maritimehistorypodcast: Capture of the USS President 15 January 1815 Today’s painting dep
maritimehistorypodcast: Capture of the USS President 15 January 1815 Today’s painting depicts the capture of the USS President by a British squadron, an event that occurred on 15 January 1815. Throughout most of the War of 1812, the British Navy had held a blockade of the American coast. Commodore Stephen Decatur made several unsuccessful attempts to break the blockade, and in 1814 he was transferred to command the USS President. He waited in New York Harbor for an opportune moment to again attempt a breakout, and on 13 January 1815, the British blockade was temporarily thinned because of a blizzard that blew several British ships off their stations. Decatur raced to take advantage of the situation, but his hasty preparation led to disaster. He’d ordered harbor pilots to mark the safe passage across the bar at the harbor’s mouth, but they failed to do so properly and the President grounded on the bar. By the time she worked her way free she’d sustained heavy damage to her hull. The gale was still strong and prevented Decatur from returning to the harbor, so he was forced to put to sea and attempt to break the blockade with a seriously hampered USS President. Once the gale abated, the British ships were quick to regroup. The fastest British ship, HMS Endymion, quickly caught up with the slowed American ship and engaged it. USS President surrendered on the night of 15 January, having lost 24 men in the fight with Endymion. The President was briefly taken into the Royal Navy, but the damage it has sustained led to it being broken up in 1818. -- source link