11 JANUARY 1820 USS LYNX In modern times, the unexplained disappearance of a vessel at sea would raise much interest, concern, news coverage, and even sensationalist speculation. Witness the loss of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in 2014. In the 19th century, Read More
12-19 NOVEMBER 1814 McGOWAN’S RAID The British and American naval fleets on Lake Ontario contested that region throughout the War of 1812. In fact, the British began the 1814 fighting season by chasing American Commodore CAPT Isaac Chauncey’s squadron from its Read More
21 OCTOBER 1805 THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR (cont.) Watching the British advance, Villeneuve ordered his fleet into a traditional line-ahead (historians suspect a lack-luster execution was made in spite of Villeneuve’s suspicion that Nelson might break his line). The vacillating Villeneuve Read More
21 OCTOBER 1805 THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR It was the fifth year of Napoleon Bonaparte’s fifteen-year empire-building reign in France. Having already conquered Belgium, the Low Countries, Spain, and much of Italy, Napoleon’s next target was England. He planned a cross-channel Read More
16-18 OCTOBER 1775 THE BURNING OF FALMOUTH Royal Navy North American theater commander, VADM Samuel Graves, took a hardline against the rebellious activities of Patriots in New England’s coastal towns. He ordered Royal Navy LT Henry Mowat in HMS CANCEAUX, 6, Read More
6-16 OCTOBER 1859 SECOND FIJIAN EXPEDITION American traders plying the Pacific in the 19th century occasionally ran afoul of angry natives. Such was the case in the summer of 1859 with two sailors from a US merchant freighter. They were captured Read More
3 SEPTEMBER 1804 BOMBSHIP INTREPID One of the first missions assigned to our fledgling Navy around the turn of the 19th century was the protection of US merchant shipping from the piracy of the southern Mediterranean Barbary States of Tripoli, Algeria, Read More
14 JULY 1813 USS ASP vs. OVERWHELMING ODDS In February of 1813 our nation was struggling once again against the naval superpower of the day, Britain, and fears of a British incursion into the Chesapeake were real. Our Navy was no Read More
12 JUNE 1775 250th ANNIVERSARY UNITY vs. HMS MARGARETTA In June 1775 civilian Ichabod Jones, captain of the schooner Unity, requested clearance from British ADM Samuel Graves to carry a load of provisions from Boston to the far-flung town of Machias Read More
9-15 MAY 1775 PINE TREE NAVAL ENSIGN Samuel Thompson was a Brunswick (modern Maine) tavern owner appointed to command the Brunswick Militia in 1774. The seeds of revolution were starting to sprout in New England in 1774, and Thompson was ordered Read More