USS Jefferson (1814)

Last updated
History
US flag 24 stars.svgUnited States
NameJefferson
Launched7 April 1814
FateSold, 30 April 1825
General characteristics
Type Brig
Displacement509 long tons (517 t)
Length117 ft (36 m)
PropulsionSail
Complement160 officers and enlisted
Armament
  • 16 × 42-pounder carronades
  • 4 × 24-pounder long guns

USS Jefferson was a brig in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. She was named for Founding Father and third U.S. president Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was built at Sackett's Harbor, New York, for service in Commodore Isaac Chauncey's fleet on Lake Ontario and launched 7 April 1814. She was manned by a crew from sloop of war Erie which had been laid up at Baltimore because of the British blockade of Chesapeake Bay. Comdr. Charles G. Ridgeley was her captain. Notable Master Gunner George Marshall a warrant officer, was responsible for the ship's artillery. Marshall was also from the sloop of war Erie. [1]

Most of the guns for the new American ships had not reached Sackett's Harbor by 19 May when the British fleet arrived off the American base and began a strict blockade. Jefferson finally sailed with Chauncey's fleet on 31 July and arrived off Niagara on 5 August. Eleven days prior to the arrival of the USS Jefferson the Battle of Lundy's Lane occurred at Niagara Falls. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, [2] and one of the deadliest battles ever fought in Canada, [3] The Siege of Fort Erie continued for a month.

With Sylph and Oneida the Jefferson set up a blockade while Chauncey with the rest of the fleet sailed on to Kingston to challenge the main English squadron. Several ships were blocked in the Niagara River. The blockade also prevented British supplies and troops from entering the Niagara River at the Lake Ontario entrance. Naval ships could not travel from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie because of Niagara Falls. British ships would use a portage road traveling 11 miles to naval ships closer to Lake Erie. The blockade stopped this crucial artery while the Siege of Fort Erie raged on aiding the United States. The crews of the vessels gained experience in amphibious warfare.

After remaining on blockade duty off Niagara for over a month, Jefferson sailed for Kingston to rejoin Chauncey. The ship crew also captured several small British vessels. During the passage, on 12 September, a severe storm arose, which before abating three days later, almost swamped the brig. Ten of her guns were thrown overboard in the struggle to save the ship.

Jefferson rejoined her fleet on 17 September and operated with it during the remainder of the navigation season attempting to draw Sir James Yeo's ships into a decisive contest. Toward the end of November she was laid up for the winter.

Peace obviated Jefferson's planned return to commission in the spring. She apparently remained in ordinary until sold on 30 April 1825.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Lake Erie</span> 1813 battle during the War of 1812

The Battle of Lake Erie, also known as the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, on Lake Erie off the shore of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of the British Royal Navy. This ensured American control of the lake for the rest of the war, which in turn allowed the Americans to recover Detroit and win the Battle of the Thames to break the Indian confederation of Tecumseh. It was one of the biggest naval battles of the War of 1812.

USS Sylph was a schooner in the United States Navy during the War of 1812.

USS <i>Oneida</i> (1809)

The first USS Oneida was a brig of war in the United States Navy during the War of 1812.

USS Jones was a brig in the United States Navy during the War of 1812.

The first Asp was a schooner in the United States Navy during the War of 1812.

USS <i>Trippe</i> (1812) Sloop-of-war of the United States Navy

USS Trippe was a sloop in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. She was named in honour of John Trippe.

USS Lady of the Lake was a small schooner in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. She was built by Henry Eckford of Sacketts Harbor, New York, during the summer and winter of 1812-13, launched 6 April 1813 and entered service 13 days later, Sailing Master Flinn in command.

USS <i>Niagara</i> (1813) US Navy wooden-hulled snow-brig

USS <i>General Pike</i> Corvette of the United States Navy

USS General Pike was a corvette in the United States Navy, which took part in Engagements on Lake Ontario during the Anglo-American War of 1812. She was launched in June 1813 and took part in several indecisive battles on the Great Lakes. She was laid up at the end of the war and was sold in 1825.

HMS <i>Royal George</i> (1809) 1809 sloop-of-war

HMS Royal George was a British 20-gun wooden sloop of the Provincial Marine, and subsequently, the Royal Navy, operating on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. The vessel took part in several Engagements on Lake Ontario and was the flagship of the Provincial Marine at the First Battle of Sackett's Harbor. In 1814, the vessel was renamed Niagara. Following the war, the sloop was converted to a transport and sold in 1837.

HMS <i>Duke of Gloucester</i> (1807) Brig of the Royal Navy

HMS Duke of Gloucester was a 10-gun brig of the Royal Navy which was launched at the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard in Kingston, Ontario. A Provincial Marine vessel, during the War of 1812, the brig took part in several of the early engagements between British and American naval forces on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. While being repaired at York, Duke of Gloucester was captured by Americans in 1813. A month later the British destroyed the brig at the Battle of Sackett's Harbor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engagements on Lake Ontario</span> Naval battles during the War of 1812

The Engagements on Lake Ontario encompass the prolonged naval contest for control of the lake during the War of 1812. Few actions were fought, none of which had decisive results. The contest essentially became a naval building race, sometimes referred to sarcastically as the "Battle of the Carpenters."

HMS Prince Regent was a 56-gun British warship that served on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. Prince Regent was built at the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard in Kingston, Upper Canada and launched on 14 April 1814. Rated as a fourth-rate frigate, Prince Regent took part in the Raid on Fort Oswego in 1814. Following the War of 1812 the frigate was renamed HMS Kingston on 9 December 1814. In 1817, the vessel was placed in reserve following the Rush-Bagot Treaty that demilitarized all the lakes along the United States-Canada border. Discarded in 1832, the vessel found no buyer and sank in Deadman Bay off Kingston after 1832.

HMS Moira was a British 14-gun schooner of the Royal Navy, that plied the waters of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River during the War of 1812. Initially constructed for the Provincial Marine in 1805, the vessel took part in the Engagements on Lake Ontario. Renamed Charwell in 1814, following the war, the vessel became a powder hulk and an accommodation vessel. The vessel was sold in 1837.

HMS <i>Wolfe</i> (1813) 20-gun sloop-of-war

HMS Wolfe was a 20-gun sloop-of-war, launched at the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard at Kingston, Upper Canada, on 22 April 1813. She served in the British naval squadron in several engagements on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. Upon her launch, Wolfe was made the flagship of the squadron until larger vessels became available. Along with the naval engagements on Lake Ontario, Wolfe supported land operations in the Niagara region and at the Battle of Fort Oswego. Following the war, the vessel was laid up in reserve and eventually sold in 1832.

HMS Lord Melville was a brig of the Royal Navy launched at Kingston, Ontario, on 20 July 1813. Initially designed as a schooner, she was altered to 14-gun brig in 1813. She served on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812, and was renamed HMS Star on 22 January 1814. By 1815, she was unfit for anything but transport duties. She was sold in 1837.

Queen Charlotte was the ship-rigged ship-sloop constructed for the Upper Canada Provincial Marine in 1810 as part of the fleet renewal in the lead-up to the War of 1812. Ordered in 1809, the ship was designed by Master Shipwright William Bell and constructed at Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard in Amherstburg, Upper Canada on Lake Erie. The design was based on the Snake class and was considered an effective design. During the War of 1812, Queen Charlotte was part of the Lake Erie squadron. After the Royal Navy took over command of the Great Lakes, Queen Charlotte was commissioned in 1813. On 10 September 1813, Queen Charlotte and the rest of the Lake Erie squadron were captured at the Battle of Lake Erie. The ship entered service with the United States Navy, though after the defeat of the British squadron, saw no further action during the war. Following the war, the ship was intentionally sunk at Put-in-Bay for preservation. Raised and sold into commercial service in 1825, the vessel continued in service until 1844, when the ship was no longer considered serviceable and left to rot as a dismasted hulk.

<i>Governor Simcoe</i> (1793 ship) Merchant schooner launched in 1793 and British naval vessel

Governor Simcoe was a merchant schooner launched in 1793. The Provincial Marine acquired her in 1813 and renamed her after the British naval officer Sir Sidney Smith. She saw service on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. The Royal Navy acquired her in 1814 and renamed her HMS Magnet. A few months later her captain had to blow her up to prevent the Americans from capturing the vessel.

Prince Regent was a schooner constructed for Upper Canada's Provincial Marine for use on Lake Ontario. Built just before the beginning of the War of 1812, the vessel took part in the attack on Sackett's Harbor, New York. With the arrival of the Royal Navy in the Great Lakes under the command of Commodore James Lucas Yeo in 1813, the vessel was renamed HMS Lord Beresford or General Beresford, or Beresford. The British detachment on the lake engaged the American naval squadron and attacked American positions in the Niagara region, while supporting British armies.

George Marshall was a chemist, pyrotechnist, artillery specialist, author, educator, and gunner in the United States Navy. He fought in the War of 1812, he was part of Commodore Isaac Chauncey's freshwater fleet on Lake Ontario. He served in the United States Navy with distinction for over forty-six years. He achieved the status of master gunner. He was one of the most important naval gunners in U.S. history. He helped build the framework of U.S. naval gunnery education. He was a 19th-century American scientist.

References

  1. "Niles Hezekiah" Niles Weekly Register From September 1815 To March 1816 Vol IX October 7, 1815 No 6 Vol 9 Balitimore Baltimore: Franklin Press 1816. p 91
  2. Heidler (2004), p. 161.
  3. Belanger (2009), p. 72.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .

Bibliography