The British Raid on Essex: The Forgotten Battle of the War of 1812

Chapter FiveThe Ships

ChaPtEr fivE The Ships Burning a harbor full of vessels was no simple task. The vessels in Pettipaug came in many shapes and sizes ranging from small twenty-five- to seventy-ton sloops, to schooners, brigs and full-rigged ships ranging from one hundred fifty to four hundred tons. In terms of size the vessels ranged from fifty-five feet to over one hundred twenty feet long. Some were tied up to the wharves and bulkheads; others were on moorings while a few were still on building stocks under construction. Because of the virtual shut down of merchant trade along the coast, many vessels had been laid up, meaning that they had been partially de-rigged and in some cases housed over—the construction of a temporary roof over the decks of a ship to protect it from weather and prevent rot during long periods of inactivity. Coote’s report lists numerous ships with their spars on deck, another sign of a ship being laid up, waiting for better times. There were four basic types of vessels in Pettipaug Harbor. Sloops were single-masted gaff-rigged vessels ranging in size from forty-five- to fifty-feet long. Schooners were two-masted gaff-rigged vessels ranging from fifty to one hundred feet. Brigs were square-rigged two-masted vessels ranging from sixty to one hundred ten feet and full-rigged ships were three-masted squarerigged vessels ranging from seventy-five to one hundred twenty-five feet.The sloops and schooners had fore-and-aft rigs, which made them more capable of tacking to windward than square-rigged vessels. The general term “sloop” should not to be confused with the naval term “Sloop-of-War” which applied to warships with a single gun deck and carrying eighteen cannons or less. These were generally ship-rigged but some like the Borer were brigs. As with most events surrounding the raid, there are contradictory records concerning the actual burning of the ships. Captain Coote’s report includes a detailed account listing the twenty-seven ships they burned by name, tonnage , rig, location and state of completion or readiness for sea.One can imagine the lieutenants busily writing down all this information as their men set about getting them alight.Contemporary American newspaper accounts also include lists and partial salvage records compiled after the raid, including their original value and their salvage value, if any. Even among American 62 } The British Raid on Essex accounts there are several contradictions in names, tonnages and the actual number of ships destroyed. Two hundred years later, trying to rectify the American lists with Coote’s report remains a challenge. One problem is that the British counted every ship they set fire to, whether it had a name or not. If it did not, they simply listed its rig and tonnage. Some American versions do the same and easily reach or exceed the number reported by Coote, while other tallies only counted vessels that were completely destroyed and omitted those on which the fires had been extinguished and the vessel had been saved, or rebuilt after being salvaged. Basic rigs: sloop, schooner, topsail schooner, brig, full-rigged ship. (Commodore S.B. Luce, U.S. Navy, Seamanship. The Equipping and Handling of Vessels Under Sail or Seam. New York: Van Nostrand Company, 1891.) The Ships { 63 Coote’s List of Burned Ships Captain Coote’s list of ships destroyed which was included with his report to Capel. [The source, ADM 1/506, p. 280, Document 3 – D, wrongly lists the date as April 9th.] List of (27) Vessels destroyed in Connecticut River on the 8th of April (1814) by the Boats of His Majesty’s Ships La Hogue, Maidstone, Endymion, Borer Name Rig Tons Built For Guns State & Condition Location Young Anaconda* Brig 300 privateer 18 Completely Fitted, Lying at the town Connecticut Schn 325 privateer 18 Completely Fitted, Lying at the town Eagle* Schn 250 privateer 16 Completely Fitted Lying at the town Not named Schn 180 privateer 16 Ready for launching (on the stocks) Not named Schn 150 privateer 14 Planked up & frame laid (on the stocks) Not named Sloop 90 packet Ready for launching (on the stocks) Not named Brig 250 Merchantman Ready for launching (on the stocks) Factor Schn 180 Merchantman Ready for launching (on the stocks) Osage ship 400 E. India Trade 20 Masted & housed over, at wharf a mile above town Atalante Ship...