U.S. Navy Recovers Cannon Off Rhode Island-- Part 2: Watch Hill Reef

There was a thick fog and heavy swells that January 9, 1811, when Oliver Hazard Perry's ship, the USS Revenge struck the reef off Watch Hill in Waverly.  Hazard ordered the men to jettison the cannons, mast and anchor to get off the rocks, but to no avail.  His ship sank (and he was disgraced).

The cannons were found in 2005 by a pair of divers and the announcement was made in 2011, on the 200th anniversary of the sinking.

--Brock-Perry

U.S. Navy Recovers Cannon Off Rhode Island-- Part 1: Perhaps From Perry's USS Revenge

From the June 3, 2017, Providence (Rhode island) Journal "US Navy recovers cannon to identify 200-year-old shipwreck."

A picture of the cannon accompanies the article with the label:  January 7, 2010, one of the cannons found on Water Hill reef by Charles Buffum, Stonington, Connecticut, and Craig Harger..  They found six cannons and an anchor 15 feet below the surface of the water.

It is believed the cannon is from the wreck of Oliver Hazard Perry's schooner USS Revenge which sank in the area on January 9, 1811.

Always Great to Find Lost Stuff.  --Brock-Perry

Joseph Chambers' Diving Suit and Torpedoes

Evidently, repeating weapons weren't the only thing Joseph Chambers was interested in.

In November 1807, he wrote to Thomas Jefferson giving details for his experiments with a primitive type of diving suit and "Torpedoes."

November 17, 1807:  From West Middleton, Pennsylvania.

A proposition for examination by the government of a submarine dress for placing torpedoes and for other purposes during the war.

These torpedoes, however, would be more like mines than the powered torpedoes we know today.

--Brock-Perry