Privateers in the War of 1812

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• Space page Liverpool Packet
• Space page Rolla
• Space page Sir John Sherbrooke

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Privateers in the War of 1812

Privateering refers to government licensing of private sailing vessels to wage war. The privateers were given a letter of marque which was a government license authorizing a privateer to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts. To have a letter of marque and reprisal would mean you had permission to cross an international border. Being a privateer with a letter of marque was an honourable calling which combined both patriotism and profit.

During the War of 1812, the Americans were first to fit out privateers. On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on the British Empire. The British already had a powerful navy, while the United States did not. To help with the lack of U.S. navy ships, the United States offered letters of marque to private armed vessels. The earlier vessels were small, most times carrying a single gun. But, as more time went on in the War of 1812, their manpower and armament increased. About 500 privateers and ships with a letter-of-marque were commissioned for action, during the course of the war. 300 never recorded capturing a prize, and the British captured, or destroyed, about 250 of them. Largely ineffective against the British navy, American privateers focused on merchant ships and Canadian privateers. They captured about 1300 prizes, versus the American navy capturing about 250 prizes. However, Britain re-captured about half of those back, from the privateers. Overall, American privateers proved to be a nuisance to the British Empire, which was more focused on the Napoleonic War, for much of the War of 1812. Although they generated a number of complaints from British traders, and caused insurance rates to rise, in the end, American privateers only had a capture rate of 1 prize per 1 commissioned privateer ship. A largely privateer maritime force proved to be no replacement for an actual navy. While they benefited themselves, they weren't much benefit to their country (unable to break the blockade) or much harm to the British Empire (only affecting about 2.5% of trade).

On the British/Canadian side of things, we saw a reverse of the American maritime forces. Instead of a large privateer force supported by a small navy, Britain had a large navy supported by a small privateer force, mostly out of Liverpool, Nova Scotia. The British navy enforced a very successful blockade on American trade, while Canadian privateers picked off American merchants who managed to sneak through, were attempting to trade along their own coast, or were American privateers. Together, they brought US maritime trade to a near standstill (US maritime trade dropped about 80%). With no maritime defences, Sir John Sherbrooke, governor of Nova Scotia, whom the famous Canadian privateer brig was named for, captured much of Maine (part of Massachusetts at the time), and renamed it New Ireland. The decimation of maritime trade nearly caused all of New England to secede to Britain, along with it. This large Navy/small privateer balance of power proved very successful. The British navy captured some 1200 prizes, while a small force of some 40 commissioned Canadian privateers captured another 200, putting the Canadian privateers' capture rate at about 4 prizes per 1 commissioned privateer ship.

United States Privateers

Master Samuel Reid

Samuel Reid

Samuel Reid was commander of the privateer General Armstrong. One notable capture was that of the Fanny.On 18 April 1814, Fanny was near the Irish coast when the American privateer schooner General Armstrong sited her,because of bad weather she followed the Fanny until early the following day, when the General Armstrong opened fire. The General Armstrong was faster and much better armed than the Fanny. The General Armstrong inflicted a great deal of damage on the Fanny and she was captured. In September 1814, at the Battle of Fayal the General Armstrong inflicted a large number casualties on British boats. in the end, Samuel Reid had to scuttle his ship and he and his crew made it to shore. On the General Armstrong Samuel Reid was wounded along with one other man, while the British sustained over 100 killed or wounded.In 1817, two years after the portrait below was painted, Samuel Reid designed the present pattern of the American flag of stars and bars, with thirteen stripes representing the original American colonies and a new star being added each time a new state is admitted to the Union

Samuel Reid

General Armstrong

Captain William Stafford

William Stafford was commander of the privateer Dolphin, a 12-gun schooner know for out sailing the British ships in the War of 1812. On 26 July 1812, he captured a British schooner which was the first ship captured in the war it was valued at $18,00.The Dolpin captured 11 British ships, nine of which were brought home to Baltimore.On 25 January 1813, Captain Stafford captured the British ships Three Brothers and Hebe. Captain W. A. Brigham of the Hebe was taken prisoner and treated by Dolphin's surgeon. From Wikipedia

He later attributed his recovery to the doctor's attentions and Captain Stafford's tender sympathy and goodness. Brigham actually published a statement in Baltimore acknowledging the kind and humane treatment received by him and his men. Captain Brigham made the statement: Should the fortune of war ever throw Captain Stafford or any of his crew into the hands of the British it is sincerely hoped he will meet a similar treatment.Captain Stafford was well known for his kindness of manner toward prisoners.

Captain Thomas Boyle

Chasseur

Thomas Boyle took command of the privateer Comet at the beginning of the war,between 11 July and 7 October 1812 he captured four vessels with a value of $400,000. On his second cruise he departed on 25 November 1812. He made five captures but was a financial disaster because British cruisers retook all five prizes. On 17 March 1813, Boyle slipped past the British blockade into Chesapeake Bay.In February 26, 1815,Thomas Boyle was in command of Chasseur,she met the HMS St Lawrence the action lasted only 15 minutes, St Lawrence had six men killed and 17 wounded. Chasseur had five killed and eight wounded, including her captain. Both vessels were badly damaged.

Chasseur vs St Lawrence

Captain Joshua Barney

Joshua Barney

Joshua Barney was commander of the privateer schooner Rossie, in which he captured the Post Office Packet Service packet ship Princess Amelia, Joshua Barney entered the US Navy as a captain, and commanded the Chesapeake Bay Flotilla, a fleet of gunboats defending Chesapeake Bay.In the Battle of Bladensburg, 24 August 1814, Joshua Barney and 360 sailors and 120 Marines aided in the defense of the national capital fighting against the enemy hand to hand with cutlasses and pikes. The battle lasted four hours and the British defeated the Americans. The Americans were forced to fall back after nearly being cut off, and the British burned the Capitol and White House.Joshua Barney was severely wounded, receiving a bullet deep in his thigh that could never be removed

Rossie and Princess Amelia

Jean_Lafitte Jean Lafitte

Jean Lafitte

Jean Lafitte was French-American pirate and privateer, in order to receive full pardons for their previous crimes, Jean Lafitte and his privateers aided the United States and General Andrew Jackson in the defeat of the British in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815 . Andrew Jackson formally requested clemency for Jean Lafitte and the men who had served under him, and the US government granted them all a full pardon on February 6, 1815.

Otway Burns

Otway Burns was an American Privateer in the War of 1812.He was one of the owners of the Snap Dragon.Early in the war the Snap Dragon captured its first prize, a British merchant ship armed with 14 guns. To fool enemy British ships the Snap Dragon was disguised as a merchant ship by putting up old, ragged sails and moving the guns out of view. The Snap Dragon ran into five British men of war. One of the ships, the frigate HMS Garland, fired a warning shot,for the next two hours, Otway Burns led the Snap Dragon away from danger, toward Ship Rock passage, but it was blocked by two British brigs. The HMS Sophie attacked the Snap Dragon.Otway Burns told his crew to lie down on the deck while the vessel was being fired upon. Otway Burns was able to move the Snap Dragon away from the British ships unharmed.Otway Burns was on the Snap Drag for the next two cruises during which he had several encounters with British men of war and he took a number of prizes.

HMS Martin capturing the American privateer Snap Dragon

James DeWolf

James DeWolf

James DeWolf fitted out privateers under the authority of the President of the United States, during the War of 1812. The Yankee, one of James DeWolf's ships became the most successful privateer of the war, known for intercepting British ships.He captured over 40 British vessels worth more than $5 million during the war.

Canadian Privateers

Captain Joseph Barss

Joseph Barss

Joseph Barss was a privateer he took command of the Liverpool Packet in1812. It was a captured slave ship originally named the Severn. Within a year, he had captured 33 American ships. He was known for his excellent use of intelligence on American shipping movement. In 1813, Joseph Barss surrendered the Liverpool Packet following a short battle with the schooner Thomas. The Thomas was over twice the size of the Liverpool Packet. Joseph Barss was imprisoned and set free after several months, as long he did not command a privateer vessel. He was captured a second time during the war while in command of a merchant vessel. Along with brothers John, James, Thomas, and Isaiah, the Barss' were a very prominent privateering family, out of Liverpool.

Enos Collins

Enos Collins

Enos Collins was a merchant, shipowner, banker and privateer from Nova Scotia, Canada. He was best known for his ownership of the privateer schooner Liverpool Packet, which was a privateer schooner from Liverpool, Nova Scotia. The Liverpool Packet captured 50 American vessels in the War of 1812. The Liverpool Packet was captured by American privateers but the British soon recaptured her. On his death at age 97, Enos Collins was reported to be the wealthiest man in Canada, with an estimated fortune of six million dollars. His brother George married Lydia Barss, sister to the Barss brothers, while his sister Sarah married John Barss, sister Elizabeth married James Barss, sister Pheobe married Caleb Seely (below), and sister Lucy married Benjamin Knaut, another privateer partner.

Liverpool Packet

Isaiah Barss

Isaiah Barss was one of the owners of the Rolla , an American privateer originally, captured December 10th, 1813, by H.M.S. Loire. Joseph Freeman, of the Sherbrooke, James R. De Wolfe, John Barss, James Barss, Benjamin Knaut, Enos Collins and Joseph Allison, all well-known privateer owners, had shares in her. She got British letters-of-marque June 10th, 1814 , and cruised successfully for six months, from Cape Ann down to Crane Neck in Long Island Sound, sometimes in company with the Liverpool Packet. Isaiah may have been a member of the elite crew that was lost, when the Rolla went down. He had also spent time as prize-master for the sloop Minerva.

James R. DeWolf, Esq.

4th cousin to the American privateer, James DeWolf, the Canadian James R. DeWolf's father, Elisha, had come to Canada before 1761. Elisha became High Sheriff, Judge, and MPP, of King's County, during his lifetime. James left King's County, in about 1811, and settled in Liverpool, where he partnered with, and married the daughter of, Joseph Freeman (below). Together, they became part owners of the Rolla, along with two of the Barss brothers, John and James. The families became close and DeWolf's sisters, Olivia and Amelia, married two of the other Barss brothers, Joseph Jr (above) and Thomas.

Joseph Freeman

Joseph Freeman was in command of the Sir John Sherbrooke in the War of 1812. The Sir John Sherbrooke had three letters of marque issued to her, on the 27 November 1812 to Captain Thomas Robson, on the 15 February 1813 to Captain Joseph Freeman and on the 27 August 1814 to Captain Willam Corken. The main captain for the Sir John Sherbrooke's was Joseph Freeman, a very experienced privateer officer from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, who had commanded the Charles Mary Wentworth, Nymph, and Duke of Kent in the French wars, between 1798 and 1805. Joseph Freeman did everything in the navy way, and because he co operated with the navy, they treated him with the same respect as a naval officer.

Thomas Freeman

In 1812, Thomas Freeman, Joseph's brother, and his crew were homeward bound from the West Indies when the large American frigate Constitution captured them and their ship. This is how Thomas Freeman and the crew found out that just a few days earlier the United States had declared war on the United Kingdom. After being released, Thomas Freeman made one cruise in the Liverpool Packet in December 1812, he earned enough money for him with his partner, Snow Parker, to buy a ship. For 530 pounds, they purchased the Salem privateer "Revenge", he changed her name to "Retaliation".

Caleb Seely

In 1813, during the war with the United States, he was commander of the privateering schooner Star of Saint John, and by late summer had sent two sloops and a pinky to the prize courts.With the earnings from the Star, Caleb Seely joined with Enos Collins, Joseph Allison and Joseph Freeman, as shareholder of the famous Liverpool Packet. American newspapers spoke highly of his treatment of the ships he boarded, and those he found not worth his trouble were released intact. Several of his prizes never reached the courts, because they blew ashore in storms or recaptured. Caleb Seely handed over the command of the privateer to Lewis Knaut, after the share holders of the Liverpool Packet had made a small fortune.

The Dolphin was a American Privateer captured by the British it was taken into service she retained her name

Sources

• 1812 Privateers.org - United States list of Privateers during the War of 1812
• The War of 1812 Magazine - ‘A Word Of 'Captain Caution': Myths About Privateers In The War Of 1812
• Google Books - Iced - The Story of Organized Crime in Canada By Stephen Schneider
• chebucto.ns.ca - Privateer Name Search (This site was a great source of information. Unfortunately, it is now dead. Know that any information taken from there was provided by Dan Conlin)
• suite.io - The role of the American Privateers in the War of 1812
• Provincial Archives of New Brunswick - Notes on Nova Scotian Privateers by George E. E. Nichols
• Three Decks.org - British privateer topsail schooner 'Liverpool Packet' (1812)
• 1812 Privateers.org - Canadian Privateers

• https://www.1812privateers.org/Great_Britain/index.html

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