Complete Works - Henry Cabot Lodge

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cruising war vessels, the remainder being detailed for forts, gun-boats, navy yards, the lakes, etc. 29 The marine corps was already ample, consisting of 1,523 men. 30

      No regular navy lists were published till 1816, and I have been able to get very little information respecting the increase in officers and men during 1813 and 1814; but we have full returns for 1815, which may be summarized as follows: 31

      30 captains,

       25 masters commandant,

       141 lieutenants,

       24 commanders,

       510 midshipmen,

       230 sailing-masters,

       50 surgeons,

       12 chaplains,

       50 pursers,

       10 coast pilots,

       45 captain's clerks,

       80 surgeon's mates,

       530 boatswains, gunners, carpenters, and sailmakers,

       268 boatswain's mates, gunner's mates, etc.,

       1,106 quarter gunners, etc.,

       5,000 able seamen,

       6,849 ordinary seamen and boys.

       Making a total of 14,960, with 2,715 marines.

       32

      Comparing this list with the figures given before, it can be seen that during the course of the war our navy grew enormously, increasing to between three and four times its original size.

      At the beginning of the year 1812, the navy of the United States on the ocean consisted of the following vessels, which either were, or could have been, made available during the war. 33

Rate (Guns) Name Where Built When Built Tonnage Cost
44 United States, Philadelphia, 1797 1576 $299,336
44 Constitution, Boston, 1797 1576 302,718
44 President, New York, 1800 1576 220,910
38 Constellation, Baltimore, 1797 1265 314,212
38 Congress, Portsmouth, 1799 1268 197,246
38 Chesapeake, Norfolk, 1799 1244 220,677
32 Essex, Salem, 1799 860 139,362
28 Adams, New York, 1799 560 76,622
18 Hornet, Baltimore, 1805 480 52,603
18 Wasp, Washington, 1806 450 40,000
16 Argus, Boston, 1803 298 37,428
16 Syren, Philadelphia, 1803 250 32,521
14 Nautilus, Baltimore, 1803 185 18,763
14 Vixen, Baltimore, 1803 185 20,872
12 Enterprise, Baltimore, 1799 165 16,240
12 Viper, Purchased, 1810 148

      There also appeared on the lists the New York, 36, Boston, 28, and John Adams, 28. The two former were condemned hulks; the latter was entirely rebuilt after the war. The Hornet was originally a brig of 440 tons, and 18 guns; having been transformed into a ship, she was pierced for 20 guns, and in size was of an intermediate grade between the Wasp and the heavy sloops, built somewhat later, of 509 tons. Her armament consisted of 32-pound carronades, with the exception of the two bow-guns, which were long 12's. The whole broadside was in nominal weight just 300 pounds; in actual weight about 277 pounds. Her complement of men was 140, but during the war she generally left port with 150. 34 The Wasp had been a ship from the beginning, mounted the number of guns she rated (of the same calibres as the Hornet's) and carried some ten men less. She was about the same length as the British 18-gun brig-sloop, but, being narrower, measured nearly 30 tons less. The Argus and Syren were similar and very fine brigs, the former being the longer. Each carried two more guns than she rated; and the Argus, in addition, had a couple thrust through the bridle-ports. The guns were 24-pound carronades, with two long 12's for bow-chasers. The proper complement of men was 100, but each sailed usually with about 125. The four smaller craft were originally schooners, armed with the same number of light long guns as they rated, and carrying some 70 men apiece; but they had been very effectually ruined by being changed into brigs, with crews increased to a hundred men. Each was armed with 18-pound carronades, carrying two more than she rated. The Enterprise, in fact, mounted 16 guns, having two long nines thrust through the bridle-ports. These little brigs were slow, not very seaworthy, and overcrowded with men and guns; they all fell into the enemy's hands without doing any good whatever, with the single exception of the Enterprise, which escaped capture by sheer good luck, and in her only battle happened to be pitted against one of the corresponding and equally bad class of British gun-brigs. The Adams after several changes of form finally became a flush-decked corvette. The Essex had originally mounted twenty-six long 12's on her main-deck, and sixteen 24-pound carronades on her spar-deck; but official wisdom changed this, giving her 46 guns, twenty-four 32-pound carronades, and two long 12's on the main-deck, and sixteen 32-pound carronades with four long 12's on the spar-deck. When Captain Porter had command of her he was deeply sensible

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