Sinking of HMS Reindeer
Encyclopedia
The sinking of HMS Reindeer was one of the hardest-fought naval actions in the Anglo-American War of 1812
. It took place on 28 June 1814. The ship-rigged sloop of war USS Wasp
forced the Cruizer class brig-sloop
HMS Reindeer
to surrender after far more than half the brig's crew, including the Captain, were killed or wounded. The Reindeer was too badly damaged in the action to be salvaged so the Americans set her on fire.
, and sortied on 1 May, 1814. The commander was Master Commandant Johnston Blakely, and the crew consisted of 173 hand-picked New England
ers. Blakely's orders were to raid British commerce in the mouth of the English Channel
, following the spectacular though short-lived successes of USS Argus
the previous year.
Over several weeks, Blakely captured seven merchant vessels. At daybreak on 28 June, while the Wasp was chasing two more merchantmen, the brig-sloop Reindeer was seen bearing down from the windward. The Reindeer had sailed from Plymouth
a few days earlier with orders to hunt down the Wasp.
s and two 12-pounder chase guns. The Reindeer carried only eighteen 24-pounder carronades for some reason, as 32-pounders were the standard armament for brigs of the Cruizer class
to which Reindeer belonged. Reindeer also mounted two 6-pounder bow chase guns, but the brig's boat carried a 12-pounder carronade, which Commander William Manners was to use effectively.
Although the sky was overcast, the wind was very light and more than half the day was gone before the two vessels were within range. As both vessels shortened sail, the Reindeer was within 60 yards of Wasps quarter, where neither vessel could bring its broadside to bear. Over ten minutes, Manners fired five deliberate shots from his shifting boat carronade from this position. Eventually, Blakely turned downwind to bring his broadside to bear, and the two vessels exchanged broadsides while almost dead in the water.
After twenty minutes' firing, the two vessels came into contact, and some of the British crew tried to board the Wasp but were beaten back. Commander Manners was mortally wounded but continued to urge on his crew until killed by a musket shot from the Wasps rigging. The American boarding parties followed up the repulse of the British crew, and swarmed aboard the Reindeer. Once they had driven the surviving British crew below, the British captain's clerk, almost the only surviving officer of any rank, surrendered.
Reindeer had suffered 25 killed, including her commander, and 42 men wounded, out of a total of 98 men and 20 boys. Out of 173 men and two boys in her complement, Wasp had two midshipman and nine seamen and marines killed and mortally wounded, and fifteen petty officers, seamen, and marines wounded severely and slightly.
The Reindeer had been beaten into a wreck, and Blakely set it on fire before putting some of the wounded prisoners aboard a neutral ship and proceeding into Lorient
. After the abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte, France was officially neutral in the quarrel between Britain and the United States, although French sympathies were decidedly with the Americans. Blakely was forced to remain for seven weeks while making repairs, chiefly to the damaged masts, but protests by the British ambassador were thwarted or ignored.
When USS Wasp emerged from Lorient, it won further victories in the Channel before vanishing in the South Atlantic, probably falling victim to bad weather.
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...
. It took place on 28 June 1814. The ship-rigged sloop of war USS Wasp
USS Wasp (1814)
USS Wasp was a sloop-of-war that served in the U.S. Navy in 1814 during the War of 1812. She was the fifth US Navy ship to carry that name....
forced the Cruizer class brig-sloop
Cruizer class brig-sloop
The Cruizer class was an 18-gun class of brig-sloops of the Royal Navy. Brig-sloops were the same as ship-sloops except for their rigging...
HMS Reindeer
HMS Reindeer (1804)
HMS Reindeer was a Royal Navy 18-gun Cruizer class brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, built by Samuel & Daniel Brent at Rotherhithe and was launched in 1804. She was built of fir, which made for more rapid construction at the expense of durability...
to surrender after far more than half the brig's crew, including the Captain, were killed or wounded. The Reindeer was too badly damaged in the action to be salvaged so the Americans set her on fire.
Prelude
USS Wasp was one of a class of three heavy sloops of war designed by William Doughty. The sloop was commissioned in Portsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, and sortied on 1 May, 1814. The commander was Master Commandant Johnston Blakely, and the crew consisted of 173 hand-picked New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
ers. Blakely's orders were to raid British commerce in the mouth of the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, following the spectacular though short-lived successes of USS Argus
USS Argus (1803)
The first USS Argus was a brig in the United States Navy during the First Barbary War and the War of 1812.Argus was laid down as Merrimack on 12 May 1803 at Boston, Massachusetts, by Edmund Hartt; renamed Argus on 4 June 1803; and launched on 21 August 1803.-First Barbary War:Though no document...
the previous year.
Over several weeks, Blakely captured seven merchant vessels. At daybreak on 28 June, while the Wasp was chasing two more merchantmen, the brig-sloop Reindeer was seen bearing down from the windward. The Reindeer had sailed from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
a few days earlier with orders to hunt down the Wasp.
Battle
The Wasp was the heavier of the two vessels, mounting twenty-two 32-pounder carronadeCarronade
The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. It was used from the 1770s to the 1850s. Its main function was to serve as a powerful, short-range anti-ship and anti-crew weapon...
s and two 12-pounder chase guns. The Reindeer carried only eighteen 24-pounder carronades for some reason, as 32-pounders were the standard armament for brigs of the Cruizer class
Cruizer class brig-sloop
The Cruizer class was an 18-gun class of brig-sloops of the Royal Navy. Brig-sloops were the same as ship-sloops except for their rigging...
to which Reindeer belonged. Reindeer also mounted two 6-pounder bow chase guns, but the brig's boat carried a 12-pounder carronade, which Commander William Manners was to use effectively.
Although the sky was overcast, the wind was very light and more than half the day was gone before the two vessels were within range. As both vessels shortened sail, the Reindeer was within 60 yards of Wasps quarter, where neither vessel could bring its broadside to bear. Over ten minutes, Manners fired five deliberate shots from his shifting boat carronade from this position. Eventually, Blakely turned downwind to bring his broadside to bear, and the two vessels exchanged broadsides while almost dead in the water.
After twenty minutes' firing, the two vessels came into contact, and some of the British crew tried to board the Wasp but were beaten back. Commander Manners was mortally wounded but continued to urge on his crew until killed by a musket shot from the Wasps rigging. The American boarding parties followed up the repulse of the British crew, and swarmed aboard the Reindeer. Once they had driven the surviving British crew below, the British captain's clerk, almost the only surviving officer of any rank, surrendered.
Reindeer had suffered 25 killed, including her commander, and 42 men wounded, out of a total of 98 men and 20 boys. Out of 173 men and two boys in her complement, Wasp had two midshipman and nine seamen and marines killed and mortally wounded, and fifteen petty officers, seamen, and marines wounded severely and slightly.
Aftermath
The American victory could be ascribed almost entirely to superior weight of armament and numbers of crew. The casualties inflicted on both sides were almost in proportion to the odds.The Reindeer had been beaten into a wreck, and Blakely set it on fire before putting some of the wounded prisoners aboard a neutral ship and proceeding into Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
. After the abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte, France was officially neutral in the quarrel between Britain and the United States, although French sympathies were decidedly with the Americans. Blakely was forced to remain for seven weeks while making repairs, chiefly to the damaged masts, but protests by the British ambassador were thwarted or ignored.
When USS Wasp emerged from Lorient, it won further victories in the Channel before vanishing in the South Atlantic, probably falling victim to bad weather.