USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2015) |
USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the War of 1812 | |||||||
USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere by Michele Felice Cornè | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
United States | United Kingdom | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Isaac Hull | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
44-gun Frigate 56 guns 754lb broadside 480 U.S. Navy Sailors and U.S. Marine infantry[1] |
38-gun Royal Marine infantry | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
7 killed 7 wounded[2] |
Frigate sunk 15 killed 78 wounded 257 captured |
USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere was a battle between an American and British ship during the
Background
When the
However, Rodgers set out to sea immediately when he heard of the declaration of war, before he could receive Hamilton's instructions. He feared that if he delayed he might be blockaded by a superior British fleet, but by sailing immediately he might catch isolated British ships before they could concentrate.[3] He did indeed encounter the frigate HMS Belvidera, but Belvidera escaped, aided by a bursting cannon aboard USS President which injured Rodgers and caused much damage and confusion. Rodgers then crossed the Atlantic hoping to catch a valuable British convoy from the West Indies. The weather was foul throughout the voyage and Rodgers missed the convoy, capturing only seven small merchant vessels.[4]
On hearing of Belvidera's encounter, Vice Admiral
Pursuit of USS Constitution
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2016) |
On the outbreak of war, Constitution was at Annapolis, collecting a fresh crew, and was unable to sail for three weeks. When her captain, Isaac Hull, was able to put his vessel to sea, he headed for New York in accordance with Secretary Hamilton's orders. Near New York, in the late afternoon of 17 July 1812, Hull saw four ships sailing west, and another one heading straight towards Constitution. He thought the ships could be his commander Rodgers' squadron, but was cautious. He ordered signal lights to be shown, and when the approaching ship did not identify herself, ordered Constitution to keep her distance and wait for daylight to assess the situation.
In light and fitful winds which occasionally died away altogether, Constitution led the British squadron in a stern chase. Constitution lowered her boats to tow the ship, while Broke ordered the boats from the entire British squadron to tow Shannon. In an attempt to pull away, Hull ordered ten tons of drinking water to be pumped overboard. Despite this, the British squadron continued to gain on Constitution. Constitution's First Lieutenant, Charles Morris, then suggested kedging to haul the ship along. This allowed Constitution to draw away from Shannon.[7] Fire from four heavy guns which Hull had shifted to point right aft prevented the British trying the same tactic. Late in the afternoon, the wind sprang up again, and Constitution increased her lead. The British ships gained slightly during the night, but the next day, Constitution drew away again, although the chase lasted another day and a night until the British ships were out of sight.
Following his escape, Hull sailed for
Broke had meanwhile sailed after the valuable West India convoy, assuming correctly that Rodgers was also searching for it. Three weeks after losing sight of Constitution and having seen the convoy safely into British waters, Broke prepared to return to New York. Guerriere was detached and ordered to proceed to Halifax for a much-needed refit.[9]
Battle
At 2:00 p.m. on 19 August, Constitution sighted a large ship to leeward, and bore down to investigate. The weather was cloudy, and the wind was brisk. The strange ship proved to be Guerriere, whose crew recognised Constitution at about the same moment. Both ships prepared for action, and shortened sail to "fighting sail", i.e. topsails and jibs only. As Constitution closed, Dacres first hove to to fire a broadside, which fell short, and then ran before the wind for three quarters of an hour with the Constitution on Guerriere's quarter. Dacres yawed several times to fire broadsides at Constitution, but Guerriere's broadsides were generally inaccurate, while the few shots fired from Constitution's foremost guns had little effect.[10] After one cannonball bounced "harmlessly" off the side of Constitution, a crew member is said to have yelled "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!"[8]
Once the range had closed to within a few hundred yards, Captain Hull ordered extra sail (the foresail and main topgallant sail) to be set, to close the distance quickly. Dacres did not match this maneuver, and the two ships began exchanging broadsides at "half pistol-shot",
On both ships, boarding parties were summoned and musket fire broke out. Aboard Constitution, Lieutenant
As Constitution prepared to renew the action, Guerriere fired a shot in the opposite direction to Constitution.[14] Sensing that this was an attempt to signal surrender, Hull ordered a boat to take a lieutenant over to the British ship. When the Lieutenant boarded Guerriere and asked if Guerriere was prepared to surrender, Captain Dacres responded "Well, Sir, I don't know. Our mizzen mast is gone, our fore and main masts are gone - I think on the whole you might say we have struck our flag."[2]
American tactical doctrine
It was claimed that the standard American naval tactic was to stand off at long range and use
Aftermath
Captain Dacres was escorted aboard Constitution. Hull refused to accept Dacres' sword of surrender, saying he could not accept the sword from a man who had fought so gallantly.[2] He also ordered that Dacres' mother's Bible be returned to him.[2] Guerriere was clearly sinking, and the wounded were transferred to Constitution. Hull found that ten impressed Americans had been serving aboard Guerriere but Dacres had permitted them to stay below decks instead of fighting their countrymen.[16]
Hull wanted Guerriere towed in as a prize ship. Constitution lay by Guerriere during the night but at daybreak it was obvious that Guerriere could not be salvaged. The prisoners and the American salvage parties were brought aboard Constitution and at 3:00 p.m., Guerriere was set on fire, and soon blew up.[17]
Although Constitution was substantially undamaged and still had two thirds of its ammunition, shot from the Guerriere was wedged in the lower masts of the frigate and Constitution was unable to continue its cruise.[18] Furthermore, Hull wanted the American public to have news of the victory. He reached Boston ten days later, and his news (with the obvious proof of more than two hundred prisoners of war) caused rejoicing. Guerriere had been one of the most active ships of the Royal Navy in stopping and searching American merchant vessels, and the news of her defeat was particularly satisfying to the American seafaring community.[19]
After his return, Hull was never to hold another fighting command.[16] His brother had died, leaving a widow and children whom Hull was now duty-bound to support. Seeking a commission that would better accommodate his new domestic responsibilities, Hull asked Navy Secretary Hamilton if he could exchange commands with Captain William Bainbridge, under whom he had served during the Barbary Wars and who was then commander of the Boston Navy Yard. Hamilton agreed, and on 15 September 1812, Hull took over the Navy Yard and Bainbridge became captain of Constitution.
For his bravery during the battle, Lieutenant John Cushing Aylwin was commended after gallantly facing the enemy and refusing medical attention until each of his men had been properly treated. However, Aylwin succumbed to injuries received during the Constitution's single-ship action against HMS Java on 29 December 1812.
Once released by exchange of prisoners and returned to Halifax, Captain Dacres was tried by
Two months after the battle between Constitution and Guerriere, the frigate HMS Macedonian was captured by the USS United States. Although Macedonian suffered the same proportion of casualties as Guerriere had and was incapable of further resistance, it was soon repaired while at sea, and was sailed back to the United States, giving some credibility to Dacres's statements in his defence.[22]
Before the run of American victories in single-ship encounters early in the War of 1812, it was believed in the Royal Navy that a British 38-gun frigate could successfully engage a 44-gun frigate of any other nation.[23] Before the battle, Dacres had appeared to be confident that, whatever its material state, his ship could defeat any American frigate. On 10 August, Dacres had captured an American merchant brig, Betsey. The brig's master (William B. Orne) was a prisoner aboard Guerriere when Constitution was sighted and later wrote:
...the conclusion of course was, that she was either a French or an American frigate. Captain Dacres appeared anxious to ascertain her character, and after looking at her for that purpose, handed me his spy-glass, requesting me to give him my opinion of the stranger. I soon saw from the peculiarity of her sails, and from her general appearance, that she was, without doubt, an American frigate, and communicated the same to Captain Dacres. He immediately replied, that he thought she came down too boldly for an American, but soon after added : 'The better he behaves, the more honor we shall gain by taking him.'[24]
Dacres is also supposed to have remarked to Orne that he would "be made for life" as the first British captain to capture an American frigate.[25]
Significance
Although the battle was, arguably, inconsequential from a military perspective, as the loss of Guerriere was insignificant to the 600 ship Royal Navy, it was a pivotal moment in American naval history.[26][page needed]
The effect of the battle on American morale and patriotism was immeasurable. Prior to the battle, the American land campaign against Canada had been unsuccessful with a resulting loss of public support for the war. After the battle, the American public became galvanized by the pride in defeating the vaunted Royal Navy in a "fair" fight. Although Constitution and Guerriere were both frigates, Constitution carried more guns of larger calibers, stronger scantling[further explanation needed] , as well as 208 additional crewmen and, therefore, had a decisive advantage. This fact was simply overlooked or ignored by the press and the public.[26][page needed]
Comparison of combatant vessels (English measurement methods used for both ships[26][page needed])
HMS Guerriere | USS Constitution | |
---|---|---|
Length (gundeck) | 154 ft 6 in (47.09 m) | 175 ft 0 in (53.34 m) |
Beam | 39 ft 4 in (11.99 m) | 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m) |
Tonnage | 1092 tons | 1576 tons |
Complement | 272 men | 480 men |
Armament | 28 × 18-pounder long guns 16 × 32-pounder carronades 2 × 12-pounder chase guns 1 × 18-pounder boat carronade |
30 × 24-pounder long guns 20 × 32-pounder carronades 2 × 24-pounder chase guns |
Broadside Weight | 528 lbs | 754 lbs |
Footnotes
- ^ Borneman p. 81
- ^ a b c d Borneman p. 87
- ^ Forester, pp. 18–20
- ^ Forester, pp. 26–28
- ^ a b Borneman p. 82
- ^ Forester, p.38
- ^ Forester, pp. 39–40
- ^ a b Borneman p. 84
- ^ Forester, p. 45
- ^ Forester, p. 49
- ^ Roosevelt, p. 51
- ^ Roosevelt, p. 52
- ^ Forester, p. 52
- ^ Borneman, p. 86
- ^ Lambert, Andrew (2012-04-03). The Challenge: Britain Against America in the Naval War of 1812 (Kindle Locations 3204-3206). Faber & Faber. Kindle Edition.[page needed]
- ^ a b Forester, p. 53
- ^ Roosevelt, p. 54
- ^ Lambert [page needed]
- ^ Forester, p. 55
- ^ Forester, pp. 50–51
- ^ Forester, pp. 56–57
- ^ Forester, p. 87
- ^ Forester, p. 59
- ^ "USS Constitution – Queenstown Heights".
- ^ "Constitution vs. Guerrière: America's Coming Out Party". 8 February 2011.
- ^ a b c Andrew Lambert, The Challenge: Britain Against America in the Naval War of 1812, Faber and Faber (2012)[page needed]
References
- ISBN 978-0-06-053112-6.
- Brodine, Charles E, Crawford, Michael, and Hughes, Christine. Ironside!: The Ship, the Men and the Wars of the USS Constitution.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Fireship Press, 2007. - ISBN 0-939218-06-2.
- ISBN 0-375-75419-9.