Ap. 21st
Latt 50° 45′ N, Long 11° 30′. Boarded Portugese Ship Rosario for the Brazils bound to Liverpool. With the Captains Consent put on board of her 19 Prisoners, with a Sufficiency of Provissions & let her proceed. Same day captured the English Brig Pelican, Smith Master, from Bermuda to Liverpool. Cargo, Sugar Cotton & Logwood. Manned her for France.
From the journal of the Privateer Armed Schooner Lawrence, April 21, 1814. Maryland Historical Magazine, Volume 3, Number 2, June 1908, p. 171-176.
April 21st Cape St. Mary’s bearing NE. distant 18 miles, captured the Maltese poladre rigged ship Joanna from Constantinople, to Lisbon, mounting 6 guns, with a cargo of wheat and barely, supposed to be worth 80,000 dollars; scuttled her and kept her boats in tow until morning. At 8 A.M. the town of Lago bearing n. n. e. distant 3 miles, gave them up to the prisoners. 40 in number, and permitted them to proceed. Came into Sandy Hook on Sat. night and passed a aze under the three topsails. The C has been chased during her cruise, ten different times, by British ships of war all of which she outsailed with ease. Sloop Polly Allen, 2 days from N. haven. Sloop Susan, Miles, 3 hours from N. haven. Sloop Hornet, Grimes, 24 hours from N. H.
From the journal of the Chasseur, excerpted in Baltimore American, June 2, 1814. Maryland Historical Society.
Ap. 19th
Latt 31° 20′ N., Long 11° 15′ W. Captured the English Ship Ontario, Potter Master. Cargo, Wine Brandy Salt & Corkwood, from Alicant to Greenoek. Manned her for the US.
From the journal of the Privateer Armed Schooner Lawrence, April 19, 1814. Maryland Historical Magazine, Volume 3, Number 2, June 1908, p. 171-176.
On April 18, 1814, Acting Master Commandant Joshua Barney with the Chesapeake Flotilla wrote to the Secretary of the Navy Williams Jones:
Off Annapolis. April 18th 1814
Sir
Yesterday I left Baltimore with ten Barges, Scorpion, Galley & Gunboat 138. We had fresh Winds, I find the 2d class does not answer well; they shipped much water and are dangerous in anything of a Sea.
The Enemy (by information from a Craft this morning) was off Piankitank two days ago, having gone down the Bay, unless some of them were up Potomac, which he could not see.
I shall return to Baltimore in the Morning, as three of the Barges, has Twisted off the head of their Rudders, they will require Rudders of more depth— I hope very shortly to be in a situation to resume my Station.
The remainder of my Barges are fitting at Baltimore under Mr. Rutter. We still continue to pick up
men. I hope to man two more boats in a few days—
I am respectfully your Obt. Servt.
Joshua Barney
Thanks again to the Blog of 1812 for sharing these transcripts of Joshua Barney’s correspondence and helping us highlight the story of the Chesapeake Flotilla.
April 18th Latitude 35, 43 Longitude 1, 30, captured the British ship London Packer, mounting 19 guns, and schooner Melpomene, mounting 6 guns, in company, from Gibraltar to Brazil with a cargoes of wine, brandy and corks. They at first indicated by their maneuvers a disposition to resist, but surrendered without firing a shot.
From the journal of the Chasseur, excerpted in Baltimore American, June 2, 1814. Maryland Historical Society.
Ap. 16th
Latt 50° 47′ N, Long 10° 41′ W. Captured Sweedish Ship Comereen, Lindgren, Master. Cargo, Oats and Barley, for the use of the English forces in Spain. Manned her for the US.
From the journal of the Privateer Armed Schooner Lawrence, April 16, 1814. Maryland Historical Magazine, Volume 3, Number 2, June 1908, p. 171-176.
On April 15, 1814, Commodore Joshua Barney again wrote to Secretary of the Navy William Jones describing Captain Robert T. Spence’s resistance to transferring his men to the Chesapeake Flotilla. Barney was even more upset when the men finally arrived but were so drunk he had to “[put] the most of them in Irons” and send seventeen others to the hospital.
Detail of a grog cup with the incised letters “CW” which archaeologists believe may be the initials of USS Scorpion’s cook Caesar Wentworth. Courtesy of NHHC UAB, Department of the Navy
Writing for the U.S.S. Constitution Museum in Feeding a Frigate, Commander Tyrone G. Martin describes how the United States Navy inherited the tradition of a twice daily “spirit ration” from the British Navy. Since the 1740s, British sailors had enjoyed a serving of rum mixed with an equal share of water. By mixing alcohol and water, Rear Admiral Edward “Old Grog” Vernon (credited with inventing the unusual cocktail) hoped to discourage binge drinking since the water made the rum unpalatable in a short time so sailors could not save up rations for later.
Around 1801, Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith experimented with substituting American sour mash bourbon for the traditional West Indies rum. Around the War of 1812, a Navy sailor would typically receive half their ration at noon and the remainder in the late afternoon after a meal. Sailors who passed on their ration for the day were credited with four cents on their account. Evidently, the sailors recruited by Captain Spence in Fell’s Point the exercised no such restraint.
On April 10, 1814, Captain Baker, commander of the Sloop Swallow from Baltimore wrote to his wife to share his frightening encounter with a British barge on St. Jerome’s Creek in St. Mary’s County on April 6. The Niles’ Weekly Register shared news of the fight on April 23 writing:
Capt. Baker, of the sloop Swallow of Baltimore, being chased into St Jerome’s creek by a British barge with 16 men with small arms and a 4 pounder in her bow left his vessel and being joined on the shore by two of the inhabitants having own muskets in all commenced a fire upon the enemy and though he had got possession of the sloop compelled him to abandon her with the loss of two killed one of them supposed to be an officer.
The Register published their account of the fight just below an update on the promotion of Admiral Cockburn, calling the British officer a “ruffian” who was “anxious to deserve this distinction by some act of great atrocity and meanness,” and reflecting the tension felt in Baltimore and around the Chesapeake Bay from the tightening British blockade.
“We have arrived at this place after passage of 20 hours from Baltimore. On the 6th instant, at daylight, we were off this place, but the wind being off shore, could not fetch in. At the same time, observed a schooner steering up the bay; also a remarkably long barge with three lug sails coming out of the Potomac. We concluded they were from Washington, bound to Baltimore. There were two or three other vessels in sight down the bay. We hove about and stood in for the creek; the schooner then tacked, stood for the barge, and soon after hauled down her head sails, apparently with a view to anchor, distant about 3 miles. We ran our vessels into the mouth of the creek, and although she grounded in consequence of the tide being so very low at the time, thought ourselves pretty secure should the vessels then in sight prove to be enemies, as we soon were convinced they were. In 30 minutes after we grounded, a boat was discovered coming from the schooner in pursuit of us, distant about one and a half miles. We immediately landed the most valuable articles. We found on further examination of the boat, that she rowed ten oars, carried a four pounder in her bows, and manned with 16 men. There being but three us on board, with two muskets only, I thought it most prudent to leave the vessel: and I do assure you it was with great reluctance we abandoned the Swallow to a set of infernal robbers.
We landed, and two gentlemen, whome I shall ever respect as brave men, by the names of Langley and Hopkins joined us in the combat. On their nearer approach, we hailed, and asked them where they were bound?- They replied by pointing to the sloop. We immediately commenced a brisk fire upon them, which was so well kept up and directed that notwithstanding they succeeded in getting alongside, four only of them dared to ascend the deck. [Capt. B. killed one of them.] One of the gentlemen who joined us, killed another in the stern if their boat, which, I suppose, was an officer. They hoisted the sloop’s sails, and swung her bow out. This exposed to our fire those who had been skulking under her lee in the barge; and in a few minutes we compelled them to leave their prize, after rowing three miles with the loss of two men! We immediately boarded her again, and got her safe into the creek. We received no injury on our side; there being so few of us it required good marksman to do execution.
‘The same boats, I am informed, captured a sch’r from Alexandria, said the be capt Holmes’s. They are making great destruction among the bay craft. A few of our barges would be great service in this creek.”
April 8th Off Madeira, Funchall in sight, captured the British brig Britannia from Teneriffe to London, a frigate at the same time in chase to windward, hull up. The frigate continued in chase of us 5 hours, when we lost sight of her, leaving the brig sufficient time to get off.
From the journal of the Chasseur, excerpted in Baltimore American, June 2, 1814. Maryland Historical Society.
On April 4, 1814, Commodore Joshua Barney wrote from Baltimore to Secretary of the Navy William Jones with a sense of satisfaction. After numerous requests for additional sailors for the Chesapeake Flotilla, Barney was “extremely happy” to hear from Jones that the Flotilla would soon receive most of the crew from the USS Ontario which had been trapped in the Baltimore harbor by the British blockade (and the lackluster recruitment efforts of Captain Robert T. Spence). Barney’s letter reads as follows:
Commodore Joshua Barney, Oil on canvas by Rembrandt Peale, ca. 1817. Maryland Historical Society, CA682.
Baltimore April 4th 1814
Sir,
I had the honor of receiving your letter of the 29th and shall be extremely happy in having the number of my men increased. The two Barges from Washington arrived this day, I had sent the Look-out boat to meet them with 30 additional hands for their assistance, four of the new barges from the Eastern-shore are here, and Col. Spencer the builder, will be here, (if the Weather permits,) with four more this week. The Armament for them is nearly ready, but I have been most cruelly disappointed in the delivery of the Guns (light 18 pounders) by Mr. Dorsey. He has trifled with us from the first, with promises from day to day, and it was but four days ago I was able to get from him the Guns; in fact, no dependence can be put, on his word. I believe Mr. Beatty has much reason to complain. I have heard that Capt. Spence has received orders to transfer some men to the flotilla, (say 18) but I have not seen him.
I have just heard from Mr. Frazier. He complains that men cannot be procured on the Eastern-shore for that both parties discourage enlistments, each wishing to keep the men, for the next Elections, as they are so equally divided, that the loss of a few Votes would throw the balance into the hands of the other party, I have given Assurances that all the Demos. shall be there on the 1st of October next to Vote, which I hope will have some effect.
It would appear we have about 30 men to come over, which I shall order here next week; We were doing very well in procuring men, until the news of raising the Embargo arrived, but I fear that will put a total stop to it, everything that can sail fast, will now be fitted out, and the Cupidity of our Merchants is such, that they care not, how much the City is threatened so that they can get a vessel to sea—
I am Sir with respect your Obt. Servt
Joshua Barney
