War of 1812, Part 21: The Great Naval Chase of 1812

Indexé : 2026-05-21

[00:00:07][music] >> Hello America. Tom Hand here with Americana Corner. Today we're discussing challenges for the US Navy during the War of 1812.

[00:00:23]In 1812, the United States Navy consisted of only 16 warships, eight frigates and eight smaller vessels, but few were seaworthy.

[00:00:32]As Federalists such as Harrison Otis and Timothy Pickering pointed out, this troubling situation was due to the neglect of the Navy by the Jefferson and Madison administrations who felt the expense to maintain a seagoing Navy was a [music] poor investment for the country.

[00:00:53]At the outset of the war, the only ships ready for sea were the President commanded by Commodore John Rodgers, the United States commanded [music] by Captain Stephen Decatur, the Congress and the Argus.

[00:01:07]The rest were either not seaworthy or struggling to find an adequate crew, as in the case of the Constitution commanded by Captain Isaac Hull, which finally left Annapolis in early July.

[00:01:21]The Constitution arrived off the New Jersey coast on Friday, July 17th and sighted five distant sails making straight for the Constitution.

[00:01:31]Hull realized this was a British squadron under Captain Philip Broke and wisely took flight, thus starting one of the great chases in the age of sail.

[00:01:43]The next morning, the winds calmed and Hull put out rowboats to tow the Constitution. [music] Broke and his flagship Shannon imitated Hull's action and gained on the Constitution.

[00:01:56]Firing his bow guns and Hull returned the favor with his [music] stern chasers.

[00:02:03]Hull next sent a rowboat ahead of the Constitution, [music] dropping anchor and had the men pull the ship forward, a tactic called kedging. [music] All that night and the next day the chase continued.

[00:02:16]Hull's men were exhausted, [music] having little rest for 72 hours, and as the Guerriere was closing in on one side and the Belvidera on another, the end seemed near.

[00:02:28]But then, a providential squall blew in and the Constitution raced ahead on heavy winds.

[00:02:35]As daylight broke on Monday, July 20th, the Constitution was well ahead of its pursuers and the British gave up the chase.

[00:02:44]Hull's superb seamanship drew accolades even from the British and justified Lord Nelson's comment after observing the Yankee ships during the Barbary War >> [music] >> that there is in the handling of those transatlantic ships a nucleus of trouble for the Navy of Great Britain.

[00:03:06]Next week, we will discuss the thrilling fight >> [music] >> between the USS Constitution and the HMS Guerriere.

[00:03:14]Until next time, may your love of country lead you.

[00:03:25]>> [music]