Got a hankering to sail the miniature blue ocean, but don't have enough time to set up the Battle of Trafalgar, let alone play it? Here are some scenarios for two or three sailing ships, the kind in which the American naval forces made their name. The scenarios given feature everything from small brigs to sail of the line, and it should be possible to play more than one in an afternoon.
The naval history of the first 50 years of American seapower is charted almost exclusively by a series of single-ship actions, fought with the British, French, Tripolitanians, and then the British again; many were hard- fought, and a surprisingly large number were American triumphs. Aside from outlining scenarios, this article also constitutes an informal history of the high points of America's rise as a naval power. During the period 1775-1815 the United States had, for all intents and purposes, three different navies, each supported by irregular naval forces (state navies, revenue services, and privateers).
Chronicling the rises and falls of numbers of ships in service at any time, with the records available to me, has been a headache at best, and the following charts may contain small inaccuracies. The ship charts given are adapted for use with HEART OF OAK, but the text will hopefully provide enough information to re-adapt for use with other systems (keep in mind that 1 HEART OF OAK crew factor equals 10 men). The charts also give data for some vessels not included in the scenarios, to encourage gainers to invent their own scenarios. None of this information is sacred, and players may wish to alter the composition or quality of ships and their crews at will, and this is encouraged.
A number of scenarios, UNITED STATES-MACEDONIAN and WASP-REINDEER for example, are intrinsically unbalanced. MACEDONIAN, even with the best of luck and commanded by the most skillful captain, would still find it almost impossible to defeat UNITED STATES. An attempt at play balance may be made by deciding the victory not on which ship surrenders or sinks, but rather to the amount of punishment each ship inflicts with respect to the limitations on its armament, and the quality of its crew. Use of the following formula may help:
|
Percentage of Enemy Hull Points Damaged
Own Long Gun Factors + Carronade Factors | x Opponent's crew quality number |
The opponent's crew quality number is the same number used in HEART OF OAK to resolve boarding engagements. Rules that do not use crew quality modifiers need not figure this in.
In other words, set up a simple ratio of damage done to the enemy over the size of your broadside armament, then multiply by the enemy's crew quality to compensate for differences in crew. If the resulting number is higher than your opponent's, then you've won. For battles between smaller vessels, brigs, schooners, sloops and such, it is highly recommended to use the special modifiers for Small Ship Actions (HEART OF OAK). And now to business:
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
The opening guns at Lexington and Concord found the rebellious Colonies without a navy of any sort, without the funds to build one, and facing the greatest naval power on earth. Fortunately the British ministerial incompetence and severely damaged British ability to respond to the crisis: less than 100 ships were in service in 1775, and these were badly manned and supplied. The Colonies were therefore granted a breathing space. Shortly after taking command at Boston, General Washington literally rented a navy from surrounding shipowners. After a delay due to strong Congressional feeling that it was sheer madness to challenge England on the seas, Congress got around to creating the Continental Navy, more or less by accident, on 30 October, 1775, when it authorized the purchase and arming of small vessels.
A distinction must be made between the Continental Navy, created in 1775 and disbanded after the war, and the United States Navy, created in 1793 and still in existence. The history of the Contintental Navy is not a very glorious one, John Paul Jones to the contrary. According to Fletcher Pratt, of the 35 warships built or purchased for the Continental Navy during the Revolution, only one remained in American hands at the end of the war. I suspect that Mr. Pratt exaggerated, but not by much. Paul Jones was the exception, rather than the rule: much more typical were men like John Joyner, commanding the SOUTH CAROLINA of forty guns, who ran below when in action with a British ship, and only returned on deck to surrender. There was also Commodore Saltonstall who burned his squadron in Penobscot Bay rather than face the smaller British squadron sent in after him. This depressing list could be longer, but I think the point has been made.
Nevertheless, as Jones' exploits make interesting gaming, they and others are mentioned here.
RANGER vs. DRAKE
24 April, 1778
On the night of the 21st Paul Jones in the RANGER (18) had attempted to surprise the DRAKE (20) Captain Burdon, in Carrickfergus Harbor, only to be driven off by a gale. After a raid on shore, he returned on the 24th and cruised off the port until the DRAKE came forth. Burdon unwisely came out with a crew composed partly of untrained volunteers, and was shot to bits in a brisk action. No tactics were used; this was a yardarm-to-yardarm fight in the best tradition of the Royal Navy. So unusual was the capture of a British ship by an American cruiser of equal force that it resulted in Paul Jones being held in almost supernatural fear by the British. The exact number of DRAKE's crew is in dispute, due to the haste with which she was manned by volunteers from the town. It seems DRAKE was armed with 24-pound guns, preposterously overgunned for her size. RANGER, on the other hand, was undergunned, carrying only 6-pounders.
For the tabletop: Wind strength 4, barometer steady. RANGER should have the weather gage. The water is shallow enough to anchor. Due to DRAKE's overlarge armanent, it will reload on the lst-4th Rate Tables rather than the normal tables.
BATTLE OF FLAMBOROUGH HEAD
23 September, 1781
This classic action is so filled with anomalies and weird happenings that I hesitate to offer it for simulation. Paul Jones, commanding a squadron composed of BONHOMME RICHARD (42), an ex-Indiaman given him by the French; ALLIANCE (32), a Continental frigate commanded by a French lunatic mercenary sailor named Landais; and PALLAS (32), encountered a convoy escorted by SERAPIS (44), Captain Pearson (or Parson), and COUNTESS OF SCARBOROUGH (24).
BONHOMME RICHARD and SERAPIS are referred to in most accounts as "frigates", but they really weren't; both ships were essentially miniature two-decked sail of the line. During the second broadside RICHARD's lower battery of 18-pounders blew up, removing much of Jones' firepower. He brought SERAPIS on board and lashed the two vessels together. Night fell quickly, and ALLIANCE circled the action twice, raking RICHARD each time (whether this was due to an honest mistake in the dark or Landais' psychotic hatred for Paul Jones has never been adequately determined). One of ALLIANCE's raking broadsides dispersed the boarding party that Jones had painstakingly assembled. A boat with one of RICHARD's lieutenants and 30 men, detached earlier in the day, hovered off RICHARD's stern during the fight, either frightened to approach or because they were afraid of going aboard the wrong ship. An American grenade dropping onto SERAPIS' gundeck caused an explosion that took 40 Englishmen out of the fight. Pearson eventually surrendered after he noticed COUNTESS had struck to PALLAS and that his convoy had escaped; apparently he didn't realize that ALLIANCE was as much his friend as his enemy. BONHOMME RICHARD sank soon after the battle. Pearson was knighted for his bravery; Paul Jones remarked that the next time they met he hoped "to make him an earl".
For the tabletop: A simulation of all of this is extremely difficult. I suggest the following; leave the PALLAS/SCARBOROUGH fight out of it altogether, as it's uninteresting, one-sided, and has no effect on the main battle. BONHOMME RICHARD has a broadside of 6 long gun factors, of which 2 constitute the 18-pound lower battery. Each time the lower battery, or a portion thereof, is fired, there is a 20% chance they'll blow up, killing any crew manning them and making it impossible for the guns to be used again.
A boat with 2 American crew factors starts 200 meters astern of the RICHARD, and may not approach within 100 meters until it rolls 91 or better on the percentage dice.
ALLIANCE is not placed on the table until turn 11. At the beginning of every turn each side rolls percentage dice: the highest number controls ALLIANCE for that turn, and writes its orders. ALLIANCE will therefore be a random factor. ALLIANCE will not attempt to grapple, nor will it initiate a boarding battle. When either RICHARD or SERAPIS surrenders, ALLIANCE will leave the table.
RICHARD and SERAPIS should start on parallel courses, about 200 meters apart, quarter reaching with a wind strength of 5 from their larboard side. The water is shallow enough for anchoring. The barometer is falling.
RANDOLPH and MOULTRIE vs. YARMOUTH
17 March, 1778
In one of the oddest battles of the war, the American frigate RANDOLPH (32), Captain Nicholas Biddle, and the GENERAL MOULTRIE (18), attacked and savagely mauled the British two-decker YARMOUTH (64), Captain Vincent, and were apparently on the point of forcing a British surrender when the RANDOLPH suddenly blew up, killing all but four of her crew. Biddle's attempt to capture a liner with a mere frigate and a sloop of war was either incredibly bold or totally insane. He apparently succeeded in dismasting the YARMOUTH in 15 minutes' action; had Biddle survived he may have been another Paul Jones. He was twenty-eight and considered one of the most talented men in the service.
For the tabletop: The only way to balance this action is to give RANDOLPH a crack crew and YARMOUTH a poor one. Wind Strength 4, barometer steady. YARMOUTH should have the weather gage.
TALBOT vs. TWO PRIVATEERS
Summer 1779
By far the majority of actions fought by Americans in the Revolution were fought by privateers; records of numerous hard-fought actions exist to choose from. Some of the most remarkable feature Major Silas Talbot of the Continental Army, a soldier who kept "borrowing" merchant ships, commissioning them as privateers, and capturing an amazing number of enemy vessels. For his many successes in battle Talbot was eventually promoted Captain in the Navy, but never (as far as I can discover) commanded a Continental ship; he did, however, command ships during the early years of the U.S. Navy some twenty years later.
Talbot, commanding the sloop-rigged vessel ARGO (12), first capture the privateer brig DRAGON (14), and then, before having a chance to fully repair his damages, engaged the brig HANNAH (14), capturing her with a slight assist from the MACARONI (6), Captain Keybold.
For the tabletop: Roll randomly for wind direction, wind speed, and barometer setting. The battle is being fought off New England, in the Westerlies. Fight the ARGO-DRAGON battle first. If ARGO wins, allow her to repair one half the hull damage inflicted, as well as any critical hits; she should also get two-third of her crew losses back, rounding up. Roll randomly for the direction from which HANNAH enters; twenty turns after HANNAH's entrance, MACARONI will appear, also from a random direction.
It is suggested that, except for the ARGO repairs mentioned above, neither side be allowed to repair damage during the battle.
GENERAL MONK vs. HYDER ALLY
April, 1782
Talbot went on to further glory and success, until his GENERAL WASHINGTON (20) was captured by the YARMOUTH (64) in 1780. WASHINGTON was taken into the British service, renamed GENERAL MONK, and given to one Captain Rodgers, who in the ensuing years captured no less than 60 American vessels before meeting his match in Delaware Bay with the HYDER ALLY (16), a ship in the Pennsylvanta service, commanded by Continental Lieutenant Joshua Barney. Other vessels were involved in the action; but the American ones ran away and the British ones ran aground, leaving the field clear for ALLY and MONK to have at one another.
One of Barney's tactics was to tell his helmsman to execute orders "by rule of the contrary", in other words, to do the exact opposite of what they were told. In a voice loud enough for the British to hear, Barney ordered a turn to starboard, and the helmsman unexpectedly turned to port, putting HYDER ALLY in a position to rake. Much service was also done by a contingent of Buck County riflemen, who picked off any British seamen daring to show their heads.
For the tabletop: Wind 3, barometer steady. HYDER ALLY should have the weather gage. The optional rule for the rifle-armed marines should be used for HYDER ALLY.
GENERAL PICKERING vs. ACHILLES
4 June, 1780
A classic battle of quality vs. quantity. Jonathan Haraden was possibly the most able captain of his day, comparing favorably even with Paul Jones and Talbot. The GENERAL PICKERING was an American privateer ship of 16 guns operating from Bilbao, Spain, at that time a neutral port. On the night of 2 June Haraden managed to capture without a shot the GOLDEN EAGLE (22), a British privateer, by running up alongside in the dark and claiming to be an "American frigate of the largest class". On his return to Bilbao, Haraden discovered the ACHILLES (42), another British privateer, beating out of the harbor to engage. Haraden anchored GENERAL PICKERING in shoal water, athwart a narrow passage, forcing ACHILLES to beat towards him while being continually raked. Afterwards the wind died, and Haraden had his crew man the sweeps, rowing under ACHILLES' stern for yet more raking broadsides. In the end ACHILLES made off, thoroughly beaten within sight of shore and thousands of cheering Spaniards. At one point in the action Haraden ordered his guns loaded with crowbars, which "made hash" out of the ACHILLES' decks (this writer is frankly stumped as to how to simulate this in game terms).
One of Haraden's later actions with the GENERAL PICKERING included his capture, in a single day, of the armed merchantman HOPE (14), the brig POMONE (12), and the cutter ROYAL GEORGE (14). This would be included here, but details are sadly lacking.
For the tabletop: Since I have no maps of the PICKERING-ACHILLES battle, or charts of the Bilbao area, recreating the shoals for the tabletop is difficult. GENERAL PICKERING should commence the action anchored defending a fairly narrow gap in shoal water. Wind strength should be 3, with the barometer rising; the wind should be from behind PICKERING, forcing ACHILLES to beat up towards the Yankee. The channel defended by PICKERING should be wide enough for ACHILLES to tack successfully towards her, yet narrow enough so that ACHILLES can't tack without being raked.
THE QUASI WAR WITH FRANCE
The Continental Navy was disbanded after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, and all its vessels and equipment sold. When Algerian corsairs began capturing American ships in 1793, President Washington was at a loss to respond, and induced Congress to authorize the construction of six frigates and creation of the United States Navy. Work on the frigates was halted after November 1795, when a treaty was stgned with Algiers and an annual tribute began to be paid, but as the Wars of the French Revolution heated up, the American ships began to fall prey to European nations, work on the frigates was resumed, some smaller vessels were laid down, and merchant ships were bought or rented for conversion to warships. When the Quasi War with France began in July 1798, the U.S. Navy consisted of the following vessels:
Frigates UNITED STATES (44), CONSTITUTION (44), CONSTELLATION (36), PORTSMOUTH (24), brigs NORFOLK (18), PINCKNEY (18), EAGLE (14), PICKERING (14), schooners SCAMMEL (14), GOVERNOR JAY (14), VIRGINIA (14), DILIGENCE (12), SOUTH CAROLINA (12), and the sloop GENERAL GREENE (10). Converted merchantmen included the ships GANGES (24), GEORGE WASHINGTON (24), MERRIMAC (24), BALTI MORE (20), MONTEZUMA (20), HERALD (18), and the brig RICHMOND (18). The U.S. Navy totalled 22 ships, mounting 456 guns, and having a complement of 3,484 men.
The frigates UNITED STATES and CONSTITUTION were designed by Joshua Humphreys, and utilized every advanced technique the able Humphreys and his assistants could gather from European shipyards, and from their work on the CRESCENT (44)' a CONSTITUTION-class frigate given to Algiers as part of America's tribute. Designed to be able to defeat any ship they couldn't run from, the spar-deck frigates were armed on the lower deck with thirty 24-pound long guns, outweighing the 18 and 12-pounders used by European navies on their frigates, and with twenty 12-pounders and 2 long nine-pounder chasers on the spar deck. No American ship carried carronades at this time.
CONSTELLATION, and her later sister-ships CHESAPEAKE, CONGRESS, PHILADELPHIA, etc., were designed to be structurally and in handling an almost exact copy of the British standard 38-gun frigate. However, in weight of broadside guns the American vessels were heavier, carrying twenty-eight long 24-pounders on the main deck and twenty long 12- pounders on the quarterdeck and forecastle.
The ships of the GANGES class were slow and unsuitable for warfare, carrying 6 and 9-pounders. America's only losses to the French in the war came from among the unwieldy converted merchantmen.
CONSTELLATION vs. l' INSURGENT
9 February, 1799
CONSTELLATION, under the able and aggressive Commodore Thomas Truxtun, was cruising off the Island of Nevis when the French l' INSURGENT (36), Captain Barreaut was sighted; Truxtun began the chase. Shortly afterwards l' INSURGENT lost its mainmast in a squall. Truxtun caught up with the less maneuverable French frigate and cut her to pieces, raking her several times before she surrendered. l' INSURGENT was carrying forty guns, 18 and 12-pounders.
For the tabletop: The action should commence with CONSTELLATION on a parallel course and astern to and larboard of l' INSURGENT, about 200 meters distant. Wind strength 5, barometer falling. l' INSURGENT has already lost its mainmast, and moves at 50% of its normal move; the mast has been cut free.
CONSTELLATION vs. VENGEANCE
1 February, 1800
During the interlude between the fight with l' INSURGENT, CONSTELLATION had exchanged all of its 24-pound guns for 18-pounders, and most of its 12-pounders for 24-pound carronades, probably making her the only US vessel equipped with carronades at this time. Further alterations would make the U.S. 36s almost the exact equal of British 38s. The new CONSTELLATION is referred to as "CONSTELLATION II" on the charts.
With Truxton still in command, CONSTELLATION was cruising off Basse Terre on February 1 when the lookouts saw a suspicious frigate on the horizon. The chase lasted all day; the battle commenced just before nightfall, and lasted well into the night. The French frigate turned out to be the French 40-gun VENGEANCE, which actually carried 52 guns (CONSTELLATION carried 50). The French armament consisted of twenty-eight 18-pounders, sixteen 12-pounders, and eight 24-pound carronades. The actual battle was drawn. The Americans thought they had got the upper hand but CONSTELLATION's mainmast was shot away, and VENGEANCE escaped into the darkness, later to be captured by the British.
For the tabletop: CONSTELLATION starts astern and to windward of VENGEANCE, say 500 meters. Both vessels should be quarter reaching, with CONSTELLATION having the weather gage. Wind strength 4, barometer stable.
THE WAR WITH TRIPOLI & 1812
The Quasi War was ended on terms favorable to the United States. The resolution was fortunate, since soon afterward the Navy suffered a severe loss of support. Thomas Jefferson had campaigned for the election of 1800 on a platform which proposed to reduce or eliminate the Navy. The lame-duck Adams administration slashed the Navy's rolls with the intention of reducing the Navy to a point where the Jefferson administration would no longer find it objectionable. Fortunately the majority of the vessels which were stricken were inefficient converted merchantmen; the frigates built for the naval service were continued. By 1800 the following vessels were added to the Navy: frigates PRESIDENT (44), CHESAPEAKE (36), NEW YORK (36), PHILADELPHIA (36), ESSEX (32); the corvettes ADAMS (28), BOSTON (28), and JOHN ADAMS (28); the sloop of war GEORGE WASHINGTON (24), and the 12-gun schooners EXPERIMENT and ENTERPRISE. The ADAMS and JOHN ADAMS are frequently confused by naval historians, and quite understandably... both were 28- gun corvettes named after the same man.
Fortunately for the health of the Navy, Tripoli declared war on the United States before the Jefferson administration had a chance to complete their predecessors' work. During the interim between the Quasi War and the War with Tripoli the American frigates were rearmed with carronades on their upper decks; these are shown on the charts as CONSTITUTION II and PHILADELPHIA.
ENTERPRISE vs. TRIPOLI
1 August, 1801
Virtually the only interesting single-ship action during the Tripolitanian War was fought very early, between the schooner ENTERPRISE (12), Lt. Andrew Sterett, and the polacre TRIPOLI (14). Sterett was a famous disciplinarian, and a veteran of both engagements of the CONSTELLATION. During the fight with l'INSURGENT, he had produced the only American fatality by running a cowardly seaman through with his sword.
After assorted preliminaries, in which the vessels identified one another, the schooner and polacre began the fight at pistol-shot range. The corsairs tried to board several times, failed, and then tried feigning surrender at least twice before they finally surrendered for certain. The American vessel suffered no casualties whatever. The TRIPOLI was disarmed and sent back to its home port; its captain was paraded through the streets on an ass and bastinadoed. Sterett was promoted, but later resigned the service after Decatur was promoted over his head.
For the tabletop: Commence the battle with the vessels parallel to one another, within 50 meters' range; ENTERPRISE should have the weather gage. ENTERPRISE is a 2-masted topsail schooner, and TRIPOLl a polacre (3-masted with lateen sails). Rules for Fore-and-Aft sail should be used.
At any time during the battle TRIPOLI can feign surrender. Upon commencement of this caddish behavior, TRIPOLI acts as a surrendered vessel until it chooses to open fire again. ENTERPRISE must give the "Lay Alongside" and "Take Possession" orders. TRIPOLI will always fire first after feigning surrender. The second time TRIPOLI feigns surrender, on a die roll of 51-100 the ENTERPRISE can continue fighting; on third and subsequent times, ENTERPRISE can keep fighting on a die roll of 26-100. Once the ENTERPRISE fails to fall for the fake surrender, it will never fall for it again.
THE WAR OF 1812
After the war with Tripoli ended theJefferson and Madison administrations reduced the Navy and purged many officers from the service, leaving it with fewer vessels than in 1798. At the commencement of war, the U.S. Navy had only 12 captains on the Naval Register! The "third" U.S. Navy, in 1812, consisted of the following: the 44s UNITED STATES, CONSTITUTION, and PRESIDENT; 36s CHESAPEAKE, CONGRESS, and CONSTELLATION: ESSEX (32); the 28-gun corvettes ADAMS and JOHN ADAMS; the 18-gun sloops of war HORNET and WASP; the 16-gun brigs ARGUS and SIREN; the 12-gun brigs ENTERPRISE, NAUTILUS, VIXEN and the 10-gun schooner VIPER, a total of 17 vessels (not counting those unseaworthy or on Lake Ontario) and 442 guns. The Navy also had a number of unseaworthy gunboats guarding its harbors, perhaps as many as 100. These were given numbers rather than names.
A few years before the war, the swift 12-gun schooners of the ENTERPRISE class had been converted to 12-gun brigs, ruining their handling characteristics. All were slow and easily fell prey to larger British warships, except for the ENTERPRISE, which won a battle only because the British had a class of brigs as clumsy as the American vessels. During the course of the war many American vessels were built. In fact, the U.S. Navy ended the war with twice as many ships on its list as it had at the beginning, and with thirty captains, all with battle experience. Three vessels were built at New Orleans, the ship LOUISIANA (16) and the schooners NONSUCH (14) and CAROLINA (14). These ships played an important role in the defense of the city against Pakenham's regulars. The most important of the newly- constructed ships were the fast, heavily-armed sloops of war, FROLIC, PEACOCK, WASP, ONTARIO and ERIE; most of these got to sea late in the war.
CONSTITUTION vs. GUERRIERE
19 August. 1812
This was the first engagement between the Humphrey's frigates and an English 38. GUERRIERE was a good ship, with a competent captain in Dacres, but Hull in CONSTITUTION both outfought and outmaneuvered him. Just before the war CONSTITUTION had exchanged its 42-pound carronades for 32-pounders (the other American 44s kept theirs), and is shown as "CONSTITUTION Ill" on the charts.
For the tabletop: Wind NW, strength 5, barometer steady. CONSTITUTION should have the weather gage.
WASP vs. FROLIC
18 October, 1812
The ship-sloop WASP had a good match in the brig-sloop FROLIC, but WASP's captain, Jones, thoroughly defeated FROLIC's Captain Whinyates with superior gunnery. Both vessels were captured immediately after the fight by the British POICTIERS (74).
For the tabletop: Wind 5, barometer falling. WASP has the weather gage. In order to win WASP must both capture the FROLIC and not lose a mast, otherwise she will be captured by POICTIERS and the game will be a tie.
UNITED STATES vs. MACEDONIAN
25 October, 1812
MACEDONIAN had a reputation as a crack British frigate, but this battle showed the reputation to be spurious. Decatur kept his head and won the battle at long range. The British Captain Carden made every wrong decision in the book, at first being too cautious and then far too rash. Decatur had 12 casualties and Carden 104.
For the tabletop: Wind SSE, strength 5, barometer steady. MACEDON IAN has the weather gage.
CONSTITUTION vs. JAVA
29 December, 1812
CONSTITUTION had a new captain in Bainbridge, but retained the same crack crew. JAVA, Captain Lambert, was a crack English 38, and in this engagement showed far more fight than had either the GUERRIERE or MACEDON IAN. Bainbridge's ship-handling was masterful, and resulted in his finally overcoming his run of bad luck. (His first command had been captured by the French in the Quasi War, and his frigate PHILADELPHIA ran aground off Tripoli, was captured, and later blown up by his rival Decatur.)
For the tabletop: Wind NNE, strength 3, barometer steady. JAVA has the weather gage.
HORNET vs. PEACOCK
24 February, 1813
Captain Lawrence of the HORNET sank Peake in the PEACOCK in about 20 minutes of a one-sided action. PEACOCK was a showboat, known as the "yacht", but her spic-and-span appearance hid a crew that had never been drilled at the guns (drill is so messy!). The battle was fought within sight of the British ESPIEGLE (18), at anchor in a nearby river; but ESPIEGLE never intervened.
For the tabletop: HORNET and PEACOCK start at opposite ends of the table, both broad reaching, with the wind coming from HORNET's starboard side and PEACOCK's larboard side. Wind 4, barometer steady. The water is shallow enough to anchor. For a balanced game add ESPI EGLE to the British force; assume her force to be identical to PEACOCK's with the same quality crew.
SHANNON vs. CHESAPEAKE
1 June, 1813
At last the Royal Navy had its revenge! Lawrence, fresh from his victory in the HORNET, took command of CHESAPEAKE (known as an unlucky ship) just a few days prior to the battle. He promptly sailed out of Boston to engage the blockading SHANNON, Captain Philip Veres Broke, possibly the best frigate captain in the British service. Neither captain used tactics; Broke blasted, boarded, and captured the CHESAPEAKE in a no-holds- barred yardarm-to-yardarm fight. The ships' forces were almost equal. Lawrence has been much critcized for his actions in taking an unfamiliar crew, lacking its proper complement of officers, to fight a battle. Moreover, he has been immortalized for calling "Don't give up the ship" as they carried him below mortally wounded. Of course they were forced to surrender anyway. Broke was severely wounded in hand-to-hand fighting and never sailed again; but he was knighted for his actions.
For the tabletop: Wind 5, barometer falling. CHESAPEAKE has the weather gage. The water is shallow enough to anchor.
ARGUS vs. PELICAN
13 August, 1813
The British compound their revenge. Argus, Captain Allen (Decatur's first lieutenant in the MACEDONIAN fight) was defeated by a British brig of superior force. The American officers behaved well, and their tactics were excellent, but for some reason they could not seem to get their men to fight. It has been suggested that most of the American crewmen were drunk on rum stolen from a British merchant ship captured the night before. Allen was killed, and his opposite number, Captain Maples, was wounded. Battles between these small, light, but overgunned vessels tended to be fast and bloody; and this encounter was no exception.
For the tabletop: Wind 5, strength 4, barometer steady. PELICAN has the weather gage. To simulate ARGUS' unreliable crew, the American player must roll every turn on the Crew Quality Chart to see how his crew is behaving. One turn they may be Poor, the next Crack. Strike & Sink rolls are made as they arise, with the Crew Quality modifiers applicable on that turn.
ENTERPRISE vs. BOXER
5 September, 1813
The overcrowded, slow, unmaneuverable ENTERPRISE, commanded by the eccentric Lt. William Burrows, fortunately found an equally ungainly opponent in the BOXER, Captain Blyth. The Americans won in another brief, vicious fight. Both captains were killed.
For the tabletop: Wind SW, strength 3, barometer rising. ENTERPRISE has the weather gage. Both brigs have bow chasers, and ENTERPRISE has a stern chaser. The water is shallow enough for anchoring.
PEACOCK vs. EPERVIER
12 March, 1814
PEACOCK (22), Captain Warrington, one of the new, large American sloops of war, encountered the 18-gun brig-sloop EPERVIER (18), Captain Wales, guarding a small convoy of merchantmen. EPERVIER was also carrying $118,000 in specie. Clearly outclassed, the British surrendered after a short but bloody defense. Although Wales was willing to continue the contest, his crew insisted on striking their colors.
For the tabletop: Wind ESE, strength 4, barometer stable. PEACOCK has the weather gage.
ESSEX vs. PHOEBE and CHERUB
27 March, 1814
ESSEX (32), Captain David Porter, had been rearmed to carry a broadside of carronades ("ESSEX II" in the charts). ESSEX had spent most of 1813 in the Pacific, utterly destroying the British whaling industry, and protecting American whalers from British letters-of-marque. The British frigate PHOEBE (36), Captain Hilyar, and the sloop of war CHERUB (18), Captain Tucker, were sent to destroy ESSEX in the Pacific, and finally ran her to ground in Valparaiso, Chile. On 27 March ESSEX tried to break for the open sea, but lost her maintopmast in a gale. She ran close to shore; the British squadron violated neutral waters to attack. ESSEX was armed with only 6 long guns, 12-pounders, and seventeen 32-pound carronades; PHOEBE had thirteen long 18s, one 12-pounder, and one 9-pounder, seven 32-pound carronades, and one 18-pound carronade; CHERUB had 2 long nines and eleven carronades. mixed 32-pounders and 18- pounders. Porter was anchored for most of the fight, with springs on his cables; however the British stayed mainly at long range and pounded ESSEX to bits with their long guns. Porter was able to reply with only three of his guns. Porter was forced to strike after suffering hideous casualties, during a long afternoon's gallant, intelligent, and unlucky defense. This battle was also notable for being the introduction to battle of Porter's adopted son, Midshipman David Farragut, then 12 years of age.
For the tabletop: ESSEX starts anchored fore-and-aft in shallow water. Springs are not yet on ESSEX's cables, but they can start with boats down if they wish. ESSEX has already lost its mainmast, and sails at 50% its normal rate. Wind 3, barometer steady. The British have the weather gage. Experiments with play balance might be made by introducing ESSEX JUNIOR, a captured British ship used as a tender.
REINDEER vs. WASP
28 June, 1814
The new WASP ("WASP II" on the charts), Captain Blakely, had been cruising in the English Channel when challenged by the brig REINDEER, Captain Manners. REINDEER was a clearly inferior vessel, and Manners probably knew he was as good as committing suicide. Wounded many times, the brave Manners died in the fight. The captain's clerk was the highest ranking British officer left, and surrendered the brig 27 minutes after the first gun was fired.
For the tabletop: Wind 4, barometer stable. REINDEER has the weather gage. The formula for balancing actions by creating a ratio between damage done to the enemy and one's own gun factors is strongly recommended.
WASP vs. AVON
27 August, 1814
Following the defeat of REINDEER, Blakely refitted WASP in France, then set out into the Atlantic. On 27 August WASP discovered three British vessels in pursuit of an American privateer, and Blakely promptly began chasing the British. Coming up alongside AVON (18), Captain Arbuthnot, WASP received the brig's surrender in about half an hour's fighting in the gathering darkness. AVON sank shortly thereafter. Shortly after AVON's demise another British brig, CASTILIAN (18), appeared, but failed to join battle. It was WASP's last action. WASP, rescuing AVON's crew instead. Captain Blakely and the entire crew vanished from the face of the globe shortly thereafter. The disappearance has never been explained.
For the tabletop: Wind SE, strength 4, barometer falling. WASP has the weather gage, starting 100 meters from AVON, astern and to larboard on a parallel course. CASTILIAN will enter the tabletop on turn 10.
CONSTITUTION vs. CYANE and LEVANT
20 February, 1815
CONSTITUTION, under her new captain Charles Stewart, had escaped Boston and was cruising the Atlantic, when she encountered the British warships CYANE (26), Captain Falcon, rated as a "corvette", and the ship-sloop LEVANT (20), Captain Douglass. The British, showing more courage than sense, foolishly decided to fight, and both were captured. The British failed to coordinate their actions, and Stewart's maneuvering of the CONSTITUTION was perhaps the most brilliant ship-handling of the war, managing to battle both opponents without being raked by either, at one point throwing all aback to sail stern-first through the water.
For the tabletop: Wind ENE, strength 3, barometer steady. CONSTITUTION has the weather gage.
DACRES' REVENGE
February, 1815
Just before CONSTITUTION's battle with CYANE and LEVANT, Captain Dacres, formerly of the GUERRIERE, was cruising the same patch of the Atlantic in a new ship, TIBER (44), built especially to match the American 44s. The two ships never encountered one another, but Dacres was a good captain, and Stewart one of the best American ship-handlers. Information on the TI BER is provided for any players who might care to fight a "what if?" battle between these two nearly equal opponents.
HORNET vs. PENGUIN
23 January, 1815
HORNET (18), Captain Biddle, on a voyage into the Indian Ocean to interfere with the British East India Trade, encountered the British ship- sloop PENGUIN (18), Captain Dickenson. In another swift, though tactically uninteresting fight, the British were defeated. The American inflicted on the British losses of almost 4-1, even though the ships' sizes and armaments were virtually identical.
For the tabletop: Wind SSW, strength 5, barometer steady. PENGUIN has the weather gage.
CHASSEUR vs. ST. LAWRENCE
26 February, 1815
The brig CHASSEUR, Captain Boyle, was one of the most spectacularly successful privateers of the war. She was attacked towards the close of the conflict by a Royal Navy schooner, ST. LAWRENCE, Lt. Cranmer, and captured her after a hard fight. Captain Boyle, along with Barney, is one of the few American privateers to capture a Royal Navy vessel.
For the tabletop: Wind strength 4, stable barometer. ST. LAWRENCE has the weather gage.
POSTWAR
The British were fortunate that the War of 1812 ended when it did, because just after the Battle of New Orleans the first American ships of the line touched water, along with the first steam warship anywhere. Additions in 1815 included the 74s WASHINGTON, INDEPENDENCE, and FRANKLIN, the 44s GUERRIERE and JAVA, and the steam battery DEMOLOGOS, known familiarly as the FULTON. Also included was a "torpedo boat", the TORPEDO, about which I can find no data whatever.
These magnificent ships were followed shortly thereafter by the laying down of the PENNSYLVANIA (120), the biggest wooden warship ever built; big enough to make the SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD look like a tuna boat. PENNSYLVANIA was not finished until 1837 due to the absence of a war to hasten construction, but could have been finished before 1820 if necessary.
The 74s were first-rate ships, fast, maneuverable, and seaworthy. They were fast enough to act as commerce destroyers when necessary, or could combine into a single deadly squadron to bring the enemy to battle. The PENNSYLVANIA, however, was discovered to be too big, too sluggish, and a danger to her own men. Her only voyage was from the launching in Philadelphia to Norfolk, where she spent the rest of her career as a receiving ship until burned in 1861 to prevent capture by the Confederates.
One design innovation used in the PENNSYLVANIA, and for the American BRANDYWINE class of 44-gun frigates, launched in 1824, was a rounded stern to guard against stern rakes. This simple expedient, which could have been introduced at least a century before, had apparently simply never been thought of (There were technical problems in continuing the planking around a rounded stern and yet maintaining watertight integrity -- These were not solved until that period -- DICK BRYANT). However, both PENNSYLVANIA and BRANDYWINE were obsolete before thay were launched. They were made obsolete by DEMOLOGOS, the Fulton-designed steam warship. Powered by a central paddlewheel, protected by 58 inches of oak "armor" -- the largest sail of the line had only 30 inches -- DEMOLOGOS was double-hulled, with a length of 157 feet and a beam of 57. Her maximum speed was six knots. She was pierced for 30 long 32-pounders, and the design provided for two 100 pound "submarine guns" (?!) on the bow. DEMOLOGOS could fire heated shot, and steam pipes could be used to repel boarders. Double prowed, she could travel as fast reverse as forward, and if one rudder was shot away she could reverse and use the other. DEMOLOGOS saw no more service than did PENNSYLVANIA. Built by Robert Fulton to defend New York Harbor and break the blockade, she was undergoing testing when the war ended. After a peaceful career as a harbor vessel, DEMOLOGOS burned at her dock in 1830.
For the tabletop: For anyone interested in designing a scenario featuring American postwar ships, add the following changes: for round-sterned ships of the PENNSYLVANIA and BRANDYWINE classes, multiply stern rakes by 1.25 rather than 2. DEMOLOGOS' steam battery moves 40mm per leg, and can fire red-hot shot; it adds 30 when defending against boarding. It can more anywhere between 1-40mm per leg, and after spending 1 turn dead in the water, can reverse course.
[Because the complete specification tables are in a very wide format, we have put them in American Duels Ship Specification Tables. --RL]
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