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USS Nonsuch (1813)
Encyclopedia
USS Nonsuch was an armed schooner
in the United States Navy
during the War of 1812
.
on 29 June 1812. The schooner soon commenced privateering along the East Coast of the United States and in the West Indies seeking British
shipping. Under Captain Henry Levely, she attacked two British armed vessels, a ship and a schooner off Martinique
on 28 September. Nonsuch fought these two ships for three hours in an extremely furious battle, causing great confusion and killing or wounding a considerable number of the enemy. Unfortunately damage to her own rigging prevented Nonsuch from pursuing the British ships as they fled to Martinique.
in December 1812, the schooner, under the command of Lieutenant James Mork, sailed in January 1813 to carry supplies to the Army
at Fort Johnson
. She then resumed cruising in search of English merchantmen. The schooner captured British schooner Sancho Panza in early April 1813 and took privateer
, 8 guns, following a bloody seven minute fight on the 9th. The schooner continued her patrols out of Charleston into 1814. In June, off Charleston Bar, she was chased by an enemy ship of superior force and speed and was forced to throw 11 of her guns overboard in order to escape.
Following the war, with her armament reduced to five 12-pounder carronades and one long 12-pounder, Nonsuch cruised in the West Indies. In 1819, she, with frigate
s and , sailed in a squadron under Captain Oliver Hazard Perry
, the hero of the Battle of Lake Erie
, for the Orinoco River, Venezuela
, arriving 15 July to discourage piracy while still maintaining friendly relations with Venezuela and the Republic of Buenos Aires
. Shifting his flag to Nonsuch, Commodore Perry sailed upriver to negotiate an anti-piracy agreement with President Simón Bolívar
. A favorable treaty was signed on 11 August, but when the schooner started downriver, many of her crew including Perry had been stricken with yellow fever
. Commodore Perry died upon his arrival at Trinidad
on 23 August. He was buried at Trinidad with great honors while Nonsuchs crew acted as honor guard
.
Returning to the United States, Nonsuch operated off the East Coast and in the Caribbean
against piracy and made a short deployment to the Mediterranean. She was placed in ordinary at Boston, Massachusetts in December 1825, sold in 1826, and broken up the same year.
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....
in 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...
during 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...
.
Privateer
Nonsuch was built in 1812 in Baltimore, Maryland. Her owner, George Stiles and Company, requested a commission for Nonsuch as a letter of marqueLetter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
on 29 June 1812. The schooner soon commenced privateering along the East Coast of the United States and in the West Indies seeking British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
shipping. Under Captain Henry Levely, she attacked two British armed vessels, a ship and a schooner off Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
on 28 September. Nonsuch fought these two ships for three hours in an extremely furious battle, causing great confusion and killing or wounding a considerable number of the enemy. Unfortunately damage to her own rigging prevented Nonsuch from pursuing the British ships as they fled to Martinique.
US Navy service
Purchased by the Navy and placed in service at Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
in December 1812, the schooner, under the command of Lieutenant James Mork, sailed in January 1813 to carry supplies to the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
at Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
This article is about the War of 1812 fortification:*For the community in New York, see Fort Johnson, New York*For the Revolutionary War British garrison named Fort Johnson see Wilmington, North Carolina...
. She then resumed cruising in search of English merchantmen. The schooner captured British schooner Sancho Panza in early April 1813 and took 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...
, 8 guns, following a bloody seven minute fight on the 9th. The schooner continued her patrols out of Charleston into 1814. In June, off Charleston Bar, she was chased by an enemy ship of superior force and speed and was forced to throw 11 of her guns overboard in order to escape.
Following the war, with her armament reduced to five 12-pounder carronades and one long 12-pounder, Nonsuch cruised in the West Indies. In 1819, she, with frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s and , sailed in a squadron under Captain Oliver Hazard Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry
United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
, the hero of the Battle of Lake Erie
Battle of Lake Erie
The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes called the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, in Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of Great Britain's Royal Navy...
, for the Orinoco River, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, arriving 15 July to discourage piracy while still maintaining friendly relations with Venezuela and the Republic of Buenos Aires
United Provinces of South America
The United Provinces of South America was the original name of the state that emerged from the May Revolution and the early developments of the Argentine War of Independence...
. Shifting his flag to Nonsuch, Commodore Perry sailed upriver to negotiate an anti-piracy agreement with President Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
. A favorable treaty was signed on 11 August, but when the schooner started downriver, many of her crew including Perry had been stricken with yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
. Commodore Perry died upon his arrival at Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
on 23 August. He was buried at Trinidad with great honors while Nonsuchs crew acted as honor guard
Honor guard
An honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
.
Returning to the United States, Nonsuch operated off the East Coast and in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
against piracy and made a short deployment to the Mediterranean. She was placed in ordinary at Boston, Massachusetts in December 1825, sold in 1826, and broken up the same year.