'Caroline's Battle' and the War of 1812-- Part 1

Five books were written about the life of American Girl's Caroline Abbott War of 1812 doll.  Two of them was specific to the War of 1812, "Caroline's Battle" and "Changes for Caroline."

"Caroline's Battle" discusses several War of 1812 battles.  Topics covered:

**  Sackets Harbor today

**  The second Battle of Sackets Harbor on May 28, 1813, with the British sending a fleet to take the town and destroy the USS General Pike.

**  Lack of soldiers to defend the town.

**  Lack of wind causing the British fleet to stall, allowing the people of Sackets Harbor to arm and prepare for battle.

**  Lack of any battle or combat experience among the American militiamen against British forces, with haphazard results.

**  Accidental destruction of  supply storehouses in Navy Point at the time of the British defeat.

Well, it would appear that someone has done some research on the topic.

More to Come.  --Brock-Perry

American Girl Doll Caroline Abbott Trivia

Trivia about a doll?

1.  Caroline's release coincided with the beginning of the War of 1812's bicentennial in 2012.

2.  Caroline is the first and currently only character in the BeForever  line to be retired.

3.  With the archival of her collection in 2015, Caroline's availability was among the shortest of any Historical character at approximately three years; the only other characters with such availability were Cecile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner.

--Caroline-Perry

Caroline's Personality and Facts-- Part 2: Good and Bad Faults

Her father considers her flighty.    Caroline struggles with changes and also struggles to make her own decisions.  Later in the series, she learns how to use her heart and mind to make decisions.

Caroline is jealous when her cousin Lydia becomes friends with Rhonda, a girl staying with the Abbotts, and seems to believe that  they're leaving her out  with whatever they do.  When she has a worker at Abbott's shipyard make Rhonda ice skates, she believes Rhonda will love ice skating as much as she does, but is disappointed and frustrated when she finds  Rhonda doesn't.

Caroline is younger than both Rhonda and Lydia, but wants to be included in everything they do.

Her least favorite chore is cooking which she is not very good at.

She has a way of reading the expressions of others without them saying  anything or telling her how they're feeling.

She is proud of her father and will go  to great lengths to please him and often boasts about him.

Caroline loves her home town of Sackets Harbor and doesn't like leaving.

American Girl describes her as daring and self-reliant.

Kind of interesting that these dolls have such a background story to them and evidently regular books written about them.

--Brock-Caroline

Caroline Abbott's Personality and Facts-- Part 1: Likes the Outdoors and Embroidery

From American Girl Dolls Wiki.

Caroline was born in a log cabin and is the only child of her family.  She has lived in Sackets Harbor (New York) her whole life, and her family runs a shipyard on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Sackets Harbor, of course, played a huge role in the War of 1812 as an American base and where many warships were built.

Caroline enjoys outside activities, especially sailing on Lake Ontario and ice skating in the winter.  She dreams of being captain of her own ship one day.  She also likes fishing.  Caroline likes embroidery and likes to sew.  When she is upset, she keeps busy by embroidering.

She also likes the cows on her cousin's farm.

Caroline is described as sweet and clever.  Her friends call her  a true hero because she is not afraid to put her courage to the test.

Considered adventurous, tomboyish, brave, heroic and independent, Caroline is prone to making rash decisions, sometimes bordering between brave and foolish.  Caroline is very stubborn, sensitive and easily offended.

--Brock-Perry

Just the Facts About That Caroline Abbott Doll

From American Girl Fandom.

The Caroline Abbott doll was released in 2012 to coincide with the bicentennial of the War of 1812.  (This was the reason I started this blog.)  It was not updated in any sort of way.  It was retired in 2015, though her mini dolls are still available.

Caroline's meet outfit is  intended to reflect the higher waisted Federal fashions in the U.S..  This was one of the first eras where not only did children's fashions  progress to less restrictive designs and no longer  reflected the adult style.  They also had bifurcatedd underwear as pantalettes, as skirts had risen high enough  to show ankles, but legs were still expected to be covered.

E Bay has quite a few Caroline Abbott Dolls offered with prices between $100 and $200.  Plus, there are accessories.

You could go broke.

--Brock-Perry

American Girl Doll Caroline Abbott Ranked Worst-- Part 2: It Was Really Caroline's Lack of Compassion

Continuing with what Jenna Thompson had t say about the Caroline Abbott War of 1812 doll.

"Sure, she's cute, but beauty can only take her so far.  Her best quality is that she lives in a log cabin with her black cat named Inkpot, but when her cousin  Lydia comes to live with her and befriends her bets friend, she is super cool about it.  (So, evidently there is a story line to these dolls.)  

I like a feisty spirit within reason, but Caroline lacks compassion, earning her the bottom spot of the last.  It's no wonder she was discontinued."

I reckon I have a lot to learn about American Girl dolls.  But, even so.  Jenna was mean to our gal.

I wish Jenna had had pictures of all the eleven dolls on her list.

--Brock-Caroline

American Girl Doll Caroline Abbott Ranked Worst-- Part 2: 'Name One Thing That happened During the War of 1812'

Preposterous as it would seem, our War of 1812 doll, Caroline Abbott ranked worst in a list of 11 American Girl historian dolls ranked from worst to best.  

Here is what the reviewer had to say about our gal:

"CAROLINE ABBOTT (1810s)

Caroline is the biggest bore of the bunch.    First off, was the War of 1812  so important that  we needed an entire doll from that era?    No, it wasn't.    Name one  thing that  happened during the War of 1812.  Fighting, probably, but other than that I don't know a single thing about it.  Unfortunately, Caroline and her outfits are just as lame as the war."

Oh, wow.  This is wrong on so many levels.  Jenna obviously does not read this blog.  Even better, maybe she should start her own War of 1812 blog like I did she would know more about this conflict.  And, I was under the thought that most Americans at least knew about Fort McHenry, "Star-Spangled Banner" and the burning of Washington, D.C., as well as the USS Constitution.

Of course, when it comes to American Girl products, I know as little about that as Jenna Thompson.  Besides that, I am a boy and a real old one at that.

However, Like Those Sold Only On TV, "But Wait, There's More."  --Irate 1812 Baby Doll

Oh No, War of 1812 American Doll Ranked Worst!!-- Part 1: Caroline Abbott

From the April 19, 2021 Daily Nebraskan "The original American Girl Dolls ranked worst to the best" by Jenna Thompson.

Someone obviously does not like our gal doll.

"Whatever our  geographical, racial or class divide , women in the United States are tied together by one single thread -- our mutual interest in  American Girl from approximately ages  5 to 9."

"But, not every doll is equal.  Some are self-centered narcissists, or, worse yet,  just plain boring.  It's important  to steer ourselves clear of the duds, so enjoy this definitive list of the original American Girl dolls ranked worst  to best."

Well, my being a boy, a very old boy at that, I don't know much about American Girl, though I think their headquarters was at one time just a few miles from me in Wilmot, Wisconsin.

But the War of 1812 doll named Caroline Abbott is ranked dead last.

I will write down the whole piece on why poor Caroline ranks dead last and worst according to Henna Thompson in my next post.

--Brock-Caroline

Capt. Gwinn's Traveling Body-- Part 8: Finally Got It Right (Right Place and Right People)

It was decided that an upgrade with the USS Constitution name and the correct wife was needed.  Proof of marriage was also produced in the form of a marriage certificate between the good captain and one Caroline S. Lynch.  This came from the collection of the USS Constitution Museum.

Captain Creekman was able to convince  the National Cemetery office to "upgrade" John Gwinn's information and correct the name and death for Caroline.

This process is currently underway and it is hoped that this will soon put an end to the posthumous adventures of Captain Gwinn by dedicating his and Caroline's new gravestone.

************************

UPDATE

Captain Creekman visited Arlington National Cemetery in September 2016 on the 167th anniversary of Captain Gwinn's death and confirmed  that the new headstone for Captain Gwinn and Caroline is in place... AND CORRECT!!!!  

It now reads:

JOHN GWINN

Maryland

Capt

US Navy

June 11, 1797

Sep4, 1849

 Died Palermo Italy

In Command  USS Constitution

Finally.   --Brock-Perry

Capt. Gwinn's Traveling Body-- Part 7: Headstone Was Understated and Wrong Wife Shown

After all these  elaborate and generous actions, one would think Captain Gwinn's saga would finally, at long last, be at an end.  However, it wasn't.  There was still more to go.   For most, being buried twice and then dug up and moved two more times for a total of three burials that should have been end game.

But not so with the captain.

Photographs taken in 2010 by the Executive Director of the Naval Historical Foundation, Captain Charles T. Creekman, Jr.,  USN (Ret.),  brought attention to the new gravestone's understated words.

The engraving, as shown on the picture to the right of this, simply reads:  "John/ Gwinn/ Maryland/ Captain/ US Navy/ September 4, 1849," and makes no mention  of the USS Constitution.

An upgrade for the headstone was made.

Nothing came of that request,  until an error was discovered on the reverse of the headstone.  This is the side for his wife.

That inscription read:  "His Wife/ Elizabeth/Bruce/  September 4, 1849."

Gwinn's wife in actuality was Caroline S. Lynch and she died  on June 1, 1864.

Well....  --Brock-Perry

Traveling Body of Capt. Gwinn-- Part 6: About That Silver Plaque

In the following month of Captain John Gwinn and his wife Carline's bodies at the Arlington National Cemetery, September 1931, the USS Constitution made a scheduled  visit to the port of Philadelphia during its National Cruise, the silver plaque that was  mounted on the original Gwinn coffin was presented to the ship.  The plaque was displayed on board  until 1974, when it was transferred to the USS Constitution Museum.

**********************************

The plaque reads:

Died

September 4th 1849

U.S. Navy

In Command of the 

U.S, Frigate Constitution

At  Palermo, Sicily

************************************

And, you something?  The saga wasn't yet over.

See Next Post.  --Brock-Perry

Traveling Body of Capt. John Gwinn of the USS Constitution-- Part 5: Leaving Philadelphia and Heading to D.C.

Continued from April 10, 2021.

Once the coffins were dug up, thousands of people lined the streets of Philadelphia as they were escorted to the railroad station.  Flags were lowered to half-mast, church bells rang, and a Navy band played the funeral march.

The procession was followed by  representatives from all military branches , members of multiple VFW posts, auxiliaries in white dresses and gold-lined capes.

There was even an attempt to have the coffins carried to Washington, D.C.,  board the USS Constitution, which had just begun its famed National Cruise at the time.  But the timing was not good and preparations to transport by train had already been made.

The bodies arrived by train on August 24, 1931,  and the coffin was carried to its new grave site at Arlington National Cemetery.  There the bodies of Captain John Gwinn and his wife Caroline, arrived at their final destination.

They were buried at Lot No. 2913, Section 4.

--Brock-Perry

Who Commanded the USS Dale (1839) When Commissioned?

The reason I came across the name of John Gwinn in the first place was that I when I was researching the Richard dale family of the U.S. Navy, I came across the name John Gwinn as being the commander of the USS Dale when she was launched in 1839 was this man (in Wikipedia).

When I posted the timeline of Gwinn's life in the last two entries, my source did not have him commanding the Dale at commissioning.  The Dale was built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and Gwinn was the commander of that facility from 1839 to 1842.

I then came across the name of Charles Stewart, another U.S. Navy man from that era, who also was a War of 1812 veteran and his Wikipedia article said he commanded the Philadelphia Navy Yard from  1838 to 1841.  

So, this leaves the question of who commanded the USS Dale in 1839 and who was in command of the Philadelphia Navy Yard?

Who?  Who?  Inquiring Minds Want To Know.  --Brock-Perry

Timeline of Capt. Gwinn's Life-- Part 2: A Varied Career

1823-1825   Duty at United States Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts

1826   Duty on the USS Macedonian (frigate)

1829-1832  Executive Officer, United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1837   Commanded USS Vandalia (sloop of war) Home Squadron

1839-1842   Master Commandant,  United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania.

1839   USS Dale (sloop of war) launched and commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard.  I saw no reference that he commanded the ship as shown in the USS Dale (1839)  entry in Wikipedia, but probably got his name as commander because he was in charge of the overall Navy Yard.

1842    Promoted to Captain

1844-1845   Commanded USS Potomac (frigate)   Home Squadron

1848   Commanded USS Constitution (frigate),  Mediterranean Squadron.

1849  , September 4    Died Palermo, Italy

--Brock-Perry

Timeline of Captain Gwinn's Life-- Part 1: 1791 to 1823

 From the John Gwinn Papers, Library of Congress.

1791, June 11  Born in Taneytown, Maryland

1809   Appointed midshipman

           Duty on John Adams (frigate)

1814   Duty on Frolic  (sloop of war), West India Squadron

           Prisoner of War, Halifax, Nova Scotia

1815   Duty on Boxer (brig), Mediterranean Squadron

1817   Duty on the Hornet (sloop of war), European Station

1819   Duty on the Independence (ship of the line) 

1823   Married  Caroline S. Lynch

--Brock-Perry

Captain Gwinn's Portrait-- Part 2

Thomas Sully painted the portrait of Captain John Gwinn and his wife Caroline.  By his count, during his lifetime he produced 2,631 paintings.  Besides portraits, he also did landscapes and historical pieces.

  His painting "Portrait of  Anna and Harriet Coleman, sold for $145,000 in 2013.

The paintings of Gwinn and his wife were sold from the private collection of a Southern diplomat.

Good news in that the USS Constitution Museum bought both paintings for $19,000.  They said it was acquired from the James Severs collection.

John Gwinn died of chronic gastritis.

--Brock-Perry

There Are Paintings of Captain Gwinn and His Wife and Were at Auction in 2020

A few posts ago, I wrote that there were no known paintings of Captain John Gwinn of the USS Constitution.  While looking up more information on him, I came across a source that said paintings of him and his wife Caroline had been up for auction on November 21, 2020.

They had an estimated price of between $20,000 and $30,000 and auctioneers were Wooten & Wooten.  The one of Capt. Gwinn was made in 1839 and his wife's a few years later.

Thomas Sully painted them.  He was a famous artist living in Philadelphia who painted such subjects as Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and Marquis  de Lafayette.  Born in England in 1783 and emigrated with his family to Charleston, S.C.,  in 1792.  

Another of his subjects was Britain's Queen Victoria.    His Adams portrait hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.  Two of his Jefferson portraits are at the University of Virginia and at West Point.    

--Brock-Perry

The Traveling Body of Captain Gwinn-- Part 4: Getting the Captain Moved to a Better Burial Spot

Letters were written to the Philadelphia Record, the Naval Historical Foundation, the National Naval Liaison Officer of the VFW and the Philadelphia  County Committee of the VFW suggesting the exhumation of Captain Gwinn and his wife Caroline, and reburial at Arlington National Cemetery.

A new coffin was made  to hold the couple's remains.  During the transfer from the old coffin to the new one, 22 uniform buttons were removed from the which is a testament to the enduring  quality  of the U.S. Naval officer's garments. still intact uniform coat.

The moment of exhumation also afforded a closer look at Captain Gwinn himself, as no other images  are known to exist (which is why I just had a picture of his gravestone).  

The undertaker in charge of the project, Charles O'Neill, who was also commander of the Liberty Bell Post 1906, VFW, remarked "...never [have I seen] such large jaw bones as those of Captain Gwinn, also that there were four teeth missing, and in addition, that Captain Gwinn had red or auburn hair.  Might also add that when the grave digger took hold of the skull of Captain Gwinn [it] broke in half across the skull."

--Brock-Perry

Traveling Body of Capt. Gwinn-- Part 3: Need for Removal

From the June 26, 1931, Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utah "Lost Grave of Old Ironsides' Master found."

Philadelphia, June 26.  AP.

In a tumbledown cemetery now being abandoned has been found the long forgotten grave of a man  who "served his country for forty years."

The grave -- obscured  for years by  tangled weeds -- is that of Captain John Gwinn, former commander of "Old Ironsides" -- soon to start on her post-restoration cruise.

Most of the bodies have been exhumed from the old cemetery, but no one has claimed  that of the man whose tombstone reads:  "In Memory of John Gwinn, United States Navy.  Born  June, 1791; Died Palermo, Sicily, Sept. 1849, While in Command of United States Frigate Constitution."

Members of the Private John McArthur  post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars hope to have the body  removed to the national cemetery  at Arlington.

The Traveling Body of Captain Gwinn-- Part 2: From Palermo to Philadelphia

A few crew members saw  the funeral as an opportunity  to spend a night on the town and 14 sailors deserted after the ceremony.  A number of them returned voluntarily and the remainder were caught.  The ship's new commander, James H. Rowan, continued in Captain Gwinn's harsh disciplinary  manner and meted out  severe punishments (12 lashes) to many of them.

Sometime in 1850, Captain Gwinn's remains were brought back to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the storeship USS Erie and were reinterred at the Glenwood Cemetery.  His wife, Caroline S, Lynch Gwinn, joined him upon her death in 1864, as did other family members over time.

The Gwinns remained there until 1931 when the Glenwood Cemetery was found to be  old and abandoned with plans to raze it.  Family members of persons buried at the cemetery were contacted, but no one in Capt. Gwinn's family could be reached.

Captain Gwinn and Caroline's graves were slated to be destroyed  until members of the Private John McArthur Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars discovered what was happening  and took steps to save the bodies.

--Brock-Perry

The Traveling Body of Capt. Gwinn-- Part 1

As varied as John Gwinn's naval career was before his death, his remains also had quite an interesting history as he was reburied two times after the initial time in 1849 in Italy.  He was next buried in Philadelphia then Arlington, Virginia.

From the USS Constitution Museum  "Memento Mori."

Most of the many captains of The USS Constitution are known for the adventures during their lifetime, there is one captain who made waves during his life and his death.

That would be John Gwinn, the first captain to die while in command of the USS Constitution.

Following a short illness, Gwinn died in Palermo, Sicily,  on September 4, 1849.  The day after his death, carpenters and armorers fabricated Gwinn's coffin from wood and lead.   The captain's internment in Palermo was supposed to be only a temporary one.

The funeral took place on September 6, 1849, and "his remains  were followed to the tomb by the officers and men of [Constitution], as well as by officers of all the foreign ships in port  and by the civil and military authorities of this city," as noted in a letter from Assistant Surgeon Phineas Jonathan  Horwitz to Gwinn's widow.

--Brock-Perry

John M. Dale Sponsored the USS Dale's Launching

From Ships of the U.S. Navy and Their Sponsors.

USS Dale Sloop of War

Named for Commodore Richard Dale, U.S. Navy

675 tons, 8 guns

Launched November 8, 1839 at Philadelphia Navy Yard.

SPONSOR:  Commander John M. Dale, son of Commodore Richard Dale, U.S. Navy, of Revolutionary fame.

John Gwinn was the ship's first commander.

"On the occasion of the launching, Commander Dale wore the sword presented to John Paul Jones by Louis XVI of France.

"The sword came into possession of Commodore Richard Dale after the death of John Paul Jones."

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn Papers-- Part 3: Rising Through the Ranks

1823-1825  Duty at  United States Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts.

1826   Duty on USS Macedonian (frigate) Brazil Station

1829-1832   Executive Officer, United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1837  Commanded USS Vandalia (sloop-of-war), Home Squadron

1839-1842  Master Commandant , United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1842  Promoted to captain. 1844-1845  Commanded USS Potomac (frigate), Home Squadron

1848  Commanded USS Constitution (frigate), Mediterranean Squadron

1849,  September 4  Died , Palermo, Sicily

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn Papers-- Part 2: His Navy Career

John Gwinn's Life

1791, June 11   Born in Taneytown, Maryland

1809   Appointed midshipman.  Duty on frigate John Adams

1814   Duty in sloop-of-war Frolic, West India Squadron  Prisoner of war, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

1815   Duty  on Boxer (brig) Mediterranean Squadron. 

1817  Duty on the USS Hornet (sloop-of-war)   European Squadron

1819  Duty on USS  Independence (ship of the line)

1823   Married Caroline S. Lynch

--Brock-Perry