USS Julia (1812)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
|
|
| Name: | USS Julia |
| Acquired: | September 1812 |
| Fate: | Captured by the British, 10 August 1813 |
 United Kingdom
|
|
| Name: | HMS Confiance |
| Acquired: | 10 August 1813 |
| Fate: | Recaptured by the Americans, 5 October 1813 |
|
United States
|
|
| Name: | USS Julia |
| Acquired: | 5 October 1813 |
| Fate: | Retired, about 1813 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Schooner |
| Displacement: | 53 long tons (54 t) |
| Propulsion: | Sail |
| Complement: | 40 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: | 2 guns |
USS Julia was a schooner in the United States Navy during the War of 1812.
In September 1812, Lt. Melancthon T. Woolsey purchased Julia for the Navy on Lake Ontario. Julia, Sailing Master James Trant in command, sailed from Sackets Harbor on 8 November 1812 with Commodore Isaac Chauncey's flotilla. That afternoon lookouts on the American ships spotted HMS Royal George, the largest warship yet constructed on the Great Lakes, off False Ducks Island and sent her scurrying into the Bay of Quinte where she escaped in the rapidly falling night. The next morning they again sighted her and resumed the chase. When the British ship reached the shelter of the Canadian batteries at Kingston, Chauncey decided to follow her in to test the strength of the defenses and, if possible, to capture the warship. Led by Conquest and Julia, Chauncey's vessels, defying the fire from ship and shore, stood toward the harbor entrance.
Approaching nightfall and threatening weather interrupted the raid by forcing Chauncey to haul off to deeper water where he anchored hoping to resume the action with the sunrise. However, heavy weather on the morning of the 10th ruled out a renewal of the attack and dictated a return to the American base at Sackett's Harbor. As the little flotilla retired, their lookouts spied the merchant ship Governor Simcoe and gave chase. Although fire from Julia, Governor Tompkins, and Hamilton damaged the British ship considerably, Governor Simcoe managed to cross a shoal to safety. The attack on Kingston had given Chauncey confidence in the fighting ability of his officers and men and inspired the crews with respect and admiration for their leaders. At this point a bitter winter interrupted operations until spring.
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