USS Wasp (1807)

USS ''Wasp'' of the United States Navy was a sailing sloop-of-war captured by the British in the early months of the War of 1812. She was constructed in 1806 at the Washington Navy Yard, was commissioned sometime in 1807, Master Commandant John Smith in command. In 1812 she captured , but was immediately herself captured. The British took her into service first as HMS ''Loup Cervier'' and then as HMS ''Peacock''. She was lost, presumed foundered with all hands, in mid-1814.

US Service

In 1808 ''Wasp'' was heavily involved in supporting Jefferson's Embargo, including delivering an army garrison from New York City to Passamaquoddy in June, patrolling Casco Bay, Maine, in the winter of 1808–1809, and remaining at Portland until May, 1809. Until 1809 she was commanded by Master Commandant John Smith. In the final weeks of 1810, she was operating from the ports of Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, presumably patrolling the waters along southern Atlantic coast. In 1811, she sailed to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she and the brig joined frigates and in forming a squadron commanded by Commodore Stephen Decatur.

On 9 March 1812 ''Wasp'' sailed from New York for France to deliver an Anglo-Irish mercenary named John Henry who had sold intelligence to President Madison indicating Britain's interest in determining if the New England states wished to secede from the union. The correspondence, known as the Henry Papers, helped build outrage in Congress against Britain that led to the declaration of war, however the documents are now widely believed to have been a forgery.

''Wasp'', under the command of Master Commandant Jacob Jones continued to operate along the coast of the middle states after the United States went to war with Britain in June 1812. On 13 October, she sailed from the Delaware River, two days later she encountered a heavy gale that tore away her jib boom and washed two crewmen overboard. The following evening, ''Wasp'' encountered a squadron of ships and, in spite of the fact that two of their number appeared to be large men-of-war, made for them straight away. She finally caught the enemy convoy the following morning and discovered six merchantmen under the protection of a 22-gun sloop-of-war, HMS ''Frolic''. Roosevelt, 1883 pp.104-106

At half past eleven in the morning of 18 October, ''Wasp'' and ''Frolic'' closed to do battle. The engagement would be the first and only time ''Wasp'' saw combat. The two ships commenced fire at a distance of . In a short, sharp, fight, both ships sustained heavy damage to masts and rigging, but ''Wasp'' prevailed over her adversary by boarding her. The victory was short lived however. Unfortunately for ''Wasp'', a British 74-gun ship-of-the-line, , appeared on the scene. ''Frolic'' was crippled and ''Wasp''s rigging and sails were badly damaged. At 4:00 PM Jones had no choice but to surrender ''Wasp''; he could neither run nor fight such an overwhelming opponent.

British service

''Wasp'' was briefly given the name ''Loup Cervier'' on her capture.Winfield (2008), p.273. She was commissioned in 1813 on the Halifax station under Captain Charles Gill. Captain William William Mends succeeded Gill,
taking command on 26 February 1813.

In June ''Loup Cervier'' was off New London, where she helped blockade the squadron under Commodore Stephen Decatur. James Biddle, who had been first lieutenant of ''Wasp'', had become captain of . He issued a challenge to Mends that their two vessels meet in an engagement. Decatur forbade the engagement until he was sure that it would be an even match. The day after he gave his assent ''Loup Cervier'' left New London to patrol elsewhere.

Thereafter ''Loup Cervier'' captured or recaptured four vessels. On 27 June she captured the schooner ''Little Bill'', John Roach master, which had been sailing from St Bartholomew to North Carolina. She was carrying a cargo of sugar and molasses. ''Little Bill'' was restored. Another report gives the vessel's name as ''Little Bell''.

Then on 28 August ''Loup Cervier'' captured the ship ''Hope'', of 468 tons (bm), J. Emery master. ''Hope'' was sailing from Lisbon to Newport, Rhode Island, with a cargo of salt. She too was restored.

On 29 October ''Loup Cervier'' recaptured the brig ''John and Mary'', T. Collins, master. Lastly, ''Loup Cervier'' was one of four British warships that shared in the capture of the sloop ''Emeline'', of 44 tons (bm), O. Adams, master. ''Emeline'' was sailing from New York to Rhode Island with a cargo of 240 barrels of flour.

At some point ''Loup Cervier'' was renamed ''Peacock'', ''Hornet'' having captured and sunk the in February 1813. Mends was appointed to command of on 23 March 1814. ''Peacock'' may then have been briefly under the command of Captain G. Donnett.
In April or shortly thereafter Commander Richard Coote of was promoted to post captain and transferred to ''Peacock''.

''Peacock'' was one of the five British warships that on 21 April 1814 captured the Swedish brig ''Minerva''. Then on 15 May, ''Peacock'' recaptured the Swedish ship ''Providentia'', of four guns, 400 tons, and 17 men. She had been sailing from Amelia Island to Lisbon with a cargo of pine, cedar, etc. when an American privateer had captured her. That same day, ''Peacock'' recaptured the Russian ship ''Hendrick'', of eight guns, 80 tons, and 13 men. She had been sailing from Amelia Island to Amsterdam with a cargo of pine and cotton when captured.

Fate

''Peacock'' was under Coote's command when she disappeared off the Virginia Capes.Hepper (1994), p.150. She apparently had foundered on 23 July 1814.

Notes

Citations

References

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* Dennie, Joseph (2009) ''The Port Folio''. (Books LLC). Vol. 3.
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* Essex Institute, Peabody Essex Museum (1910) ''Essex Institute historical collections''. (Essex Institute Press).
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* Mends, Bowen Stilon (1899) ''Life of Admiral Sir William Robert Mends, G. C. B.: late director of transports''. (J. Murray).
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See also

*Naval tactics in the Age of Sail
*Glossary of nautical terms (A-L)