Naval tactic of 1800 ?

[Thanasis]

Hello all.

I'm in the middle of a search related to an Ottoman small rowing boat, maybe also  with some kind of riggs, back in 1800.
In two historical cases, this kind of boat in a number of 12-13 of them full of gunmen, were accompanying-supporting a schooner,

as all togethere, were attacing in an enemy vessel.
Does this pattern indicates a kind of a naval tactic of that time.
Is there someone who could inform me about.
Many thanks in advance.

Thx

[Chapman]

The described action shows parallels to the Danish-British Gunboat War of 1808–1814, in which groups of gunboats attacked English sailing ships such as gunbrigs (HMS Turbulent for example) and forced them to surrender several times.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 03:33 PM by Chapman

[wefalck]

I thought this was a fairly common tactic at the time (and probably still is, using modern boat-types and propulstion systems) to attack anchored ships off-shore. Such small boats at that time wouldn't have been able to keep up with moving warships. With today's speedboats the situation is different, as the pirate-attacks in various waters show.

Edited Monday at 11:50 AM by wefalck

[Thanasis]

Thank you both. 
Yes, it's rather something similar since the tactic in Danish gunboat war, was exclusively between armed small boats attacking a target. 
In my cases there were only armed men using the unarmed boats  like tranfering vessels.
Thx

[Chapman]

It was common practice to use boats to attack ships in harbors, even on the high seas when there was no wind. This was particularly successful at night because of the surprise. If the loss of human life was not an issue, things could get bloodier during the day. The latter is exemplified by the boat attack in 1814 by the frigate HMS Endymion on the privateer Prince de Neufchatel.

Edited Monday at 03:55 PM by Chapman

[Thanasis]

Thank you Chaptman
Yes I have read about that also in the fight against Aegean pirates, where the chase in no wind state, was kept on by rowing boats.

But again in this case the boats were parts of the chaser ship. 
In my cases these small fleets (one schooner and 12-13 boats), were formed quikly to seize the chance.
And what make me wonder is , whether was posible some of those specific type of boats (is narrated as "maltese" boats),

could be kept in ports or near by, for these kind of missions.
Thx

[mtaylor]

As I recall, hopefully correctly, that here in the States those small gunboats were used in the Great Lakes both during the Revolution and also the War of 1812.   They also used small schooners.