New Orleans Squadron

New Orleans Squadron
Gunboats of the New Orleans Squadron fighting the British at the battle of Lake Borgne in 1814.
Active	1813-1838
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Naval squadron
Garrison/HQ	New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

The New Orleans Squadron or the New Orleans Station was a United States Navy squadron raised out of the growing threat the United Kingdom posed to Louisiana during the War of 1812. The first squadron consisted of over a dozen vessels and was mostly defeated during the war. Afterward, new ships were stationed at New Orleans which engaged in counter-piracy operations for over twenty years. The New Orleans Squadron was eventually merged with the Home Squadron.

Originally commanded by Daniel Patterson in 1814, the squadron consisted of fifteen vessels, including the schooners USS Carolina and USS Sea Horse, the two small sloops-of-war USS Alligator and USS Tickler along with several Jeffersonian class gunboats. On December 13, 1814, the Sea Horse fought off two attacks from a British boat expedition which was heading to Lake Borgne. The next day, the expedition defeated five of the squadron's gunboats under Thomas ap Catesby Jones at the Battle of Lake Borgne, USS Tickler and USS Alligator were also scuttled or captured. As result of this action, the British gained control of the lake which was then used as the landing zone for their army that marched on New Orleans. On December 27, as part of the Battle of New Orleans, the Carolina was badly damaged by enemy artillery fire and abandoned by her crew. She later exploded when fire reached her powder magazine. Although Jean Lafitte fought for America at New Orleans, the squadron operated against his pirates until ultimately being evicted from their base at Barataria on September 16, 1814 by Commodore Patterson. Six of his pirate ships were captured without a fight and around $500,000 worth of valuables were taken as prize.