19 Attachment(s)
Solo Scenario - For Honour and Glory and the Rescue of The Rose
Attachment 20106
USS Essex: Ships Log
1800
Edward Preble, Captain
January 11: USS Essex left New York Harbor, and headed for Havana, December 28, last. Within the first hour after our departure, the masthead lookout sighted a sail on the horizon on the same heading as we were on. The ship has been shadowing us for the last two weeks and I have decided to intercept the ship if it is still there in the morning.
E.P.
January 12: The sail on the horizon is still there and I have changed course to intercept the shadow. We shall see what the ship is up to.
E.P.
January 12: After exchanging broadsides with Jean de Lay and his ship Le Requin, Essex recaptured The Rose, a merchantman registered to Hancock and Sons of Boston, Massachusetts. Her captain, Henry Barleycorne confessed to being the ship on the horizon. He had hoped that his close proximity would keep him safe from French harassment. I offered to sail in tandem with him to our base in Havana.
To: John Barry: Commodore, Caribbean Squadron
From: Captain Edward Preble: Commander, USS Essex
Re: After Action Report for the action of 14 January 14, 1800
Sir:
The Essex caught up with The Rose, a merchant ship from New England. He was shadowing us on the morning of January 14, 1800. We found two ships, which one was our shadow I was not to find out for several hours. One ship was attacking the other, and the other was unable to return fire. As we approached, we saw the American merchantman surrendering to a French privateer. I later discovered the privateer to be Jean de Lay and his frigate, Le Requin, The Shark.
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Boats carrying the prize crew were being launched as we approached. We must have surprised them, because the activity level increased markedly on board Le Requin. As soon as the longboats were launched, de Lay raised sail and moved to intercept Essex.
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We held our course until Le Requin came within range and then we opened-up on her with our port forward battery.
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With pleasure, the crew and I saw one of the balls punch a hole in the privateer’s foretopsail and water began spewing from her pumps as de Lay tried to stem the flow from the leak in her hull.
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Essex tacked through the headwinds and shot past Le Requin taking away her wind advantage. Trying to intercept the merchant ship would be difficult sailing, but I felt we had to regain the freedom of the American sailors.
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Le Requin turned sharply to starboard and raked our stern with her forward battery. Her shots caused us to begin to leak and took some of the crew out of action. The bos’n gathered his crew and went to make repairs.
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The race for the The Rose was on.
For the next two and three-quarter hours, we held our course, neither gaining nor losing ground on either the merchant nor the privateer.
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We kept the merchant to our starboard
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and Le Requin off our stern.
After consultation with my officer staff, I decided to attack the privateer and to take control of the American ship.
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We lowered sails, turned to starboard, and fired an ineffectual raking shot with our full broadside.
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The enemy came charging toward us at full sails and came so close to us that I ordered the crew to prepare to repel boarders.
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Essex raised sails, raced past Le Requin and gave her another shot with our starboard rear battery, doing some damage to her hull.
Both of the ships tacked again causing their paths to cross once more.
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Just as the ships came even with each other, Le Requin turned toward Essex receiving another raking broadside from our port guns.
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As the Frenchman completed her turn, she gave Essex her broadside and Essex did the same to the captive merchantman.
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The French prize crew struck their colors and turned into the wind. Our prize crew was lowering their launches when two longboats, with sails set, scurried away from the far side of the American. Evidently, de Lay thought this merchantman was not worth the trouble and abandoned the fight. He picked-up his sailors and headed for the horizon.
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I signaled Captain Barleycorne to follow me
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and we sailed for Havana, arriving in two weeks time.
Capt. E. Preble
Commander, USS Essex
Capt.Edward Preble (P)/ Returned to Port/Captured Merchant Ship/ 8 prize money
Captain Barleycorne (AI)/ Returned to Port/ No Victories
Jean de Lay (AI)/ Returned to Hiding Place/ No Victories, Lost Merchant Ship
USS Essex/3:0/1/1/1
The Rose/ 0:0/0/0/0 (Rescued)
Le Requin/4:1/1/3/ Misses 3 scenarios for repairs
