Battle of Perryville

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La Pomone contre les frégates HMS Alceste et Active, painted Pierre Julien Gilbert.

Throughout naval history during times of war, battles, blockades, and other patrol missions would often result in the capture of enemy ships or those of a neutral country. If a ship proved to be a valuable prize, efforts would sometimes be made to capture the vessel and to inflict the least amount of damage that was practically possible. Both military and merchant ships were captured, often renamed, and then used in the service of the capturing country's navy or in many cases sold to private individuals, who would break them up for salvage or use them as merchant vessels, whaling ships, slave ships, or the like. As an incentive to search far and wide for enemy ships, the proceeds of the sale of the vessels and their cargoes were divided up as prize money among the officers and the crew of capturing crew members, with the distribution governed by regulations that the captor vessel's government had established. Throughout the 1800s, war prize laws were established to help opposing countries settle claims amicably.[1][2]

Private ships were also authorized by various countries at war through a letter of marque, which legally allowed a ship and commander to engage and capture vessels belonging to enemy countries.[3] In those cases, contracts between the owners of the vessels, on the one hand, and the captains and the crews, on the other, established the distribution of the proceeds from captures.

Legend

  • Dates of capture are listed chronologically and appear in bold [Note 1]
  • Names of commanders are those in command when ships were captured.
  • The symbol '  ' following a commander's name denotes he was killed in action.
  • Name of ship and flag of country listed are those in use at time of ship's capture and will sometimes link to a page with name and flag used after capture.
  • This list does not include ships captured by pirates.

1800–1809

Quasi-War

The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. France, plagued by massive crop failures and desperately in need of grain and other supplies, commissioned numerous French privateers, who both legally and illegally captured cargo from merchant vessels of every flag engaged in foreign trade with Britain. Approximately 300 American ships were captured by the French Navy and privateers under a letter of marque that was issued by the government of France.[4] International law mandated that a ship captured during wartime by a belligerent was lost to the owner and that no compensation was to be made by the country who seized a vessel unless provided for by a treaty that ended that war.[5]

First Barbary War

The First Barbary War (1801–5), was the first of the First Barbary War and the Second Barbary War fought between the United States and the North African Berber Muslim states known collectively as the Barbary States. For years the Barbary Corsairs had harassed and captured British, French and American shipping, often capturing vessels seizing cargoes and holding crews for large ransoms or enslaving them.[14] Refusing to pay tribute President Thomas Jefferson sent a fleet of ships to the Mediterranean shores of North Africa to deal with the constant threats to U.S. and other ships.[15][16]

French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

The French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against the French Republic and Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1792 to 1815, involving many often-large-scale naval battles resulting in the capture of numerous ships. Among the most notable of such battles were the Battle of Trafalgar and the Battle of Copenhagen involving hundreds of ships and many thousands of seamen and officers.

Battle of Copenhagen

The Battle of Copenhagen was a naval battle involving a large British fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, defeating and capturing many of the Danish-Norwegian fleet anchored just off Copenhagen on 2 April 1801. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson led the main attack.[27][28]

Napoleonic Wars (continued i)

Battle of Trafalgar

The Battle of Trafalgar was fought on 21 October 1805 off the Spanish coast, near Cape Trafalgar, involving the allied fleets of Spain and France against the Royal Navy of Britain. Britain's answer to Napoleon's threat, it proved to be the turning point of the Napoleonic era and is regarded as the last great sea battle of the period. The battle involved dozens of sailing warships and vessels many of which fell to capture while many were also met with what is considered a worse fate in the storm that followed.[38][39]

Napoleonic Wars (continued ii)

1810–1819

Napoleonic Wars (continued)

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was fought between Great Britain and the United States whose young navy made a notable stand at sea against the largest and most formidable navy in the world at the time. The causes of the war were regarded differently between the two countries. The U.S. was appalled at Britain for seizing their ships and impressing American citizens into its navy, while Britain maintained that it had the right to search neutral vessels for property or persons of its foes. The ships of the two countries were involved in many engagements along the Atlantic coast, the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies with numerous vessels being destroyed or captured on both sides.[81]

Second Barbary War

Chilean war of independence

The Navy of Chile website lists 26 Spanish prizes during the War of Independence. The most famous are probably:

For vessels captured by Chilean Letter of marque ships, see list of prizes

1820–1829

1830–1839

West Africa Squadron

War of the Confederation

Texas Revolution

1839

1840–1849

Mexican–American War

At the onset of the Mexican–American War on 12 May 1846, Commodore John D. Sloat was in command of the Pacific fleet. The Pacific war against Mexico lasted only eight months with few casualties. The Pacific fleet consisted mainly of ten ships: two ships of the line, two frigates, two sloops-of-war, and four sloops. As the Mexican navy was very small few vessels were ever captured.

First Schleswig War

During the First Schleswig War (1848 – 1850) the Royal Danish Navy first supported the Danish Army's advance south against the rebels in Schleswig-Holstein, and later blockaded the German ports.[152]

1850–1859

1860–1869

American Civil War

During the American Civil War the Union blockade at first proved to be ineffective at keeping ships from entering or leaving southern ports, but towards the end of the war, it played a significant role in its victory over the Confederate states. By the end of the war, the Union Navy had captured many Confederate ships, moreover had also captured more than 1,100 blockade runners while destroying or running aground another 355 vessels. Using specially-designed blockade runners, private business interests from Britain, however, succeeded in supplying the Confederate Army with goods valued at $200 million, including 600,000 small arms.[162][163] Rhat extended the war by two years and cost the lives of 400,000 additional Americans.[164][165][166]

Second Schleswig War

During the Second Schleswig War in 1864 the Royal Danish Navy blockaded the German ports. While the Danes suffered military defeat on land during the conflict, their navy succeeded in maintaining the blockade throughout the war.[216]

Chincha Islands War

The Chincha Islands War (1864 – 1866) was a mostly naval conflict between Spain and her former South American colonies Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia.

1870–1879

Ten Years' War

The Ten Years' War was fought between Cuban revolutionaries and Spain. Breaking out in 1868, the war was won by Spain by 1878.

  • Virginius | ( United States) | 30 October 1873
    The blockade runner, carrying 103 Cuban soldiers, was captured by the Spanish corvette Tornado. After initially executing 53 crew members as pirates, the Spanish authorities were pressured by the US and British governments to release the ship and the 91 surviving crew in December 1873.

War of the Pacific

The War of the Pacific (1879 – 1883) was fought between Peru and Bolivia on one side, with Chile on the other. Chile emerged victorious.

1880–1889

(Ship names / Information forthcoming)

1890–1899

First Sino-Japanese War

The 1894–95 First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan over dominance of Korea. The war ended in Japanese victory and great Chinese loss of territory and prestige.

Spanish–American War

The Spanish–American War lasted only ten weeks and was fought in both the Caribbean and the Pacific theaters. American naval power proved decisive, allowing U.S. expeditionary forces to disembark in Spanish controlled Cuba which was already under constant pressure from frequent insurgent attacks. It is the only American war that was prompted by the fate of a single ship, the USS Maine, then berthed in a Cuban harbor, which exploded while its crew lay asleep.

See also

References

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  2. ^ Yonge, 1863 pp.239, 269, 288, 295, etc.
  3. ^ Eastman, 2004 pp.1–7
  4. ^ Williams, 2009 Introduction
  5. ^ Williams, 2009 p.29
  6. ^ Leiner, Frederick C., "Anatomy of a Prize Case: Dollars, Side-Deals, and Les Deux Anges", American Journal of Legal History, vol.39, pp.215–234.
  7. ^ U.S. Navy, DANFS, USS Boston prgh.4
  8. ^ Allen, 1909, p.148
  9. ^ Williams, 2009 p.162
  10. ^ Allen, 1938 p.201
  11. ^ Canney, 2001 p.55
  12. ^ a b The Green Mountain Patriot, Peacham, VT, 16 Sep 1809
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  14. ^ Allen, 1905, pp.1–13
  15. ^ Harris, 1837 pp.63–64, 251
  16. ^ Guttridge, 2005 pp.257–260
  17. ^ Peterson, 1857 p.314
  18. ^ Tucker, 2004 p.39
  19. ^ MacKenzie, 1846 pp.66–67, 75–77
  20. ^ MacKenzie, 1846 p.65
  21. ^ Lewis, 1937 p.32
  22. ^ Allen, 1905, p.160
  23. ^ Cooper, 1856 p.187
  24. ^ James, 1920 p.32
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  27. ^ Clark-M'Arthur, 1810 pp.602–610
  28. ^ Southey, 1896 pp.243–244
  29. ^ Lavery, 1983, p.180
  30. ^ a b c Brenton, 1824 p.208
  31. ^ Phillips Ambuscade page article
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  33. ^ Brenton, 1824 pp.281
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  36. ^ Yonge, 1863 pp.211–213
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  38. ^ Fraser, 1906 p.1
  39. ^ Corbett, 1905 p.251
  40. ^ Fraser, 1906 pp.114, 211–213
  41. ^ Corbett, 1905 p.440
  42. ^ a b c Thiers, 1850 p.45
  43. ^ Fraser, 1906 p.175
  44. ^ Fraser, 1906 pp.150–152
  45. ^ Corbett, 1905 pp.435 & 440
  46. ^ Thiers, 1850 p.44
  47. ^ Yonge, 1863 pp.118–119
  48. ^ Fraser, 1906 p.310
  49. ^ Thiers, 1850 p.43
  50. ^ Fraser, 1906 pp.306–307
  51. ^ Corbett, 1905 pp.441, 429, 430
  52. ^ Fraser, 1906 pp.252–253
  53. ^ Fraser, 1906 pp.253–254
  54. ^ Fraser, 1906 p.311
  55. ^ Frasert, 1906 p.314
  56. ^ Corbett, 1905 p.421
  57. ^ Fraser, 1906 p.57
  58. ^ a b Thiers, 1850 pp.43–45
  59. ^ Fraser, 1906 pp.289–290
  60. ^ Fraser, 1906 pp.282–284
  61. ^ Fraser, 1906 p.312
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  64. ^ a b James, 1837 p.222
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  66. ^ Yonge, 1863 pp.51–52
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  76. ^ Yonge, 1863 pp.238–242
  77. ^ Norie 1837 p.266
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  82. ^ Cooper, 1856 p.348
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  84. ^ Winfield (2008), p.359.
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  86. ^ U.S. Navy, Nautilus, page article
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  96. ^ U.S. Navy, DANFS, Wasp prgh.3
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  106. ^ James, Chamier, 1859 p.243
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  108. ^ Leiner, 2007 p.30
  109. ^ The European magazine, and London review, Volumes 63–64, Great Britain Philological Society, p.252
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  111. ^ Roosevelt, 1883 pp.214–216
  112. ^ Roosevelt, 1883 pp.394–397
  113. ^ Roosevelt, 1883 p.287
  114. ^ James, Chamier, 1859 p.503
  115. ^ Malcomson, 2006 pp.116, 423
  116. ^ Malcomson, 2006 p.423
  117. ^ a b c d Roosevelt, 1883 pp.346-349
  118. ^ James, 1920 pp.154–155
  119. ^ Vice-admiralty court, Halifax, 1911 p.96
  120. ^ Roosevelt, 1883 pp.314, 350
  121. ^ Roosevelt, 1883 pp.316, 350
  122. ^ James, Chamier, 1859 p.504
  123. ^ Roosevelt, 1883 pp.293–304
  124. ^ a b Peterson, 1857 p.40
  125. ^ Lewis, 1937 p.43
  126. ^ Roosevelt, 1883 pp.327, 350
  127. ^ Winfield, 2008, p.294.
  128. ^ Peterson, 1857 pp.454–455
  129. ^ Heidler, 2004 p.288
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  135. ^ a b Phillips HMS Cyane page article
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  142. ^ a b Du Bois, 1904 p.291
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  156. ^ Foote, 1854 p.331
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Notes

  1. ^ 1800 is usually considered part of the 18th century; ships captured that year which are listed here have histories and surrounding histories that extend into the 19th century and are included in this list for continuity and context.
  2. ^ Not to be confused with USS Merrimack (1855) commanded by Moses Brown.[9]
  3. ^ Some sources spell it as L'Ambuscade[30]
  4. ^ HMS Victory was Admiral Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar
  5. ^ Not to be confused with James Wallace (Royal Navy officer) who died in 1803.
  6. ^ After his release from capture Captain Lucas was personally awarded the 'Gold Cross of the Legion of Honor' by Napoleon for his courageous effort during the battle.[43]
  7. ^ Redoutable lost more than 80% of her crew: 300 killed, 222 wounded.
  8. ^ Some sources spell name as Santa Anna[51][52]
  9. ^ Accounts vary: 'J.Thiers' claims Monacra was smashed to pieces on the rocks during the storm that followed the battle.[58]
  10. ^ Ship was renamed several times: Viala, Voltaire, Constitution, Jupiter
  11. ^ Néréide was captured three different times: first capture by British on 20 December 1797; second capture by French on 23 August 1810; third capture by British 3 December 1810.
  12. ^ Not to be confused with USS Frolic (1813) or USS Frolic (1862)
  13. ^ Mortally wounded and died seven days after the battle.
  14. ^ Not to be confused with a second Pictou brought into the Royal Navy at Halifax after its capture as the French Bonne Foi on 30 July 1814.[116]
  15. ^ Epervier captured a number of ships before her capture: American privateers, Portsmouth Packet, Alfred, Lively, Active[119]
  16. ^ Peterson (1857) claims 'Captain Manners' was in command at time of capture.[124]
  17. ^ Some sources spell the name as 'Siren' .[125]
  18. ^ Many (most?) sources spell the name as Merrimac without the 'k'.
  19. ^ Accounts of capturing ship differ: The Naval History Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations claim it was USS Mount Vernon and USS Mystic that captured the Napier.[184]
  20. ^ John Rodgers was the grandson of the famous Commodore John Rodgers born in 1772.
  21. ^ also spelled as Siren

Bibliography