Battle Between USS Enterprise and HMS Boxer-- Part 1

From the Mariners' Museum and Park site.

A Commemorative Medal Replica.

The obverse features a right-facing head and shoulders bust of the lieutenant.

On the morning of September 5,  1813, as the USS Enterprise approached Pemaquid Point on the coast of Maine, Lt. William Burroughs spotted the Royal Navy's brig HMS Boxer in the bay.  Upon spotting the Enterprise, the Boxer fired her guns to summon her shore parties back on board.

Quickly weighing anchor, the Boxer headed for the Enterprise.  The two brigs were fairly evenly matched, with the Enterprise slightly stronger having  fourteen 18-pounder carronades to the Boxer's ten.  As the two ships maneuvered towards each other, the Boxer's Captain, Samuel Blyth, had the ship's colors nailed to the mast and said that they would "never be struck" while he was still alive.

Lt. Burroughs on the Enterprise meanwhile was busy moving his two  long 9-pound3ers from the bow to the stern, saying "we are going to fight both ends and both sides of the ship as long as the ends and sides hold together."

Brock-Perry

USS Constitution Continues Tradition; Names Gun 'Beat Army'

From the December 9, 2021, Charlestown Patriot-Bridge.

The USS Constitution named one of its 24-pound long guns "Beat Army" in support  of the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen as they take on the U.S. Military Academy's Black Knights in the  2021 annual Army-Navy game on December 11.

"Beat Army" was chosen  after they named one of their guns "Go Navy" for the 2020 matchup.

Historically, 24-pounder long gun teams consisted of up to 14 men operating two guns on opposite sides of the ship.

When paired in a gun team, the two guns would read "Go Navy, Beat Army."

The official "Beat Army" unveiling can be seen December 11 on the USS Constitution's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.

And, by the way, we watched the game at the McHenry, Illinois, American Legion and there was a whole lot of rivalry there, as well as a chili cookoff.  What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon with all that tradition and good eating.

And, by the way, Navy won 17-13, in a close game.

Go Navy, Beat Army.

HMS/USS Detroit-- Part 2: Essentially a Hulk After the Battle of Lake Erie

It was classified as a corvette and was originally planned for twenty 24-pdr. carronades but those cannons were captured when the Americans attacked York, Upper Canada.  As a result, the HMS Detroit was armed with an assortment of guns, some taken from British Fort Amherstburg.

Many of these were long guns, which could fire further than carronades, but were lighter shot.  This made an initial big difference in the Battle of Lake Erie.

After their capture at the battle, the badly damaged Detroit and HMS Queen Charlotte were used as hospital ships.  A gale struck a few days later, further damaging the ships.  After the wounded were taken off, the two British ships were essentially nothing more than hulks.


They were taken to Put-In-Bay to prevent sinking.  In May 1814, the USS Ohio assisted in fitting out the two ships at Put-In-Bay and then convoyed them to Erie, Pennsylvania where they were laid up until sold in 1825.

--Brock-Perry

HMS St. Lawrence-- Part 1: "Monster" Ship of the Lake

From Wikipedia.

Since I am on the subject of shipwrecks off Kingston, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, I will now turn attention to the "Monster" ship of the lake, the HMS St. Lawrence.

Stats:  2,304 tons, 184'2" length, 52'7" beam.  Crew of 700.  Mounted 112 guns:  thirty-two 32-pdrs. carronade, thirty-six 24-pdr. long guns, twenty-eight 32-pdr. long guns.

It was the only Royal Navy ship of the line ever launched on the Great Lakes.  Its arrival ended all naval action on Lake Ontario as the American fleet dared not challenge it.  Britain had won the naval arms race.

As powerful as it was, the St. Lawrence never went into battle.  It was laid up after the war and finally sold in 1832 to private interests and later sunk and is now a popular dive site.

--Brock-Perry

USS Niagara-- Part 2: Mounted Twenty Guns

Ordered 31 December 1812.  Launched 4 June 1813.  Sunk 1820.  Raised March 6, 1913.  Restored 1913, 1931, 1943, 1963, 1988.  Homeport: Erie, Pennsylvania.

Class-type :  Niagara-class, snow-brig.

110 ' 8", beam 32', 9 feet draft.

1813:  492 tons burden, 155 crew

Armament:  Eighteen 32-pdr. carronades, two 12-pdr long guns.  (Long guns had more distance than carronades)

--Brock-Perry

U.S. Navy Ships at the Battle of Lake Erie-- Part 2: Long Guns and Carronades

Name--   classification---  armament--   fate

Long guns are regular cannons and good for long range firing.

CALEDONIA--  brig--   2 long guns, 1 carronade--  1830 either sank or was dismantled

NIAGARA--  brig--  2 long guns, 18 carronade--  present day used as a sailing school.  (Original ship?)

SOMERS--   schooner--   1 long gun, 1 carronade--   unknown

PORCUPINE--   schooner--  1 long gun--    1873 beached

TIGRESS--   schooner--  1 long gun--  1815 sunk

TRIPPE--  sloop--   1 long gun--  1813 burnt by British

Totals:  9 ships--  15 long guns, 39 carronades

--Brock-Perry