Jacob Jones, USN-- Part 2: A Short, Violent Fight Between the Wasp and the Frolic

The capture by Tripoli did not stop Jones' career in the Navy.  At the beginning of the War of 1812, he now found himself in the command of the sloop USS Wasp.  In the early months of the war, American ships aggressively  sought out British ships in the Atlantic sea lanes and along the Atlantic coast.

On this cruise, before he even found the British, the Wasp encountered a violent storm which destroyed part of the ship's rigging and killed two men.  The rigging had just barely been repaired when a small convoy of British ships was spotted being escorted by the British sloop HMS Frolic.

Both being sloops, the two ships were about evenly matched for a battle that would be short and bloody.  The Wasp and Frolic were about sixty yards apart when the first broadsides were exchanged.  According to future President Theodore Roosevelt in his book "The Naval War of 1812, "The (Frolic) fired very rapidly, delivering three broadsides to the Wasp's two, both crews cheering loudly as the ships wallowed through the water.

"There was a very heavy sea running, causing the vessels to pitch and roll heavily.  The Americans fired as the engaged side of their ship was going down aiming at their opponents hull, while the British delivered their broadsides while on the crest of the seas, the shot going high."

So, Who Won?  --Brock-Perry

Disappearance of the Patriot-- Part 2

Logbooks from British warships off the North Carolina coast  reported a severe storm that struck January 2, 1813, after the Patriot left South Carolina.  The Patriot would have been a bit north of Cape Hatteras when the storm was at its fiercest and facing hurricane-strength winds in the early morning hours of January 2.

The Patriot was never heard from again.  Despite the many conspiracy theories and tales about Theodosia surviving it is most likely she perished with the rest of the ship's passengers and crew that day.

(I have also read that the British ships had stopped the Patriot, but after seeing a letter from Joseph Alston, the governor of South Carolina, asking for them to allow the ship to continue on its way, they did.  But, who will ever know.)

--Brock-Perry

Disappearance of Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston in 1813-- Part 2

After the Patriot left Charleston Harbor, no trace of the ship, crew or Theodosia was ever found.

A number of theories and legends have spring up about their disappearance.  Some claim the ship was attacked by pirates and made to walk the plank.  Others think they might have been captured by the British since the war was going on at the time.

Perhaps most fanciful of all was the story of a Karankawa Indian chief, who claimed that he had rescued a woman who had washed up ashore after a shipwreck and that in thanks, she had given him a locket with the name Theodosia inscribed upon it.

Personally, I think their end came from a storm or shipwreck.  The Patriot would have to pass North Carolina's Outer Banks n the way to New York and, as you know, many ships have been wrecked in that area.  Had the British captured or destroyed the ship, they would have written about it.

Now, after more than 200 years, it is not likely we will ever know their fate.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Nimrod-- Part 5: Smugglers, a Strike and Another Gale

POSTWAR CAREER IN ROYAL NAVY

The Nimrod continued in the service of the Royal Navy after the war.  In 1819-1821, the ship captured four ships involved in smuggling.  One was the American ship Vulture.

In July 1822, the Nimrod was involved in putting down a strike of keelmen against their employers at the Port O' Tyne in England.  Her sailors were used to move the barges.

Then, the Nimrod was part of a six vessel squadron tasked with putting down smuggling on the west coast of Scotland.

LOSS AND DISPOSAL

The ship sailed from Cork on 13 January 1827 for the Clyde and ran into a gale that caused her to take in water.  The ship took refuge in Holyhead in Wales.  However,  the wind switched directions and she lost her anchor and was driven onto a ridge of rocks.

They were able to get a line to shore and all 121 aboard her were able to be rescued.  Over the next few days, they were able to get her stores off until on 12 February the ship was able to get off the rocks.  The Royal Navy judged her not worth repairing and she was sold.

From 1828 to 1851, she was involved in the merchant trade.

--Brock-Perry

USS Congress (1799)-- Part 6: An Inauspicious Maiden Voyage

The USS Congress was launched on 15 August 1799 under the command of Captain James Sever.  It fit-out at Rhode Island and set off on its maiden voyage 6 January 1800 in company with the USS Essex to escort merchant ships to the East Indies.

Six days later she lost all of her masts in a gale.  Because her rigging had been set and tightened in a cold climate, it had slackened once she reached warmer waters.  Without the full support of all her rigging, all the masts fell within a four hour period, killing one crew member trying to do repairs.

The crew rigged a temporary sail and the Congress limped to the Gosport Navy Yard for repairs.  While there, some of Server's junior officers announced that they had no confidence in his ability as a commanding officer.  A hearing was held, and Captain sever was cleared  of any wrongdoing and remained in command of the Congress, though many of his crew soon transferred out to the USS Chesapeake.

Of course, the USS Chesapeake went on to have a somewhat checkered career as an unlucky ship.

--Brock-Perry

Stephen Champlin-- Part 11: Going After the British

"We were now reinforced by the arrival of Captain Elliot with several officers and about  ninety men most   of whom he took on board the Niagara, which ship was manned by more experienced, and consequently much better sailors, than the Lawrence.  The crew of the Lawrence was made up principally of ordinary seamen  and volunteers, many of whom were on the sick list.

"On the 12th of August, we sailed for the head of the lake.  On the arrival of the fleet at Sandusky, I was ordered by Commodore Perry to pass up between Sandusky and Put-In-Bay, as a lookout, and if the enemy hove in sight, to make a signal by hoisting an ensign.

"Soon after passing the point, I discovered  a schooner lying at anchor in Put-In-Bay.  I made the signal and gave chase, followed by the whole fleet.  But darkness and a severe gale compelled us to come to an anchor, to prevent going ashore.  The enemy's schooner was driven ashore by the gale."

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Sailors Honored

From the September 26, 2012, Sachem & Glanbrook Gazette.

On September 20th, the HMCS Star, HMCS Ville de Quebec and USS Hurricane were in the background as 53 sailors who died when the ships Hamilton and Scourge sank in Lake Ontario, the largest loss of US Naval personnel during the war.

On August 8, 1813, a sudden squall sank the ships within minutes.

The wrecks were discovered using side sonar in 1973, 290 feet deep.  Dives were made on the ships in 1980, 1982 and 1990.

The Canadian city of Hamilton took ownership in 1980 after the US Navy passed ownership to the Royal Museum in Toronto.

A Fitting Memorial.  --Brock-Perry