HMS Swiftsure (1804)

From Wikipedia.

Ten ships have served in the British Royal Navy with the name Swiftsure, all the way from a galleon in 1573 to a submarine in the 1990s.

Miller Worsley served on the sixth HMS Swiftsure at the Battle of Trafalgar.  His ship was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line launched 23 July 1804, 173 feet long, 47.6 beam.  It fought at the Battle of Trafalgar.  One of the French ships it fought was the former HMS Swiftsure (1787).  (See next post for information on this ship.)

It became a receiving ship in 1819 and was broken up in 1845.

--Brock-Perry

Miller Worsley, Royal Navy-- Part 1: At Trafalgar, Transferred to Canada

From Wikipedia.

8 July 1791 to 2 May 1835

Volunteered for the Royal Navy in 1803, became midshipman in 1805.  He was at the Battle of Trafalgar serving aboard the HMS Swiftsure (See next post)

Drafted to serve in Canada along with Robert Heriot Barclay (Battle of Lake Erie) and Daniel Pring.  Evidently many British officers, both Army and Navy, regarded service in Canada as not too promising for their careers.  Much more action and advancement opportunity against the French in Europe.

Promoted to lieutenant 12 July 1813 and in 1814 was 1st lt. on frigate HMS Princess Charlotte on Lake Ontario and participated in the Raid on Fort Oswego.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Tecumseth

From Discovery Harbour site.

Built 1815 in Chippewa and transferred to Penetanguishene Bay Naval Shipyard to protect against Americans.  It was one of two warships located at the shipyard.  It eventually rotted and was reported sunk.

The remains were raised in 1953 and left outside until moved into the Discovery Harbour Centre where to today it is in a climate-controlled environment.

A replica of the ship is outside and is 124-feet long with a 70-foot deck and 24-foot beam, 150 tons.

--Brock-Perry

USS Tigress-- Part 5: After the War

Both the HMS Surprise (USS Tigress) and HMS Confiance (USS Scorpion) served with the Royal Navy until the end of the war and since there were no other American vessels on Lake Huron, gave the British Navy superiority.

They were laid up after the war and allowed to sink at their moorings in the Grand River.

One of the wrecks was recovered from the Penetanguishene Bay in 1953 was not the Tigress as thought, but the HMS Tecumseth which is now the Tecumseth Center at the north end of Discovery Harbor,

--Brock-Perry

USS Tigress-- Part 4: The USS Scorpion Captured As Well

The survivors of the USS Tigress were sent ashore as prisoners of war.  The majority of the British stayed on board the Tigress and kept the American flag flying in hopes of luring the other American ship, the Scorpion close enough to capture.

The Scorpion arrived September 6 and anchored two miles away from the Tigress.  British Lt. Worsley got the Tigress under way and ran it alongside the Scorpion and captured her as well.

Both ships and their captured crews were taken to Mackinac Island where the ships were renamed the HMS Surpise (Tigress) and HMS Confiance (Scorpion).

--Brock-Perry

USS Tigress-- Part 3: Captured In a Surprise Attack

The Tigress was under the command of Stephen Champlin at this time.

Four boatloads of British sailors and Indians secretly left Mackinac Island on the night of 3 September 1814.  They slipped alongside the Tigress, boarded and after a brief and bloody battle "warmly received" by the Tigress' crew, captured it in five minutes.  The Tigress only had a crew of 27.

"The defense of this vessel, wrote Lt. Miller Worsley, commander of the British, "did credit to her officers, who were all seriously wounded."

One of those seriously wounded was Acting Master Stephen Champlin.

--Brock-Perry

USS Tigress-- Part 2: Battle of the Thames and Mackinac Island

After the Battle of Lake Erie, the Americans took advantage of their new superiority captured Fort Malden and Detroit.  The Tigress, Scorpion and Porcupine, under command of Lt. Jesse Elliott went up the Thames River to support U.S. troops under General William Henry Harrison and the victory at the Battle of the Thames in which Indian warrior chief Tecumseh was killed.

Then the Tigress was sent to Lake Huron where it blockaded the mouth of the Nottawasaga River, the sole supply source for the British garrison on Mackinac Island.  By early September, the situation for the British on the island was dire.  Something had to be done.

It was under the command of Stephen Champlin.

Brock-Perry

USS Tigress-- Part 1: At the Battle of Lake Erie

I've been writing about Stephen Champlin in the past several posts and he later commanded this ship.

From Wikipedia.

Schooner at the Battle of Lake Erie on the American side.  In September 1814, it was captured by the British, taken into their service and renamed the HMS Surprise.

Commissioned in 1813 and built in Erie, Pennsylvania, by Adam and Noah Brown. It was 50 feet long ans had a 17 foot beam, crew of 27 and mounted one 32-pounder gun.  Originally named Amelia, but renamed USS Tigress.

Commanded by Lt. Augustus H,M. Conkling at the Battle of Lake Erie 10 September 1813.

--Vrock-Perry

Stephen Champlin, USN-- Part 4: Again Commanded the USS Porcupine

In 1816, he again commanded the USS Porcupine and participated in the mapping of the United States-Canada border under the Treaty of Ghent.

He served in the U.S. Navy until 1855, when he retired from service.  In 1862, he was promoted to the rank of commodore on the retired list.

The rest of his life he suffered tremendously from the wound he received in 1814.

He died 20 February 1870.

--Brock-Perry

Stephen Champlin, USN-- Part 3: Seriously Wounded and Captured

Champlin's ship USS Tigress, blockaded the British port at Mackinac for several months.

The British decided to break the blockade and attacked the Tigress by small boats manned with 400 British sailors and Indians.  Champlin was seriously wounded by a cannon shot that went through both thighs.  he and his ship were captured.

He suffered tremendously during his imprisonment by the British for 38 days before being paroled and exchanged.  He returned to Connecticut to recuperate.

--Brock-Perry

Stephen Champlin, USN-- Part 2: The Battle of Lake Erie

From Find-A-Grave.

His father was a farmer, but Stephen rejected the idea and went to sea at age 16.  He rose to the rank of captain in the West Indies trade within six years.

In the War of 1812, he was appointed sailing master in the U.S. Navy and given command of a gunboat.  Then he was ordered to Lake Erie and took command of the schooner USS Scorpion and was in the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie.  It is said he fired the first and final shots of the battle.

He captured the HMS Little Belt and afterwards was placed in command of two captured British warships: the Queen Charlotte and Detroit.

--Brock-Perry

Stephen Champlin, USN-- Part 1: Commanded USS Scorpion at Battle of Lake Erie

From Wikipedia.

17 November 1789 to February 1870.

U.S. Naval officer in the War of 1812.  Born in Kingston, Rhode Island, and entered the U.S. Navy as a sailing master 22 May 1812.  Commanded the schooner USS Porcupine at the Battle of Lake Erie and captured the British ship HMS Little Belt.

He was later wounded when the Scorpion was taken on Lake Huron.  (The Scorpion was not the ship he was wounded on, it was the the USS Tigress.)

Retired from the Navy in 1855 and was later promoted to the rank of commodore on the Retired List.

Died at Buffalo, New York and was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo.

Two ships in the Navy have been named for him.

--Brock-Perry

This John Campbell Not the One At the Battle of Rock Island Rapids

There was a bit of confusion of these two John Campbells.  But, I am sure the John campbell mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippawa was not the one commanding Americans at the Battle of Rock Island Rapids.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 4: Mortally Wounded in Action

Colonel Campbell commanded the 11th Infantry Regiment at the capture of Fort Erie and was mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippewa, Canada, on July 5, 1814.  He commanded the right wing of Brigadier General Winfield Scott's Army at that battle.

He died August 28, 1814.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 3: "The Whole Business Was Planned By Myself"

Campbell replied to British General Riall with this letter:

Niagara Frontier 16 June 1814

"Sir, - I have the honor to receive your communication of the 9th current. I commanded the detachment of the United States army which lately made a landing at Dover on lake Erie.

"What was done at that place and its vicinity proceeded from my orders.  The whole business was planned by myself and executed upon my responsibility."

This was the only time that letters were exchanged between opposing officers during the war.  Of course, British General Phineas Riall was no stranger to sacking American towns which was a big reason for Dover being so devastated.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 2: Rising Through the Ranks

War of 1812 Service

On March 12, 1812, he was appointed from Kentucky as a lieutenant-colonel of the 19th Infantry and brevetted to colonel on December 18, 1812, for gallant conduct versus the Mississineway Indians.  On April 9, 1814, he was promoted to colonel and transferred to the 11th U.S. Infantry.

After his raid on Port Dover, British Major General Phineas Riall addressed the U.S. commanding officer by letter accusing the Americans of "acts of outrage on private property" there.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 1: Born in Virginia, Moved to Kentucky

From Wikipidea.

March 13, 1777 to August 28, 1814

Famous for his expedition to destroy the Miami Indian villages along the Mississinewa River in Indiana and his infamous order to destroy private houses and other property in Dover, Canada, including stores of grain and mills.

This led to a Canadian Court of Enquiry and an unprecedented letter to the enemy explaining himself.

Mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippawa in July 1814.

Born in Virginia and his family moved to Kentucky around 1807 and became a lawyer in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

He was the son of Colonel Arthur Campbell who fought in the American Revolution and Indian Wars.  Campbell County, Tennessee, was named for him.  He had a brother named James H. Campbell who also fought in the War of 1812 and died at Mobile, Alabama.

--Brock-Perry

Clayton Farm Owned By War of 1812 Veteran Honored

From the December 28, 2017, Herald-Whig (Illinois)  "Clayton farmer recognized for sesquicentennial farm" by Matt Dutgo.

The original 1864 deed for the farm of John Heinecke hangs on a wall in the farmhouse.  The farm became the 15th Adams County farm to achieve sesquicentennial status.

The original 160 acre plot was given to Robert Rickaby, a soldier who served in the War of 1812.  Over the years, the farm was sold several times, once even for as little as $70 and as much as $1,000 before John's great-great-grandfather Charles Heinecke bought it in July 8, 1864, for $37.99 an acre.  Heinecke was an immigrant from Hanover, Germany.

--Brock-Perry

George Henry Preble

The last four posts have been about this man and the flag he captured from a Chinese pirate.

Here is some more information about him.

February 25, 1816 - March 1, 1885.

American Naval officer.  Wrote a history of the United States flag and took the first picture of the Fort McHenry banner.

He was born in Portland, Maine, into a seafaring family.  His father was Enoch Preble and uncle was Commodore Edward Preble of the Tripolitan Wars fame.

Preble entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman on December 10, 1835, and served on the frigate USS United States (built in 1797) until 1838.

In 1841, he was in the Seminole War in Florida and was on the sloop USS St. Louis during its circumnavigation of the world 1843-1844.

He was involved in China, the Mexican War and the Civil War.

--Brock-Perry

Preble's Flag-- Part 4: Encounter at Tylo Bay, China

On November 2, 1854, Lt. Preble and the Queen fired on ten Chinese pirate junks at Tulo Bay.  During twenty minutes of battle, Preble tested water depths and the range of his weapons and then left the scene to get reinforcements.

Nearby was British Admiral Sir James Stirling in the 52-gun 4th Rate Ship-of-the-Line HMS Winchester. He was accompanied by a squadron including the six-gun paddle sloops HMS Barracouta, HMS Styx and the 14-gun screw sloop HMS Encounter.

In addition, there were two more local steam boats and the Portuguese ship Amazonia.  It was quite an international fleet.

On November 3, the allies landed and set fire to two pirate ships and the pirate encampment.  Preble returned with the inscribed flag of pirate chief Luc Ming Suy Ming.  This is the recently found flag at the USNA Museum.

--Brock-Perry

Preble's Flag-- Part 3: Lt. Preble Had a Famous Uncle

On September 1, 1854, Commodore Perry ordered the charter of local steamship Queen to patrol the Chinese coast between Hong Kong and Macau at a monthly cost of $750.

Captain Joel Abbott of the Macedonian placed Lt. George Henry Preble in command of the Queen with 40 sailors and 14 Marines.  Five decades earlier, Lt. Preble's more famous uncle, Commodore Edward Preble, had commanded the Third Squadron against the Tripoli pirates in the Mediterranean.

Young Lt. Preble fought Chinese pirates often with his command.

--Brock-Perry

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

Preble's Flag-- Part 1: Recently Rediscovered at Annapolis

From the January 2018, War On the Rocks:  Preble's Flag:  An Emerging Navy Fights Chinese Pirates" by Claude Berube.

In December last year, the staff at the USNA Museum in Annapolis rediscovered quite a few flags from the 18th century that were thought to have been lost, including ones from the Spanish-American War and the Korean Expedition of 1871.

One of particular interest was a flag captured by George Henry Preble, a young Navy lieutenant in his first command.  It was from a largely-forgotten fight with Chinese pirates in 1854.

This story is a bit beyond the scope of this War of 1812 blog, but quite a few of the ships and people in the story were involved with the war, so I will write about it.

--Brock-Perry

Michigan Cemetery Marked

From the October 16, 2017, Northville (Michigan) Hometown Life by Liz Cezat.

A new historical marker was installed this month at Northville's Oakwood Cemetery.  Thirty-five veterans of wars dating from the American Revolution to the Spanish-American War are buried there as well as many of the town's early settlers.

It was unveiled October 8 and given by the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists.

Revolutionary War veteran William Gregory is buried there along with War of 1812 veteran Caleb Harrington.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of River Raisin Re-Enactment

From the January 22, 2018, Lenconnect.com

There were about 70 re-enactors on hand this past Saturday.  During the actual battle during the War of 1812, hundreds of American militiamen lost their lives.

The inexperienced Americans were badly outnumbered as well.

The battle was fought January 22, 1813 and matched 1,000 mostly inexperienced Americans against a force of 800 Indians and 600 British.

Four hundred Americans were killed and 500 captured.

--Brock-Perry

The Dennis Shipyard in Toronto-- Part 4: Today

John Dennis' son, Joseph (1789-1867) was born in New Brunswick and was his father's heir. he was also a shipbulder but more interested in sailing the ships than building them.  He eventually moved to Weston.

The importance of the site of the Dennis Shipyard:

The first ship built for Britain, the HMS Toronto, was built there.  In 1999, a celebration of the bicentennial of the event was held on the Humber River.

Importance to archaeologists:  A dig is needed at the site before anything is done to it.  It should also be plaqued to commemorate the Dennis Shipyard and the HMS Toronto.

--Brock-Perry

York/Toronto Canada

From Wikipedia.

In 1793, Upper Canada's Governor John Simcoe established the town of York on the Toronto Purchase Land.  He moved Upper Canada's capital from Newark (today's Niagara-on-the-Lake) to York, believing it to be less vulnerable to American attack.

York Garrison (Fort York) was constructed at the entrance to York's natural harbor.

In 1813, the Battle of York ended with the capture of the town by U.S. forces.  The surrender was negotiated by York's John Strachan.  Americans destroyed much of York during a five day occupation which resulted in British payback with the burning of Washington, D.C..

York was incorporated as the city of Toronto (the Indian name for it) on March 6, 1834.

--Brock-Perry

The Dennis Shipyard in Toronto-- Part 3: Taken Over By Matthias Sanders

John Dennis moved his family to Kingston so that he could work the Naval Dockyard there.  Matthias Sanders took over the Dennis Shipyard in York and also married a Dennis daughter.

In 1813, Sanders was killed in the explosion of the magazine at Fort York during the American invasion.

In 1818, a traveler cited the Dennis Shipyard as a landmark.

Dennis returned to York after the war in 1815 and built a home at the northeast corner of King and Yonge streets.  He died there of cholera in 1832.  The house was torn down when the Ridout brothers built a hardware store on the site.

--Brock-Perry

The Dennis Shipyard in Toronto-- Part 2: Built the HMS Toronto

His lumber came from the nearby King's Mill.  Between 1796 and 1801, John Dennis built at least three ships there, including the 50-foot schooner HMS Toronto which was ordered by the government of Upper Canada in 1799.

During a storm in 1811, the Toronto sank off Hanlan's Point and its skeleton was still visible into the 1940s.

Toronto is the city's original native name.

--Brock-Perry

The Dennis Shipyard in Toronto-- Part 1: A Loyalist During the American Revolution

From the Toronto History Association.

Was located on the east bank of the Humber River,south of Bloor Street facing the island in Toronto.

An acre and a half at most.  Currently it is semi-wild and used mostly by hikers following the river bank and children playing.

John Denny (1758-1832) was born in Philadelphia and his family were Loyalists during the American Revolution.  Moved to Beaver Harbour, New Brunswick after the war and lived there five years.

became a master shipbuilder and moved to Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake).  Lt. Governor Simcoe felt Newark was too close to the Americans and recommended Dennis move to York (now Toronto).  In 1796, he granted land on the east side of the Humber River to Dennis to set up a shipbuilding business.

--Brock-Perry