uss frolick

You are correct, eagle-eye Evan! Cursive writing, a badly faded xerox-copy, and an aging brain, all conspired to get that one wrong!

Here's another bit: "Samuel Burns, sergeant of the marines, John Melvin quarter master, quartered on the quarter deck, John Shot Boatswain's mate quartered on the main deck, and George Morrison, quartermaster, stationed on the forecastle, were called forward and stated that everything was done for the preservation of His Majesty's ship. On being questioned whether there was any bribe offered, to induce them to enter into the American service, Samuel Burns stated that he was enticed by a military officer to enter into the service while at Boston promising him promotion above what he then was, and anything he stood in need of. John Shot, Boatswain mate, also stated that he had been offered a bounties of forty and fifty dollars by a naval officer having epaulettes if he would enter the American service, with four days leave, and as much food and drink for that time as he chose, and would then be put on board a ship until the Chesapeake was ready to receive men." Good thing Johnny Shot didn't take the bounty, because we all know what was going to happen to the Chesapeake the following summer ... Finally, Captain Dacres added: "On the larboard side there were about thirty shots, which had taken effect about five sheets of copper down. The mizen mast had knocked a large hole in her starboard counter and she was so completely shattered that the enemy found it was impossible to refit her sufficiently to attempt carrying her into port and so they et fire to her as soon as they had gotten the wounded out." CORRECTED!

Mr. William John Snow, masters mate of the Guerriere was called ... and examined as follows: Q: What part of the main deck were you quartered at? A: The seven foremost guns. Q: How many broadsides do you suppose you fired? A: I don't know. Q: What sort of shot did you chiefly fire? A: Round shot at a distance - round and grape close We generally fire four shots to [their] three. Q: Were you at your quarters on the main deck during the whole of the action? A: Yes. Q: After the fall of the masts of the Guerriere, could you work her main deck guns? A: No. Part were covered by the wreck, and the ship rolled so much that the whole of the guns were unmanageble. Q: At the time the colours were hauled down, do you think that any mens could be taken to prevent the ship from falling into enemy hands? A: None. Q: What was the number of men at your guns? A: The foremost guns six only, the midship guns seven and eight. Q: It appears to the court that the Constitution had a great number of men at small arms. Do you think if all the Guerriere's marines had been called up to oppose her, the seamen would have been able to work the guns? A: I do not think they would. Q: What was the general behavior of the people on the main deck? A: They behaved very well indeed. No men could have behaved better than they did. Q: How many men did you lose at your quarters? A: Four killed and many wounded at the seven foremost guns. At the eighth gun all were killed or wounded. Examined by Captain Dacres: Q: Did you understand it was not my intention to board while the masts stood, in consequence of our superior fire, and their great number of men? A: Yes, I understood the boarders were called to repel. Q: Had you a doubt of our success when we began the action? A: I had no doubt, nor had then men at my quarters. Q: Would you not be glad to try your fortune again with the same ships company notwithstanding our being so short of compliment? A: Yes. I should be very happy. Q: Was every department of the ship properly prepared for action and during its continuance did I encourage the men by my own personal exertions and every means in my power? A: Yes. You used every possible means. Q: Do you suppose the enemy could have possibly captured the ship, but for the accident of losing her masts? A: I do not. Q: When you were on board the Constitution, did you understand that there were many English men on her? A: I understood there were about 200. One man was in the Achilles with me in the action off Trafalgar. I believe the gunner and third lieutenant to be English subjects. Q: Do you know of any bribe being offered to our seamen to enter into the American service? A: No. An american gentleman told me me he had heard two officers ask a boy of the Guerriere to enter. The boy's name was William Low, and he was offered a bounty of 5 pounds. William Low was brought into court and confirmed the above evidence. He was born in London. Q: Relate to the court the state of the Guerriere's masts when she went into action on the 19th of August last. A: Our bow sprit was wrung. The head of the fore mast was wrung both the tressel tress were broken. The other spares were pretty good. Q: Mention the state the ship was in when the action ceased. A: Our masts were gone by the board. There were two or three shots went in between wind and water. The hull was considerably damaged, particularly the starboard counter from the fall of the mizen mast. The gangways were carried away by the fall of the main mast. When we went into action, we had 19 inches of water in the well. When it ceased, we had two feet, six or seven inches.. I sounded the well at 9 o'clock, there was then three feet six inches A number of shots had stuck in her sides. The ship rolled so much I cannot depend on the soundings of the well being correct. Several shot had entered on the main deck. Q: was it the defects of the fore mast that occasioned its fall, ot was it the fire of the enemy? A: I think it was its defective state as on examination afterwards, it was quite rotten. Q: Did you remain in the Guerriere that night? A: Yes. Q: What water was in the ship the next morning? A: Six or seven feet. Examined by Captain Dacres: Q: In what state did you find the main mast after it fell? A: Rotten at the heart, and I think it fell in consequence of the fall of the fore mast, which fell on the stay."

Captain Dacres had a couple questions for his former sailing master. "Q: Did you understand it was not intention to board while the mast stood, in consequence of our superior fire and their greater number of men? A: I did. I understood it perfectly from Captain Decres. Q: Have you been often in action? A: I have. Q: Have you ever seen a heavier fire than what was kept up by the enemy, when on our bow, raking us? A: I never did. When they found themselves not opposed to our guns, they fired severely. Q: Was every department of the ship properly prepared for action and during its continuance did I encourage the men by my own exertions and every other means in my power? A: Yes. Q: Had you a doubt of our success when we began the action? A: I had not. Q: With such a fine crew as I had notwithstanding our very short complement, would you not be glad to try the fortune again? A: I should. Examined by the court Q: Did you understand there any English seamen in the Constitution? A: I heard there were, and I saw several who were born in England, a good number of North Country men. It is impossible I could be deceived in their dialect, I am a Scotsman and served my time from the north of England myself."

Lieutenant Kent withdrew and Robert Scott, master of the Guerriere, was called into court, sworn and examined s follows: Q: Have you any narrative of the circumstances that occurred in the Guerriere's action? A: I have. Mr. Scott then produced the following narrative: "On the 19th of August of 1812, at 2 PM, being on the wind on the starboard tack, saw a sail on the weather beam standing towards us. at 3 made her out to be a man of war, went to quarters and cleared for action. At 4 the stranger was supposed to the United States Frigate Constitution, which we had formerly chased off New York. Hauled up the course, took in the top gallant sails, backed the main top sail, hoisted an ensign at each mast head. The enemy shortened sail and hauled to the wind on the starboard tack. At 4.15, furled the main top sail. The Constitution then bore up and then and hoisted American colours on each mast head. At 4.10 gave him our starboard broadside, and wore to give him our larboard when the enemy commenced firing, wore several times to avoid being raked, exchanging broadsides. At 5 our opponent closed with in half pistol shot on our starboard beam, both steering free and keeping up a [illegible] fire.. At 5.20 the mizen mast went over the starboard quarter, which brought the ship up in the wind against her helm which exposed us to a heavy raking fire from the enemy. At 5.40 the ship not answering her helm he attempted to cross our bow and lay us on board, but Captain Dacres, perceiving his intentions, gave orders to wear under her quarter which we accordingly did, when our bowsprit caught his quarter, which hindered our wearing as expeditiously as we could have wished. At this time the fore mast went by the board and fell across the main stay and carried the main mast with it over the starboard side leaving the ship a complete wreck. The Constitution stood on ahead. All hands were immediately employed clearing the the wreck, in hopes of being able to get the ship before the win, to recommence the action, but just as we had completed clearing the wreck, the sprit sail yard went and left the ship in the trough of the sea rolling her main deck guns under water. Our opponent at this time had refitted and had wore around to rake us and all attempts to get the ship before the wind or bring any of our guns to bear proving fruitless, the ship in a sinking condition, much shattered in her hull, and many shot between wind and water with more than one third part of her crew killed or wounded, Captain Dacres called his officers together. who all were of the opinion that any further resistance would be a useless expense of lives. At 6.45 the colours were taken from the stump of the mizen mast. Q: At what distance was the enemy when the Guerriere opened her fire? A: She was within range of her fire. Q: In what manner did the fall of the mizen mast operate as to oppose the ship from maneuvering? A: By falling over the starboard quarter, it brought the ship into the wind against her helm. Q: Was the helm immediately put up and other efforts used after the fall of the mizen mast to prevent her coming to? A: Yes it was and the yards were trimmed and every effort used! Q: How long have you been master of the Guerriere? A: About eleven months. Q: Did you consider her a handy ship to work, or otherwise? A: She was long in stays and in wearing. Q: State to the court the causes that appear to you to have produced the fall of the fore and main mast. A: One shot had cut the fore mast in the after part, and the fore and main rigging being nearly all shot away on the ltarboard side, the fore mast fell across the main stay, and carried the main mast along with it. The rolling to windward in my opinion caused the masts to fall over. Q: If your bow sprit had not touched the Constitution, do you think the masts would have went? A: I think the would. Q: What was the state of the masts when you went into action? A: The masts and bow sprit were in a bad stateThe head of the fore mast was entirely wrung, and the tressel trees were gone. Q: Did you make use of your runners to secure your masts? A: We had runners on our fore mast. Our fore rigging was bad. Two shrouds were carried away two days before the action. Q: What means were taken to get the ship before the wind, after the fall of the masts? A: We had all hands on deck to clear the wreck. The starboard fore rigging falling over the starboard best bower anchor, we cut the anchor and cable away to clear the wreck, loosed the spritsail and set it, the spritsail yard went directly after. Q: How was the wind? A: About N.N.W. Q: How was the ship headed when you set the sprit sail? A: About south. Right in the trough of the sea, and would not answer her helm. Q: Were many of the men who were quartered at the rigging killed or wounded? A: There were, very early in the action. Q: Did the enemy appear to have a great number of men at small arms? A: They had a great number indeed! Q: Did they do much execution? A: A great deal. Q: At what particular time? A: After the fall of the mizen mast, she then took a position on our larboard bow and raked us Q: What number of men were at small arms in the Guerriere at the commencement of the action? A: I do not know. Q: Did the Guerriere suffer from the accident of losing her masts, or for want of seamen to fight her? A: Entirely from the fall of her mast. Q: Not withstanding you were so short manned - was your fire quicker than the enemy's? A: I think it was a great deal quicker The seamen seemed to be very steady and zealous. It was impossible people could behave better, or do more. Q: Was the fire of the enemy's muskets greatly superior to the Guerriere's at the beginning of the action? A: As soon as the enemy ship was in a situation that I could see them, there appeared to be a great number of men, and the tops full, who annoyed us very much. Q: Did you think the proportion of the sail the ship was brought into action under was proper? A: I verily believe it was. She was going five or six knots in the action. Q: In your opinion, was everything done previous to and in the action to prevent his majesty's ship from falling into the hands of the enemy? A: I believe every thing was done. Q: What part of the ship were you in when you were wounded? A: I believe at the wheel. Q: What was the general conduct as far as comes within your knowledge of the inferior officers and ships company from the time of her capture to the present moment? A: They have been very respectful, obedient and orderly.

Captain Dacres, apparently also in the room, but remaining silent after reading his letter, had a few questions for his late first lieutenant: "Q: Was every department of the ship properly prepared for action and during its continuance did I encourage the men by every personal exertion and every other means in my power? A: Every part of the ship was cleared for action and every exertion was used by Captain Dacres to encourage the men. Q: Did you see any English men on board the enemy when you were taken prisoner? A: There were several men pointed out to me as Englishmen. There were some I knew personally as deserters from the Halifax squadron. Q: Did you understand generally the number she was supposed to have? A: I understand about 200. The gunner of the Constitution was captain of the forecastle in the Eurydice when she came from England - he was a Scotchman and went by the name of Robert Klein [?] in the Eurydice, and in the Constitution in the name of Anderson. Their third lieutenant I believe to be an Irishman, his name was Reid. Q: How many of them were supposed to have been in action in Trafalgar? A: I understand that seventeen of the captains of guns were with the British service in that action, but I cannot say from what authority."

The story of the Constitution's most famous action has been written about exhaustively. But here are the words of British eyewitnesses, to the best of my knowledge, have not been published elsewhere. The officiel letter of Captain James Dacres will be omitted, because it has been printed many times elsewhere. Here are the recollections of those under his command. The court martial was held on board HMS Africa, 64, in Halifax, on October 2, 1812. Lieutenant bartholomew Kent was sworn in and testified as followed: "August 19th, 1812, at 2 P.M., being on the wind on the starboard tack, we saw a sail on our weather beam, coming down before the wind. Made sail in chase. At 3 made her out to be a man of war. Went to quarters and prepared the ship for action. At 4 made her out to be the Constitution, which we had formerly chased off New York, but escaped by her superior sailing. Hauled up our courses, took in our top gallant sails, and backed the main topsail to wait for her coming down. The enemy at the same time hauled o a wind, took in his top gallant sails, courses, and reefed his topsails. At 4.5 filled, wore ship and hoisted our colours at each mast head. At 4.10 the enemy bore up - fired several shot at him. At 4..15 she hoisted her colours and returned our fire.. Wore several times to avoid being raked exchanging broadsides. At 5 she closed within half pistol shot, on our larboard beam, both keeping up a heavy fire and steering free, his intention, evidently, being to cross our bows. At 5.20 the mizenmast fell and exposed the ship to a heavy raking fire from the enemy, who placed himself on our larboard bow, a few only of our bow guns being able to bear on him . At 5.40 the ship not answering her helm, he attempted to lay us on board, At 6, the ship coming to we brought some of our bow guns to bear on the enemy and got clear of him. At 6.20 the fore and main masts went over the side, leaving the ship a perfect unmanageable wreck. The frigate immediately made sail ahead, and we began to clear away the wreck, in hopes of being able to get the ship before the wind to recommence the action, but just as we had cleared the wreck, the spritsail yard went, leaving the ship in the trough of the sea, rolling her guns under. The enemy by this time refitted wore round to rake us, and all attempts to get her before the wind proving in vain, the ship being much shattered in her hull, in a sinking condition, and 1/3 of her crew killed or wounded, Captain Dacres called the remaining officers together, when all were of the opinion that further resistance would be a useless expense of lives. Bart. Kent 1st Lieut. Q: After the Guerriere had laid to, for the enemy to come down was she put under command in time? A: Yes. She filled previous to the enemy's coming within gunshot, and was kept under three topsails and jib and mizen staysail occasionally. Q: At what distance was the enemy when the Guerriere opened her fire? A: We fired a single shot first which went, I think, a half a mile beyond her, to try our distance. We then have her our starboard broadside shortly afterwards, and wore so as to fire our larboard broadside. The Constitution returned our broadside before the 2nd or 3rd. One shot went through our quarterdeck and another went though her gangway hammocks from her first broadside. Q: Were the best positions preserved, thtat the superior sialing of the enemy and other circumstances would permit before the fall of the mizen mast? A: They were the best! Q: In what manner did the fall of the mizen mast operate so as to prevent the ship from manuevering? A: The mizen fell on our starboard quarter. The enemy shot ahead and attempted to haul across our bows, The ship came to at the same time and we were exposed to a raking fire from the enemy. I cannot say whether the ship came to against her helm. I can not speak as to the manner of the mizen mast operation. Q: How long were you clearing the wreck of the mizen mast? A: We did not get clear of the mizen mast until the other masts fell. Q: How long were you first lieutenant of the Guerrieire? A: Nearly three years and a half. Q: Did you consider her a handy ship, or otherwise? A: Much the reverse, she seldom stayed, if there was any sea on. Q: Relate to the court, the cause that appears to you to have preceded the fall of the fore and the main masts. A: Our fore mast was struck by a double headed shot, which was afterwards found laying on the fore castle. Several of the shrouds were cut away, and when we were aboard of the enemy our bow sprit was over his quarter, the pitching of slackened the fore stay and the masts fell about the same time. The main mast did not appear to me to be wounded by shot. Previous to our going into action our fore tressel trees were gone most of the fore rigging knotted, our bowsprit was defective. We were obliged to get down our long fore topgallant mast and get a short one up. The fore topmast was hanging by the top tackle pendants, the tressel trees not being able to support the weight of the topmast. The heel of the fore mast in falling fell over the main stay and the main stay being slackened by the weight and the jerk of the fore mast, carried the main mast with it. Most of the main shrouds were shot away. Q: Inform the court the state of the wind and sea at the time. A: There was a fresh breeze and a great deal of sea on. Q: What means were taken to get the ship before the wind after the fall of the masts, and how long were you clearing the wreck? A: The spritsail was loosed. We began immediately to clear away the wreck and got up a small spar on the stump of the foremast. I think we might have been three quarters of an hour before the whole wreck was cleared. Q: Did you succeed in getting before the wind? A: No. The sprit sail yard went and the ship having got into a trough of the sea, she lay there. She rolled so much I dod not think it would have been possible to work the guns. The shot and shot boxes on the quarterdeck were flying from side to side. Q: It appears from Captain Dacres letter that the fire from the enemy's small arms did great execution on the Guerriere's upper deck. Did you later ascertain the number of the enemy had at small arms at the time the ships came to close action, and how they were disposed of? A: When on board the Constitution I understand they had 12 men in each top with rifles and also between 50 to 60 marines with small arms on the gangways. Q: How many men with small arms did the Guerriere oppose at the time the ships first came to close action, to divert the enemy's fire from the men at your guns? A: In consequence of the main deck guns being shortly manned, from the number of men who were away, the marines were ordered down to man them, until Captain Dacres gave orders for the whole of the marines to be sent up. I do not think we could have had more then ten men at small arms altogether. The whole of the marines were up when the ships closed, about thirty five in number. Q: How many men had you at each main deck gun? A: Seven including marines and a powder man - some calling themselves Americans were allowed to go below. Q: Do you know how many broadsides the ship fired? A: I cannot say. The fire from the ship was very brisk. Q: Relate to the court the position of the two ships when the enemy attempted to board? A: When the enemy came close to us, Captain Dacres gave me orders to go down on the main deck and snd every body up from below. I sent up part of them, but being found impracticable to board her, they were immediately sent down, previous to the others getting up The only position I observed the ships in was when I came up our bowsprit was over her larboard quarter. Q: Why was it impracticable to board? A: There was so much sea and the Guerriere coming to, it was impossible to get on board. Q: What proportion of the crew of the Guerriere was boarders and how were they armed? A: There were four men to every gun who were boarders, making 96 together, when the whole of the ships company were on board. All the men on the upper deck were boarders, armed with cutlasses - were lying on the main and upper deck for them The boarding pikes were on the booms, some on the main deck, some on the fore castle. Q: Did the enemy make any attempt to board the Guerriere? A: The first lieutenant of the Constitution informed me that at the time he was wounded, he was on the tafferail to see if it was feasible to board the Guerriere. He heard us call our boarders and from the number of men that appeared on our deck, he expected we were going to board them and waited to receive us. Q: Did you exchange vollies of small arms at the time the people were up? A: Yes, we were defending ourselves with musketry and bow guns - at that time most of the marines were killed or wounded. Q: How often did the Guerriere wear during the action? A: We wore several times, but I cannot say how often. Q: Did the enemy wear as often? A: The enemy did not wear, she was coming down on our weather beam and yawed to give us her broadside. Q: Had you your broadsides to the enemy, when you wore? A: Part of our broadside wore on the enemy Q: What was the state of the Guerriere when the colours were ordered to be hauled down and what was the position and state of the enemy? A: All the masts of the Guerriere were gone, several shot between wind and water, her hull much shattered and rolling so that it was impossible to use her guns The enemy wore round on the starboard bow, his masts and yards all standing, except the cross jack yard, and was approaching apparently with an intention of raking us, when we struck. Q: At what distance was the Constitution from the Guerriere when she struck? A: At long gun shot, about a mile. Q: How long had she retired from you to refit? A: I think about three quarters of an hour. Q: During the action, did any of the masts hamper your guns? A: Not until the fore and main masts fell - they rendered the starboard guns in part ineffectual. Q: Previously and during the action, was everything done that could be done to prevent the ship from falling into the hands of the enemy? A: Every thing was done."

Here's an interesting account in the Newburyport (Massachusetts) Herald and Country Gazette from early 1813, reprinted from a Boston paper Of February 17, 1813. "NAVAL VICTORY. On Monday evening, arrived in the outer harbor, the US Frigate Constitution, Comm. Bainbridge. Mr. Ludlow, Purser, came to town, and was the bearer of the following information of another brilliant naval victory. On the 29th December, lat. 33.6 S, Lon 38 W about 10 leagues from the coast of Brazils, the Constitution fell in with and captured his Britannic Majesty's frigate Java, of 49 guns, and manned by upwards of 400 men. The action continued an hour and 55 minutes, in which time the Java was made a complete wreck, having her bowsprit and every mast and spar shot from her. The Constitution had 9 men killed and 25 wounded. The Java had 60 killed and 101 wounded, certainly among the latter was mortally wounded Capt. Lambert, her commander, a very distinguished officer. The Java was rated 38 guns, but mounted 49. She was just out of dock and fitted in a most complete manner, to carry out Lt. General Hilsop, governor of Bombay and his staff, with Captain Marshall, a captain in the british navy, and a number of naval officers, going to join the british ships of war in the East Indies. She also had supernumeraries of the British Government for St. Helena, the Cape of Good Hope, and to every british establishment in the East Indies, and the China Sea; had copper on board for a 74 gun ship, and two sloops of war building at Bombay; and it is assumed much other valuables; all of which were blown up in her on the 31st December, when she was set on fire. The Constitution was considerably cut in spars, rigging and sails, but not too much injured, but what she could have commenced another action immediately after after the capture of the Java, which the latter vessel was a complete and unmanageable wreck. All officers and seamen, taken in the Java, were paroled by Commodore Bainbridge, and landed on the 3rd of January, at St. Salvador. ... By a letter written by one of the officers of the Java, while a prisoner on board the Constitution, it is evident that the must have been considerably greater, some of whom must have died of their wounds previously to removal. The letter states 60 killed and 120 wounded." NOTE: Such a letter does exist, and I saw it in the National Archives microfilm rolls years ago. It was included in commodore B.'s official dispatches to the Secretary of the navy, for anyone wishing to look for it, and I remember it gave those exact numbers. This is important, because the official British death toll is only 24 killed, but the wounded number is about the same. Likewise, the British claim that the Java mounted only 16 carronades, not 18. The 74 building at Bombay was the Cornwallis. When she sailed for Britain in 1815, and chased the Hornet, she mounted only 60 guns, because her carronades, shipped from England, had all been lost at sea. Were they also in the hold of the Java? Were a pair of those temporarily mounted on the Java? The article continues: "The Java touched at St Jago, Cape de Verds, and learned that the Essex had been there, and supposing the Constitution had been that frigate with carronades only kept at long shot which prolonged the action ... The Constitution had received only three shots in her hull ..." Note: The USS Essex mounted forty 32-pounder carronades and six long twelve pounders. Really? The Java hit the Connie's hull only three times in two hours? But one of those three, at least, took out the wheel. " ... The force of the Java (formerly the French Frigate La Renomme, which the British called a 44 capturing her) I now state with the best authority 28 18-pounders on the main deck - 14 32-pounders on the quarterdeck - 4 32-pounders and two long 12-pounders on the forecastle, and a lone shifting gun, a 24 pounder." This statement of armament was undoubtably also given by Constitution's purser, Charles Ludlow. The shifting gun might have been a brass 5 1/4 " howitzer in lieu of the standard 18-pounder boat carronade. HMS Amphion was fitted with one in 1811. That would make sense, because the French 18-pound shot would not fit in an English boat carronade - too big. There were no French 18-pound carronades made that that time. It would also have been too confusing to carry two different types of 18-pound shot on board the ship, but French 18-pound shot and grape would fit into an English 24-pounder howitzer, should a boat action be required. But I digress again ... "There are on board the Constitution some of the Java's shot, from which it has been ascertained, there is scarcely three pounds difference between her "eighteens" and the American "twenty-fours", so called; and that the 32-pound shot of the Java is heavier that the 32-pound shot of the Constitution." This last statement is evidence that the Java retained her original French guns. The French pound is heavier than the British, and a French eighteen weighs about 20-21 pounds. The American sand-cast shot was substandard by British specifications, and tended to be underweight by as much as a pound or so in the larger calibers, so Ludlow's last statement could be accurate. Note: Purser Charles Ludlow's brother, Augustus C. Ludlow, USN, was the first lieutenant of the ill-fated Chesapeake, and was mortally wounded in the action with HMS Shannon. His face was nearly cut in two by a cutlass, and he lingered in agony for three days. All towns in New England called Ludlow - like Ludlow, Vermont - were named after him, just like Lawrence, Massachusetts was named after the Chesapeake's late captain, James Lawrence . Ludlow Street in NYC is also named after him.

When, in 1812, the crew of the Constitution learned that Captain Hull was leaving the ship, and Captain Bainbridge was replacing him, the crew nearly rioted and requested to be released from their service on the ship. Cooler heads prevailed, and the crew grudgingly stood down and remained on board. Bainbridge was also the first US captain to haul down his ship's colors, while in command of the USS Retaliation in 1798, to a pair of french frigates that he mistook for british. Strike One. During the Barbary Wars, he commanded the USS George Washington, and mistakenly anchored his ship under the guns of the great fort of Algiers. The Dey of Algiers demanded that Bainbridge use his ship to ferry the Algerian ambassador and tributary gifts to Constantinople and that he fly the Algerian flag during the journey, or her would sink his ship. This was an insult of the first order, but Bainbridge agreed, and sailed his ship, as told, under foreign colors. Bainbridge got in a lot of trouble for this, and he should have lost his job for bowing to this blatant national insult. Strike Two. Then there was the Philadelphia blunder. Strike Three. Bainbridge was considered to be a Jonah, which was why Connie's crew nearly mutinied. Bainbridge was the most hated captain in the fleet. After the War of 1812, Bainbridge helped fan the flames of an old feud between two brother officers, that ended in a duel that killed Bainbridge's old nemesis, Stephen Decatur. Bainbridge hated Decatur because the latter had gotten his fleet to sea first in 1815 and had defeated the Algerian Navy before Bainbridge could get his own fleet to sea and join him. Decatur had promised to wait until all the combined ships of both fleets could sail together and share the glory. It was Bainbridge's meddling that ruined the USS Independence, 74, altering her design so badly, against the protests of the builder, Samuel Hardt of Boston, that the ship couldn't open her lower deck ports in anything but calm weather. She was the only US 74-gun ship that had to be razeed down into a frigate. The navy was unable to make the USS Independence seaworthy because her lower deck port cills were so low, which was the real reason for Bainbridge's delay, and they eventually had to calk all the lower deck ports closed to be able to safely cross the Atlantic. Sister-ships USS Washington and USS Franklin, unaltered by Bainbridge, did not share this problem. Strike Four. After Bainbridge's death, his daughters burned most of his private papers, because they knew that if the public knew all the shenanigans that her father had been up to, particularly those involving the Decatur-Barron duel, history would not have looked kindly upon him. Some historian go so far as claiming that Bainbridge murdered Decatur, because his manipulations of Barron was so masterful and complete. Bainbridge was loathed by his contemporaries. Today, Bainbridge is remembered solely as the great hero who took the Java.

I agree. Especially since the Java shot away Connie's wheel either at the first or second broadside, according to the above!

"Captain John Marshall of the Royal Navy was called and sworn. [Note: Marshall was a passenger on board the Java, on his way to India, alongside the new Governor, General Hillsop and about 100 other passengers. Java had about 400 men and boys aboard! In Patrick O'Brian's book "The Fortune of War", Captain Jack Aubrey was also a passenger on board the Java.] Q: Did you hear the orders given by Captain Lambert to board? A: No. I did not. But I knew it to be his intentions. Q: Did it appear to you that the enemy frigate intended to avoid close action by edging away A: Most assuredly by her continued wearing to avoid our fire. Q: Did it appear to you that the Java had a fair prospect of a successful termination of the action previous to the loss of her foremast? A: I conceived the enemy's ship to be superior from the weight of her metal and the number of men but but conceived we possessed equal chance from the accidents incident to the action. Q: Do you remember the attempt to lay the enemy on board? A: I remember the attempt being made to lay her on board for that purpose, when our foremast going over the side prevented our intention of boarding her, instantly our bowsprit touched their rigging, our fore mast when over the side, and the men operating the after sails bought our ship in line with the enemy and we fell astern of her, our bowsprit passed over her tafferail, as we fell to leeward. Q: Do you know when you experienced the greatest loss? A: I think about the time Captain Lambert fell, she was raking us for about an hour, she lying under our stern and starboard quarter. Q: Was there a pretty good breeze during the action? A: Yes, but it fell at the latter part of the action, as she rolled very much in the sea, and the American kept steady by her sails. In one or two instances, the muzzles of our main deck guns nearly touched the water. The American ship's guns were much higher than the Java's. Lieutenant Chads asked: Q: Did you not know it was our intention to have engaged her again had she come upon our broadside? A: Yes it was, to the best of my belief, kept the colours flying in the hope that the enemy would come a long side. They were not lowered till her intention was evident by placing himself ahead in a raking position and as the commander [i.e., Captain Bainbridge] informed me [later], he had already giving the orders to fire when our colours were lowered.

"Lieutenant Robert Mercer of the Royal marines was called in and sworn. Q: Had you any of your men at small arms? A: I believe 34, upwards of 20 on the quarterdeck and 10 on the forecastle. Q: Did the enemy make use of their small arms much? A: Yes, from the decks and from the tops. Q: Were you much annoyed with the small arms? A: The first broadside I believe, there were no small arms, there might be on the 2nd. Q: Were your decks exposed to their tops? A: Yes very much. They could see us to take aim. Q: Do you remember when the Java attempted to lay the enemy on board? A: Yes. Captain Lambert spoke to me about it. He said it was his intention to board and desired me to prepare the marines on that occassion, which was done. Q: Do you know from what circumstances it was prevented? A: I understood it was by the loss of the foremast at the time. Q: How near did you get to the enemy in the attempt? A: Very close, within pistol shot. I only saw two men on board the American at that time. One was on the after part of the quarterdeck, and one in the main top. Q: Were the marines keeping up their fire then? A: Yes they were and the boarders were all ready. I think the Americans were all waiting under the barracading to receive us. Q: Did the Americans appear to avoid close action? A: Yes, they evidently did. They continually kept away. Q: What sort of men were the marines? A: Eighteen of them were very young recruits, the rest had been to sea before.

Excepts from the official British court martial (PRO Document: ADMI 5435, page XC 14734) for the loss of HMS Java, 38, to the USS Constitution, 44 . Pretty dry stuff on the whole. The official letter of Lt. Chads (Captain Lambert was killed) is included, which can be found published elsewhere, the decision of the court, and some testimony. Mostly "Do you agree with the contents of Lt. Chads letter", and "Did the men behave bravely", etc.. No bombshells here. The court seemed much interested in whether many of the Java's casualties, upwards of 120 men, were caused by American small arms fire. The court martial was held on board HMS Gladiator in Portsmouth Harbor, April 23, 1813. "Lieutenant James Saunders of the Royal Navy was called and sworn: Q: Did you suffer much on the forecastle from the enemy's musquetry? A: Very much indeed. Q: Were you stationed there? A: Yes. Q: Did you think the Java had a fair chance of succeeding before the end of the bowsprit was shot away? A: Yes. Q: In which period of the action did you suffer most? A: When the bowsprit went. Q: Did the American appear to you to avoid close action at the first part of it? A: Yes. Q: Did the American appear to keep up her fire early in the action, as she did after the bowsprit was carried away? A: She slackened her fore after the first broadside of the Java and appeared to be in confusion. Q: Did you understand that the American lost her wheel? A: I afterwards found that she had lost her wheel by the first broadside from the Java and that four men were killed. Mr. James Humble, late Boatswain of the Java was called and sworn. Q: How long had the action lasted before you were wounded? A: Better than an hour, I believe. Q: Was the Java much disabled before you were wounded? A: Yes, aloft. The fore top, two planks were shot out of it and lodged into the bunt of the fore sail. Q: Did you suffer much from the musquetry on the forecastle? A: Yes, and likewise from round and grape. Q: Did you think you had as good [a chance] in the action as the American before you were wounded? A: They seemed to be very sick upon it. Q: Did you come up again after going below? A: Yes, I was down about an hour and when I got my arm put a little to rights by a tourniquet, being put on it, nothing else. My hand was carried away and my arm wounded about the elbow. I put my arm into the bosom of my shirt and went up again, when I saw the enemy ahead of us repairing his damage. I had my orders from Lt Chads before the action begun, to cheer up the boarders with my pipe, that they might make a clean spring in boarding. Q: Did the Java receive much damage from the enemy before the Java returned any fire at all? A: Yes, we received besides what I have stated, much damage in the rigging. Q: Did you think that the Java had a fair chance of succeeding before you were wounded and went below. A: It appeared to me she would. The second broadside his wheel was carried away, and he got a good touching up about the quarterdeck and forecastle, and he downed fore and main tacks to go a head of us, and when our foremast went, he up courses again, and continued the action. Then I got wounded. John MacDonald, Boatswain's Mate, belonging to the Java, was called in and sworn: Q: Where were you quartered in the action? A: At the fifth gun on the quarterdeck. Q: Did you think that before the Java was disabled that you had a good chance of beating the enemy's ship? A: Yes, I think we had as good as they had. Q: Did the American appear to you to avoid a close action, or not in the early part of the action? A: They kept at long balls, they kept edging away until the Java was disabled. Q: Did you hear Captain Lambert's order the Java to be laid on board the American? A: Yes. Q: What distance was you from the enemy's stern? A: Not quite a cable's length upon our lee beam, the helm was put a weather. Q: Do you remember the [Java's] bow sprit touching the mizen rigging [of the Constitution]. A: Yes, it took the mizen rigging which appeared to me to prevent our boarding that the time. Q: Were the men all ready? A: Yes, they had been called and were all ready for jumping on board, on the forecastle, marines and all. Q: Did you see any of the enemy's men ready to receive the boarders? A: No. I did not see any of them at the time. Q: Did you hang some time by the mizen rigging? A: Not long. Q: Did they get their chasers out then and rake you? A: Yes. Q: When you were about to lay the enemy on board, from your seeing no men on her decks, and from the state of your own ship, did you think that the action would have terminated in your favor had not the foremast been carried away? A: Yes, I think it would. Q: Were you ever in action before? A: Yes. Christopher Speedy, Captain of the forecastle was called in and sworn: Q: Were you on the forecastle during the whole of the action? A:Yes, from the beginning to the last, quartered at the foremost carronade. Q: Before the Java was disabled by losing the end of her bowsprit and foremast, did you think you had a as good of the action as the American? A: Yes, I thought we were going on very well. About the middle of the action I thought that they had had enough of it, and was making off from us. I saw her stern towards us, and came round on the other tack. Q: Did they annoy you much on the forecastle by musquetry? A: More by round and grape [and] double headed. I picked up five bar shot which fell out of the foremast by rolling. I put them in our guns and fired them back again. Q: Did the American appear to avoid close action? A: He did always avoid close action. He kept away when ever the smoke cleared away, we always found him yawing away from us. Q: Do you remember when the Java endeavored to board her. A: Yes. It was just as the foremast fell. Q: Were you all ready for boarding them? A: They were called on the forecastle and gangways, and were all ready, boarders and marines. Q: Did you see many of the enemy ready to oppose the boarders? A: Not many on deck. I saw some men there,but there were a great many in the tops. Q: From the few men you saw on the deck of the enemy's ship,, had captain Lambert's intention succeeded in laying on board, have you reason to believe it would have been successful? A: Yes, I have. Q: Was you ever in action before? A: Yes I have.

I was looking at that photograph of the cannon, supposedly taken from the burned wreck of the Frigate Philadelphia. There seems to be at least two sizes of long guns - 18 and 9 pounders (?), and what looks like at least one carronade in the back of the pile. (What caliber were the spar-deck chase guns?) If true, then notice that the tubes have minimal re-enforcing rings, as one might expect from pieces cast about 1800, and the upside-down 9-pounder's trunnion on the top of the heap is "hung by thirds". These cannon do look like they had been submerged for a while, as denoted by the light, barnical-like coatings on the barrels.

When I say Dahlgrens, I meant Dahlgren type, of which her guns, which you described fit, as opposed to 1775 or 1812 type guns. The 8" and modern 32-pounders which she carried were of the newest type, i.e., bottle shaped with tapering barrels, pre-dahlgrens, if you will. Whenever Buggs Bunny fires a cannon at Elmer Fudd, it's always the Dahlgren shape. Why is that?

In 1941, a pile of heavy, 1840's sloop type Dahlgren cannon, and a couple big anchors, were found on a reef on the south side of Isle de Pines, Cuba, in restricted waters today. WWII started very soon after, and the US Navy lost all interest. Is this the grave of the USS Albany? She was last seen to the south of those waters when the hurricane hit. Did she run aground, and jettison her heavy stores, only to founder later due to her injuries? Or did she wreck there, and smaller artifacts are also there, yet to be discovered, when the Cuban cold war finally ends? Edit: My copies of this information, the contents of a mysterious box in the National Archives labeled only "Albany", were lost due to roof damage, resulting from Hurricane Charley, and had to be thrown out. How Ironic is that !!!??? Anyway, I think I remember there being "twenty guns" found.

Then she's the Receiving Ship USS New Hampshire, ex-Alabama, 74. She was at the Norfolk Yard from 1866 to 1876, according to author Paul Silverstone, in "Warships of the Civil War Navies".

I wonder which 74-gun ship is in the background of the above St. Mary's photo. If it was taken in Boston, then she may be either the Ohio or the Vermont.

That stern view of the St. Mary's is amazing, for all the details. I am surprised that she still mounted guns in 1874, and I'm even more amazed that they wouldn't have landed them prior to putting her into dry-dock! Look how huge she is, compared to the man crouching on the scaffolding by the rudder! I always tended to think of the class as just "small sloops".

Talos, where are you finding these incredible images?

Both of the above Portsmouth pictures look like they have square sterns. But she was built with a round one. Curious ...

Hey Talos, are your red lines not pointing to the three spaces between the windows, instead of the four windows themselves? The outer pair, I believe, doubled as quarter gallery access ports, as they projected out on a diagonal. That stern view of the Jamestown is fantastic. It clearly shows the stern-board scroll pattern, and notice the central star element between the windows! Above the star is another element that is hidden by the boat. The lower part of an eagle? Notice that light board covering over the quarter-gallery. Was that put over the gallery to protect it from being scraped by the quarter boat, or a stern anchor? The draught of the Jamestown shows that her quarter-gallery was very ornately carved, and thus perhaps worthy of extra protection?

Blue-Jacket already has an attractive, precut POF kit - the two-gun, schooner-rigged Revenue Cutter "Jefferson Davis", based on Chapelle's plan of her class.

Holly Ship, Bob! That deck looks nice!

Stunning!