USS Wasp (1814)
USS "Wasp"
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Name: | USS Wasp |
| Namesake: | Wasp |
| Builder: | Cross & Merrill, Newburyport, Massachusetts |
| Completed: | 1813 |
| Commissioned: | early 1814 |
| Fate: | Disappeared October 1814 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Sloop-of-war |
| Tonnage: | 509 |
| Length: | 117 ft 0 in (35.66 m) |
| Beam: | 31 ft 6 in (9.60 m) |
| Draft: | 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m) |
| Sail plan: | Ship-rigged |
| Complement: | 173 officers and enlisted men |
| Armament: | 2 x long 12-pounder guns + 20 x 32-pounder carronades |
USS Wasp was a sloop-of-war that served in the U.S. Navy in 1814 during the War of 1812. She was the fifth US Navy ship to carry that name. She carried out two successful raiding voyages against British trade during the summer of 1814, in the course of which she fought and defeated three British warships. Wasp was lost, cause unknown, in the Atlantic in early autumn, 1814.
Wasp was a ship-rigged sloop-of-war constructed in 1813 at Newburyport, Massachusetts, by Cross & Merrill. She was commissioned early in 1814, Master Commandant Johnston Blakeley in command. She remained at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, until late spring awaiting sailing orders and, upon receipt of them, put to sea on 1 May 1814 for a war cruise to the western approaches to the English Channel.
Wasp captured her first vessel, the 207-ton barque Neptune, on 2 June 1814, embarked her crew as prisoners, and burned the prize at sea. On 13 June 1814, she took William, a 91-ton brig, and burned her as well. Wasp encountered the 131-ton armed brig Pallas on 18 June 1814, captured her, apparently without resistance, and scuttled her. Her fourth victim, 171-ton galiot Henrietta, which she took on 23 June 1814, was given up to the prisoners Wasp had thus far taken. On 26 June 1814, Wasp captured and scuttled the 325-ton ship Orange Boven.
On 28 June 1814, Wasp came upon the 18-gun Cruizer class brig-sloop HMS Reindeer some 225 miles west of Plymouth, England, and brought her to battle. The fight lasted only 19 minutes, but during that brief span of time the two ships traded a murderous fire of grape and solid shot. Several times, Reindeer's crew tried to board Wasp, but the American crew repulsed them on each occasion. In the end, Wasp's own ship's company boarded Reindeer and carried the day. Wasp suffered six hits in her hull, and some of her rigging was shot away, but she remained sailable. Reindeer had suffered 25 men killed, including her captain, Commander William Manners, and 42 wounded.
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