This Month in the War of 1812: Napoleon, Embargo Act, Treaty of Ghent, William Henry Harrison and USS Constitution

DECEMBER 4, 1804

**  Napoleon is crowned Emperor of France following a coup d'etat.  (Thankfully because he kept the British tied up fighting him  at first in the war.)

DECEMBER 22, 1807

**  The Embargo Act passed.

DECEMBER 24, 1814

**  The Treaty of Ghent was signed ending the war.

DECEMBER 28. 1812

**  William Henry Harrison formally resigns as Governor of Indiana Territory and takes the rank of brigadier general.

DECEMBER 29, 1812

**  The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Java.

--Brock-Perry

Events During the War of 1812 Occurring in December: Hartford Convention, Fort Niagara, Embargo Act, Treaty of Ghent, USS Constitution

From the December 2021 American Battlefield Trust calendar.

**  DECEMBER 14, 1814

Delegates of the Hartford Convention meet in Hartford, Connecticut.

**  DECEMBER 19, 1813

Capture of Fort Niagara.

**  DECEMBER 22, 1807

The Embargo Act passes.

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

**  DECEMBER 24, 1814

Treaty of Ghent signed.

**  DECEMBER 28, 1812

William Henry Harrison formally resigned as governor of the Indiana Territory and takes the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army.

**  DECEMBER 29, 1812

The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Java.

--Brock-Perry

December 28, 1812: The USS Constitution Scores

On December 29, 1812, during the War of 1812, the frigate USS Constitution engaged and severely  damaged the British frigate HMS Java.

The Java was originally a French frigate that was captured by the British and mounted 38 guns, mostly of the 18-pounder long guns and carronades.  The Constitution mounted some 50 guns, mostly 24-pounder long guns and carronades so it wasn't much of a fight.

Old Ironsides at Work.  --Brock-Perry

U.S. Navy in War of 1812-- Part 7: The War at Sea to Capture Enemy Warships and Merchantmen

The war at sea to capture British warships and  merchantmen  was the most desirable objective for naval officers and has received the most writing in historical accounts.  The U.S. Navy had numerous victories in ship-to-ship duels.  Some of them are still the most recognizable events in our Navy's history.

They include Captain Isaac Hull and his frigate Constitution's capture of the HMS Guerriere, Captain Stephen Decatur and his frigate United States' capture of the frigate HMS Macedonian  and Captain William Bainbridge and his USS Constitution's capture of the frigate HMS Java.

However, these and most other U.S. victories occurred in the opening months of the war.

By early 1813, the British had eleven ships of the line, thirty-four frigates and fifty -two other warships operating off North America, while  the U.S. only had two frigates at sea.

By November 1813, Britain had established a commercial blockade that stopped all sea traffic regardless of nationality across the entire east coast south of New England.

--Brock-Perry

USS Constitution Marks 205th Anniversary of Battle With HMS Java

From the December 25, 2017, U.S. News & World Report.  AP.

A ceremony will be held Friday, December 29, to mark the anniversary of the USS Constitution's battle with the HMS Java on December 29, 1812, which resulted in yet another victory for the Old Ironsides.  The ceremony will include a gun salute from the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat and a moment of silence.

There was a three and a half hour battle between the two ships.  The Constitution received considerable damage and the captain was wounded by shrapnel.  The victory was considered a turning point in the naval war.

The Constitution's 75th Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Nathaniel Schick and others will participate.

What A Ship.  --Brock-Perry

HMS Cornwallis-- Part 1: Built of Teak in India

From Wikipedia.

The USS Hornet came close to being captured in April 1815 by the HMS Cornwallis.

The HMS Cornwallis was a third rate ship-of-the line carrying 74 cannons.  Launched 12 May 1813 in Bombay, India, and built of teak.  Its construction was delayed earlier in the War of 1812 when HMS Java, which had been carrying copper sheathing from England, was captured by the USS Constitution.

On 27 April 1815, it engaged the sloop USS Hornet which had mistaken it for a merchant ship.  Heavily outgunned, the Hornet was forced to make a run for it and had to thrown its cannons and much more  overboard, but it did manage to get away.

That was a very uneven battle and bad mistake for the Hornet to make.  A sloop should never take on a ship-of-the-line.

Oops!  --Brock-Perry

Commodore William Bainbridge

About.com Military History. //// Born May 7, 1774, in Princeton, New Jersey. Fought in the Quasi-War with France and First Barbary War. //// In 1800, commanded the 32-gun frigate USS George Washington when he was forced to surrender. Then, he was in command of the frigate USS Philadelphia and, while chasing a Tripolitan ship, struck an uncharted reef and forced to surrender. The Philadelphia was later destroyed by the daring attack of Lt. Stephen Decatur. //// Commanded the schooner Retaliation and forced to surrender to two frigates. //// During the War of 1812, on September 8th, he received command of the USS Constitution which had recently defeated the HMS Guerriere. He and the USS Hornet went to Sao Salvador, Brazil, and blockaded the HMS Bonne Citryenne. //// He left the Hornet and went looking for prizes and fought the British frigate HMS Java and won, but was wounded twice. //// Afterwards, he commanded the Charlestown Navy Yard for the rest of the war. //// A Man With a Very Checkered Career. Kind of the Thomas O. Selfridge (Civil War) of the War of 1812, Only He Often Had His ships Captured., --Brock-Perry