<strong>Instruction</strong> <strong>Manual</strong> 9th Century Privateer Hermaphrodite-Schooner Prince De Neufchatel 1812-15 By Robert L. Evans ©Copyright 2005 Model Shipways, Inc. 3850 N 29th Terrace • Hollywood, FL 33020 2
(continued from page 1) ships that were drawn into petty skirmishes with French frigates, the Moors of Tripoli and the many pirates or privateers that sailed the waters looking for easy wealth. And, while England rested on her laurels, America’s resilient, intelligent young men were being trained to the maximum. Credit for America’s success in winning the War of 1812 belongs in part to the many privateers who signed on to do battle against the might of England. According to Falconer’s Dictionary of the Marine (1768), “Privateers are vessels of war armed and equipped by particular merchants, and furnished with commissions from the State to cruise against and annoy the enemy by taking, sinking, or burning their shipping.” The commission, authorized by a letter-of-marque, empowered merchants to appropriate to their own use whatever prize (actual capture of a vessel) they made, as well as receive monetary allowance for each prisoner taken. While on the whole the privateers, as irregular forces, were certainly no match for the the British regular cruisers, they inflicted enormous damage on the foe. Among four of the privateers that were most creditable was the speedy brigantine Prince de Neufchatel captained by J. Ordronaux of New York. A superbly built vessel of 310 tons, she mounted 18 guns and originally possessed a crew of 150 men. Her most awesome battle occurred on October 11th just after having made a very successful cruise. She had on board 37 prisoners and $300,000 in goods, but had manned and sent in so many prizes that only 40 of her crew remained. With little warning, the crew found themselves pursued by the British frigate Endymion which, during a calm, dispatched 5 boats containing 111 men. The Neufchatel opened fire on the boats but they were soon alongside, and the British clamored aboard the hopelessly undermanned brigantine. A desperate battle ensued. The slaughter was frightful. The British lost with 28 killed, 37 wounded and 10 taken prisoner. American losses were 7 killed, 15 badly and 9 slightly wounded, with only 9 men untouched! This incredible battle with its miraculous outcome reflected the highest honor on the American captain and his crew. After returning to Boston with her prize, she was issued a new letterof-marque and sailed in December of 1814 under the command of Nicholas Millin. On the 26th, she was spotted and chased by three British frigates; Leander, Newcastle and Acasta. Prince de Neufchatel would have escaped, if not for the fact that she lost spars by carrying too much sail. The commodore of the frigate squadron was so impressed by the schooner’s speed that rather than having her condemned in Halifax, he had her sent to the Deptford Dockyard to be surveyed. Her lines were taken, but in handling, her back was broken on the dock gate sill. This accident prevented her from being taken into Royal Navy service and she was sold off. One of the most notorious of the American privateers during the War of 1812, Prince de Neufchatel was supposedly built by Christian Bergh at New York in 1812-13 and was named for Berthier, one of Napoleon’s marshalls of the period. One of the larger privateers. she measured 107’ 6” at the waterline, and possessed a speed equal to design speeds of clipper ships built 40 years later. Because she had a size and shape that could attain high speeds and hold more firepower, her shape was given to a whole fleet of opium clippers. Armament for the privateers was usually sixteen 12-pounder carronades and two long 18’s as chase guns. All were carriage mounted to allow more positioning freedom, and to accommodate the higher bulwarks found on the privateers. 3
Change language