Inside the US Navy of 1812–1815

367 Pages·2021·20.763 MB·English

by  William S. Dudley

Inside the US Navy of 1812–1815
johns hopkins books on the war of 1812
Donald R. Hickey, Series Editor
INSIDE
the US NAVY
of 1812–1815
WILLIAM S. DUDLEY
Johns Hopkins University Press
Baltimore
This book was brought to publication with the generous
support of the J. G. Goellner Endowment.
© 2021 Johns Hopkins University Press
All rights reserved. Published 2021
Printed in the United States of Amer i ca on acid- free paper
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Johns Hopkins University Press
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Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Dudley, William S., author.
Title: Inside the US Navy of 1812–1815 / William S. Dudley.
Description: Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2021. | Series: Johns Hopkins
books on the War of 1812 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020022453 | ISBN 9781421440514 (hardcover) |
ISBN 9781421440521 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: United States. Navy— History— War of 1812. |
United States— History— War of 1812— Naval operations.
Classification: LCC E360 .D833 2021 | DDC 973.5/25— dc23
LC rec ord available at https://l ccn. l oc. g ov/ 2 020022453
A cata log rec ord for this book is available from the British Library.
Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this book. For more information,
please contact Special Sales at [email protected].
Johns Hopkins University Press uses environmentally friendly book materials,
including recycled text paper that is composed of at least 30 p ercent post- consumer
waste, whenever poss ib le.
To my wife, Donna Tully Dudley, for her love, dedication,
and assistance in helping me to produce this work
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Contents
List of Figures, Maps, and Tables ix
Preface xi
Acknowle dgments xv
1 The Resources for Naval War 1
2 Paul Hamilton’s Ordeal: The Onset of War, 1809–1812 15
3 William Jones’s Challenge: A Two- Front Naval War 40
4 From Lake Erie to Lake Huron 62
5 Sailors, Privateers, and Munitions 83
6 The British Blockade of 1813–1814 105
7 Managing the Navy Department 127
8 Naval Innovation and Inventions 144
9 Chauncey’s War on Lake Ontario 164
10 Macdonough’s War on Lake Champlain 185
11 In Defense of the Chesapeake Bay 207
12 Hostilities in the Seaboard South 227
13 Sailors’ Life and Work 245
14 War Finance and the Blockade 261
15 Renewal of the US Navy 280
Notes 295
Index 333
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Figures, Maps, and Tables
Figures
2.1. Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton 16
2.2. Commodore John Rod gers 26
2.3. Commodore Isaac Chauncey 38
3.1. Secretary of the Navy William Jones 42
3.2. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry 54
3.3. Cameling the brigs 60
5.1. Catch Me If You Can 86
6.1. USS Washington 118
8.1. Robert Fulton 146
8.2. Steam battery Demologos 156
9.1. Southeast View of Sacketts Harbour 166
10.1. Commodore Thomas Macdonough 191
12.1. American gunboat 231
15.1. Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Crowninshield 281
Maps
2.1. Cruise of the US fleet 29
4.1. G reat Lakes, Battle of Lake Erie 64
6.1. Cruise of USS Essex 124
10.1. B attle of Lake Champlain 202
11.1. The Chesapeake Bay 214
12.1. Lake Borgne and the B attle of New Orleans 240
Tables
10.1. US Navy squadron strength, Lake Champlain, 1814 199
10.2. Royal Navy squadron strength, Lake Champlain, 1814 201
14.1. US governmental expenses, 1802–1811 263