Decatur (privateer)
Encyclopedia
The Decatur was an American
schooner
built in Charleston, South Carolina for privateer
ing during the Atlantic Ocean
theater of the War of 1812
. She was named for the United States Navy
Commodore Stephen Decatur
who served with distinction in many of America's earliest conflicts. She was the largest privateer out of Charleston.
Decatur is best known for being commanded by Captain
Dominique Diron, who captured several British ships during the Napoleonic Wars
and the War of 1812. Captain Diron defeated the stronger Royal Navy
schooner in an action off Bermuda
on 5 August 1813. After a long engagement the Americans chased down the Dominca and boarded, forcing down her colors and killing her commander in the process.
The next day, Decatur captured the merchantman London Trader and sent her into Charleston. She may have been in company with Dominica, and though armed, had taken no part in the battle. Similarly, the merchantman Princess Charlotte, also in company and also armed, had observed the battle and when she saw that Dominica had surrendered, had herself escaped.
In November Decatur went to sea again. However, after cruising for 80 days without success, returned to Charleston.
On 22 May 1814, recaptured Dominica, though she was lost in 1815.
from Cape Engaño
. She turned out to be the Decatur, still under Diron's command. Decatur had sailed from Charleston on 30 March and had made no captures.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
built in Charleston, South Carolina for privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing during the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
theater of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. She was named for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Commodore Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur, Jr. , was an American naval officer notable for his many naval victories in the early 19th century. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, Worcester county, the son of a U.S. Naval Officer who served during the American Revolution. Shortly after attending college Decatur...
who served with distinction in many of America's earliest conflicts. She was the largest privateer out of Charleston.
Decatur is best known for being commanded by Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Dominique Diron, who captured several British ships during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and the War of 1812. Captain Diron defeated the stronger Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
schooner in an action off Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
on 5 August 1813. After a long engagement the Americans chased down the Dominca and boarded, forcing down her colors and killing her commander in the process.
The next day, Decatur captured the merchantman London Trader and sent her into Charleston. She may have been in company with Dominica, and though armed, had taken no part in the battle. Similarly, the merchantman Princess Charlotte, also in company and also armed, had observed the battle and when she saw that Dominica had surrendered, had herself escaped.
In November Decatur went to sea again. However, after cruising for 80 days without success, returned to Charleston.
On 22 May 1814, recaptured Dominica, though she was lost in 1815.
Fate
On 5 June 1814 sighted and gave chase to an American privateer schooner. After an eleven-hour chase Rhin captured the privateer, in the Mona Passage about four leaguesLeague (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
from Cape Engaño
Cape Engaño (Dominican Republic)
Cape Engaño is a cape containing dangerous reefs near Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic....
. She turned out to be the Decatur, still under Diron's command. Decatur had sailed from Charleston on 30 March and had made no captures.