnail sletch on it beginning today. //// --Brock-Perry

Whitehall, New York: Birthplaceof the U.S. Navy

From Wikipedia. //// In the last post, I mentioned that after its capture, the HMS Linnert was taken to Whitehall, New York, repaired and taken into the U,S, Navy. Later, it was placed inordinary there before being sold. I have, on occasion, come across the name of this place in the War of 1812. //// It is located just south of the point where the Vermont border connects to the south end of Lake Champlain and founded in 1759. //// In 1776, American General Philip Schuyler built a small fleet of ships here which were used by General Benedict Arnold at the Battle of Valcour Island in October. Ever since then, Whitehall has claimed the title of Birthplace of the U.S. Navy. //// The vessels that survived the battle were destroyed here to prevent capture. Later, British General John Burgoyne led his forces through the area during his Saratoga Campaign. //// During the War of 1812, the American ships which fought at the famous Battle of Lake Champlain were built here. //// --Brock-Perry

A Follow Up on the USS Ticonderoga-- Part 2

Continued from Jan. 5th.

The Ticonderoga was originally a merchant steamer that was bought by the US Navy while it was under construction.  It was completed as a schooner and armed with twelve heavy cannons before being launched in May 1814.

A few months later, on September 11, 1814, it helped defeat the British at the Battle of Plattsburgh at Lake Champlain's northern end.  This stopped a British invasion of New York state.

After the war, it was used at Whitehall by East Bay.  Later, it became a hulk and sank until raised in the 1950s.

Other ships with the name Ticonderoga name included a World War II aircraft carrier.  Unfortunately, New York has no plans for the Ticonderoga's preservation.

The locations of other British and American Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sunken ships are known, but still underwater, making this the only really accessible one to the general public.

The Story of a Ship.  --Brock-Perry

A Follow Up On the USS Ticonderoga-- Part 1

From the Dec. 30, 2012, Fox News "War of 1812 naval relic still stored in New York shed" by AP.

Coming up in 2013 will be the 200th anniversary of the battle in which the USS Ticonderoga gained fame.  However, the hull is in serious danger as it sits outside in an open shed at the mercy of the elements. 

It needs to be moved into a climate-controlled facility and this will be way too much money for small town of Whitehall with its 3000 population, located 65 miles northeast of Albany, near the Vermont border.

Whitehall claims to be the birthplace of the U.S. Navy because in 1776, during the American Revolution, Benedict Arnold (yes, that Benedict) oversaw construction of a small fleet at what is now Whitehall.  In October of that year, the fleet sailed to Valcour Island, off Plattsburgh, and engaged a British squadron.  The Americans lost, but delayed the British invasion of New York until the following year.

It should be noted that several New England communities also lay claim to  the birthplace.

More to Come.  --Brock-Perry

USS Ticonderoga Lies Falling Apart in a New York Shed

From the Dec. 30, 2012, Fox News.

Whitehall Village in New York State bills itself as the Birthplace of the U.S. Navy, but, they haven't done much to preserve one of the Navy's oldest warship relics, the hull of the schooner USS Ticonderoga, the first of many ships to have that name.

It was raised back in the 1950s, before much was known of sunken ship preservation. It is still stored in an open-sided shed on the grounds of the Skenesborough Museum. 

There is a movement to improve the ship's condition as we approach the 200th anniversary of its sinking.

I'll definitely be doing more research on it as I had never heard of it before.

Save the Ticonderoga.  --Brock-Perry