the performance of the us navy in the war of 1812

declared war with Great Britain on June 18, 1812, the Navy sent Essex to the Caribbean waters off Florida to hunt for an English convoy allegedly carrying specie and supplies. Despite Porter’s disdain for carronades, he spent the following months drilling Essex’s crew so if they were called upon, they would be ready and capable. He wrote, “Was this ship to be disabled in her rigging in the early part of an engagement, a ship armed with long guns could take a position beyond the reach of our carronades and cut us to pieces.” By some accounts, the change in the ship’s armament also reduced the ship’s sailing qualities, negating the advantages of William Hackett’s balanced design. Captain Porter immediately wrote to Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton, complaining that a previous captain had swapped most of the long guns for carronades. In the summer of 1811, USS Essex received its latest commanding officer in Captain David Porter at Gosport Navy Yard in Portsmouth, VA. Navy.Ĭaptain David Porter, circa War of 1812 ( NHHC) However, it is Essex’s performance during the War of 1812 that makes the ship and crew one of the most successful of the early U.S. warship to sail around Cape Horn, crossing into the Pacific Ocean to escort merchant vessels back into the Atlantic under the command of Edward Preble. Notably, in 1800, Essex became the first U.S. USS Essex participated in the Quasi-War with France, as well as the First Barbary War. Many regarded shipbuilder William Hackett’s design of Essex as one of the finest sailing ships in the U.S. Essex was originally armed with twenty-six 12 pound long guns and ten 24 pound carronades. The ship was approximately 140 feet long with a 36-foot beam, displacing 860 tons. Largely funded by the people of Salem, Massachusetts, Essex was launched September 30, 1799. The actions of USS Essex, its crew, and Captain David Porter stand out as exemplars of the importance of the war in developing the U.S.

The War of 1812 saw the rise of the United States Navy through the actions of many famous ships and captains.

The performance of the us navy in the war of 1812