USS Nonsuch (1813)
| History | |
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| Name: | Nonsuch |
| Owner: | George Stiles |
| Launched: | 1812 |
| Fate: | Sold 23 December 1812, at Charleston |
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| Name: | USS Nonsuch |
| Acquired: | by purchase, 23 December 1812, at Charleston |
| Decommissioned: | December 1825 |
| Fate: | Sold, 1826 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Schooner |
| Tons burthen: | 148, or 154 (bm) |
| Length: | 86 ft (26 m) |
| Beam: | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Draft: | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sail |
| Complement: |
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| Armament: |
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USS Nonsuch was a moderately successful privateer built in 1812 and then an armed schooner in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. She was sold for breaking up in 1826.
Nonsuch was built in 1812 in Baltimore, Maryland. Her owner, George Stiles and Company, received a commission for Nonsuch as a letter of marque on 7 October 1812. The schooner soon commenced privateering along the East Coast of the United States and in the West Indies seeking British shipping. Under Captain Henry Levely,
By mistake she attacked and captured the American privateer Joseph and Mary, killing and wounding several of the crew.
Nonsuch attacked two British armed vessels, a ship and a schooner, off Martinique on 28 September. Nonsuch fought these two ships for three hours in an extremely furious battle, causing great confusion and killing or wounding a considerable number of the enemy. Unfortunately damage to her own rigging prevented Nonsuch from pursuing the British ships as they fled to Martinique. Nonsuch suffered three men killed and eight wounded; the British suffered seven killed and 16 wounded.
During her time as a privateer, Nonsuch captured nine vessels, two of which were American vessels with a British license (lic).
Ann Maria, schooner, lost Mary, schooner, sent in (Lic) Eleanore Ann, retaken (Lic) Perseverance, schooner, Charleston Fame, schooner, Baltimore, restored Fame, schooner, Savannah Francis, brig, Charleston Ship, sent in Sloop, sent in
The U.S. Navy purchased Nonsuch at Charleston, South Carolina, on 23 December 1812. Lieutenant James Mork sailed her in January 1813 to carry supplies to the United States Army at Fort Johnson. She then resumed cruising in search of English merchantmen.
Nonsuch captured British schooner Sancho Panza in early April 1813 and took the cutter Caledonia (8 guns and 40 men), of Nassau, Hinson, master, following a bloody seven-minute fight on the 9th. Caledonia had an additional 11 guns, of various sizes, in her hold. She had three men killed, seven wounded (two dangerously), and three men missing; Nonsuch had one man dangerously wounded and two slightly wounded. A report stated that Caledonia's crew consisted primarily of blacks.
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