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Read Ebook: Naval Actions of the War of 1812 by Barnes James Chapman Carlton T Illustrator
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Ebook has 297 lines and 58067 words, and 6 pages
PAGE INTRODUCTION 1
On September 10th, 1813, the American fleet on Lake Erie, under the command of Oliver Hazard Perry, captures the entire English naval force under Commodore Barclay 139
September 11th, the American forces on Lake Champlain, under Captain Macdonough, capture the English squadron, under Captain Downey, causing the evacuation of New York State by the British 209
THE "CONSTITUTION" TOWING AND KEDGING 26
THE "WASP" RAKING THE "FROLIC" 50
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN STEPHEN DECATUR 58
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE 72
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN JAMES LAWRENCE 102
THE "PEACOCK" AND "HORNET" AT CLOSE QUARTERS 106
THE "CHESAPEAKE" LEAVING THE HARBOR 116
MEMORIAL MEDAL IN HONOR OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM BURROWS 128
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO LIEUTENANT EDWARD R. McCALL 128
THE "ENTERPRISE" HULLING THE "BOXER" 132
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN OLIVER HAZARD PERRY 138
THE "NIAGARA" BREAKS THE ENGLISH LINE 148
THE "ESSEX" BEING CUT TO PIECES 184
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN LEWIS WARRINGTON 190
THE "PEACOCK" CAPTURES THE "EPERVIER" 192
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN JOHNSTON BLAKELEY 198
THE "WASP'S" FIGHT WITH THE "AVON" 204
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN THOMAS MACDONOUGH 208
THE "PRESIDENT" ENDEAVORING TO ESCAPE 222
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN CHARLES STEWART 230
THE "CONSTITUTION" TAKING THE "CYANE" 236
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN JAMES BIDDLE 244
THE "PENGUIN" STRIKES TO THE "HORNET" 252
INTRODUCTION
To study the condition of affairs that led up to the declaration of the second war against Great Britain we have but to turn to the sea. Although England, it must be confessed, had plenty of fighting on her hands and troubles enough at home, she had not forgotten the chagrin and disappointments caused by the loss of the American colonies through a mistaken enforcement of high-handedness. And it was this same tendency that brought to her vaunted and successful navy as great an overthrow as their arms had received on land some thirty-seven years previously.
The impressment of American seamen into the English service had been continued despite remonstrances from our government, until the hatred for the sight of the cross of St. George that stirred the hearts of Yankee sailor men had passed all bounds. America under these conditions developed a type of patriot seafarer, and this fact may account for his manners under fire and his courage in all circumstances.
It is easy to see that the American mind was a pent furnace. It only needed a few more evidences of England's injustice and contempt to make the press and public speech roar with hatred and cry out for revenge. So when in June, 1812, war was declared against Great Britain, it was hailed with approbation and delight. But shots had been exchanged before this, and there were men who knew the value of seamanship, recognized the fact that every shot must tell, that every man must be ready, and that to the navy the country looked; for the idea of a great invasion by England was scouted. It was a war for the rights of sailors, the freedom of the high-seas, and the grand and never thread-worn principles of liberty.
So wide-spread had been the patriotism of our citizens during the revolutionary war that our only frigates, except those made up of aged merchant-vessels, had been built by private subscription; but now the government was awake, alert, and able.
To take just a glance at the condition of affairs that led up to this is of great interest.
So far back as the year 1798 the impositions of Great Britain upon our merchantmen are on record, and on November 16th of that year they culminated in a deliberate outrage and insult to our flag.
England was protecting the Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean at this time, in order to keep out competitive commerce--a fine bit of business! Europe and America bought immunity.
On June 10th, 1801, war was declared, however, by the Bashaw of Tripoli against the United States, because we failed to accede to his demands for larger tribute, and a brief summary of the conduct of this war will show plainly that here our officers had chances to distinguish themselves, and the American seamen won distinction in foreign waters.
But the indignation that was felt throughout the country over this affair wrought the temper of the people to a fever-heat. Congress passed resolutions, and the President of the United States issued a proclamation, forbidding all British armed vessels from entering the ports of the United States, and prohibiting all inhabitants of the United States from furnishing them with supplies of any description.
Great Britain's disavowal of the act of Admiral Berkeley was lukewarm, and the Admiral's trial was something of a farce, and gave little satisfaction to America.
Napoleon at about this time had begun his senseless closing of French ports to American vessels, and once more the French cruisers apparently considered all Yankee craft their proper prey. They would interrupt and take from them stores, water, or whatever they considered necessary, without remuneration or apology. As the English were taking our seamen and showing absolute contempt for our flag wherever found, the condition of our merchant marine was most precarious. No vessel felt secure upon the high seas, and yet the English merchant ships continued to ply their trade with us.
Owing to circumstances, the year of 1812, that gave the name to the war of the next three years, found the country in a peculiar condition. Under the "gunboat system" of Mr. Jefferson, who believed in harbor protection, and trusted to escape war, an act had been passed in 1805 which almost threatened annihilation of a practical navy. The construction of twenty-five gunboats authorized by this bill had been followed, from time to time, by the building of more of them under the mistaken idea that this policy was a national safeguard. They would have been of great use as a branch of coast fortification at that time, it may be true, but they were absolutely of no account in the prosecution of a war at sea. Up to the year 1811 in the neighborhood of two hundred of these miserable vessels had been constructed, and they lay about the harbors in various conditions of uselessness.
But the session of Congress known as the "war session" altered this state of affairs, and in the act of March 13th, 1812, we find the repudiation of the gunboat policy, and the ridiculous error advanced, to our shame be it said, by some members of Congress, that "in creating a navy we are only building ships for Great Britain," was cast aside. Not only did the act provide for putting the frigates into commission and preparing them for actual service, but two hundred thousand dollars per annum was appropriated for three years for ship timber. The gunboats were laid up "for the good of the public service," and disappeared. Up to this period all the acts of Congress in favor of the navy had been but to make hasty preparations of a few vessels of war to meet the pressure of some emergency, but no permanent footing had been established. The conduct and the result of the war with Tripoli had not been such as to make the American Navy popular, despite the individual brave deeds that had taken place and the respect for the flag that had been enforced abroad. But the formation of a "naval committee" was a step in the right direction. There was a crisis to be met, the country was awake to the necessity, and the feelings of patriotism had aroused the authorities to a pitch of action. Many men, the ablest in the country, were forced into public life from their retirement, and a combination was presented in the House of Representatives and in the Senate that promised well for the conduct of affairs. The Republican party saw that there was no more sense in the system of restriction, and that the only way to redress the wrongs of our sailors was by war.
The bill which was introduced and drafted by the committee recommended that the force to be created should consist of frigates and sloops of war to be built at once, and that those already in commission be overhauled and refitted. To quote from the first bill for the increase of the navy, communicated to the House of Representatives September 17th, 1811 , Mr. Cheves says for the committee: "We beg leave to recommend that all the vessels of war of the United States not now in service, which are worthy of repair, be immediately repaired, fitted out, and put into actual service; that ten additional frigates, averaging 38 guns, be built; that a competent sum of money be appropriated for the purchase of a stock of timber, and that a dock for repairing the vessels of war of the United States be established in some central and convenient place." There was no dock in the country at this date, and vessels had to be "hove down" to repair their hulls--an expensive and lengthy process.
When war was declared by Congress against Great Britain, on June 18th, 1812, and proclaimed by the President of the United States the following day, the number of vessels, exclusive of those projected and building, was as follows:
An American 44-gun frigate carried about 400 men. The pay appears ridiculously small, captains receiving but 0; masters-commandant, a month; lieutenants' pay was raised from to . Midshipmen drew , an ordinary seaman , and a private of marines but a month.
A 44-gun frigate was about 142 feet long, 38 feet 8 inches in breadth, and drew from 17 to 23 feet of water, according to her loading. An 18-gun sloop of war was between 110 and 122 feet in length, and drew 15 feet of water.
At the time of the declaration of war the officers holding captains' commissions were: Alexander Murray, John Rodgers, James Barron , William Bainbridge, Hugh G. Campbell, Stephen Decatur, Thomas Tingey, Charles Stewart, Isaac Hull, Isaac Chauncey, John Shaw, John Smith--there was one vacancy. On the pay-rolls as masters-commandant we find David Porter, Samuel Evans, Jacob Jones, and James Lawrence.
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