Daniel Pring
Encyclopedia
Daniel Pring was an officer in the British Royal Navy
. He is best known for the part he played in the War of 1812
between Britain and the United States
.
He was born near Honiton
in Devon
. He entered the Navy in 1800, and evidently took part in the abortive British invasions of the Río de la Plata
, as in 1807 he was appointed Lieutenant and commander of the schooner
Paz, taken as a prize at Montevideo
. His promotion to Lieutenant was confirmed in 1808. In 1810, he married Anne, maiden name unknown.
In 1811, he was serving aboard HMS Africa
, the flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Herbert Sawyer
, the commander in chief of the North American station based at Halifax, Nova Scotia
. The following year, he transferred to HMS San Domingo
, the flagship of Sawyer's successor, Vice Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren
. He was one of three Lieutenants (the other two being Robert Finnis and Robert Heriot Barclay
) detached by Warren to the naval establishment on the Great Lakes
, with the acting rank of Commander. The Admiralty
however had independently appointed Captain Sir James Lucas Yeo
as Commodore to command on the lakes. During the early part of 1813, Pring served as commander of HMS Wolfe, which carried Yeo's broad pendant.
Later in 1813, Pring was appointed to the naval establishment on Lake Champlain
, based at Ile aux Noix
in the Richelieu River
. He was temporarily superseded by Commander Thomas Everard (who was senior to Pring) during several destructive raids against American outposts and depots on Lake Champlain during the late summer of 1813. During the early months of 1814, Pring commanded gunboats which played a part in the Battle of Lacolle Mills
.
In the spring of 1814, the Americans constructed a substantial flotilla on Lake Champlain, which outmatched Pring's force. In response, the British laid down the fifth rate frigate HMS Confiance. This was a ship which required a Post Captain in command, so Pring was superseded by Captain George Downie
. Pring took charge of the 16-gun brig
Linnet. During the Battle of Plattsburgh
, Pring anchored the Linnet across the head of the American line of battle and did great damage, but Downie was killed and the Confiance and two other British armed vessels were forced to surrender. Left isolated and unable to escape, Pring fought on until the Linnet was battered almost to the point of sinking. In his report, Pring paid tribute to the gallantry of Downie, and also to the care paid to the prisoners and wounded by his opponent, Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough
.
As was customary after any defeat, Pring faced a court martial between 18 and 21 August 1815 aboard HMS Gladiator
, but was exonerated and honourably commended. The next year, he was promoted Post Captain. He briefly commanded the naval establishment on Lake Erie
, but this was soon closed down. Pring then went on half pay for 20 years, living at Ivedon Penn near Honiton.
In 1836, he returned to active service, in command of the frigate HMS Inconstant. From 1841 until 1843, he commanded the second rate ship of the line
HMS Thunderer
. In 1845, he commanded the 76-gun ship of the line, HMS Imaum, and was appointed Commodore on the Jamaica
station.
He died late in 1846 at Port Royal
, Jamaica, possibly of yellow fever
.
He and his wife apparently left no children.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He is best known for the part he played in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
between Britain and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
He was born near Honiton
Honiton
Honiton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. He entered the Navy in 1800, and evidently took part in the abortive British invasions of the Río de la Plata
British invasions of the Río de la Plata
The British invasions of the Río de la Plata were a series of unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of the Spanish colonies located around the La Plata Basin in South America . The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars, when Spain was an ally of...
, as in 1807 he was appointed Lieutenant and commander of the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Paz, taken as a prize at Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
. His promotion to Lieutenant was confirmed in 1808. In 1810, he married Anne, maiden name unknown.
In 1811, he was serving aboard HMS Africa
HMS Africa (1781)
HMS Africa was a 64-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched by Barnard at Deptford on 11 April 1781.-American War of Independence:...
, the flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Herbert Sawyer
Herbert Sawyer
Admiral Sir Herbert Sawyer KCB was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars. He eventually rose to the rank of Admiral....
, the commander in chief of the North American station based at Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. The following year, he transferred to HMS San Domingo
HMS San Domingo (1809)
HMS San Domingo was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 3 March 1809 at Woolwich.On 13 April 1813, Sir John Borlase Warren's squadron, consisting of his flagship, San Domingo, and , , , , Mohawk, and pursued four schooners into the Rappahannock...
, the flagship of Sawyer's successor, Vice Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren
John Borlase Warren
Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet , was an English admiral, politician and diplomat. Born in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, he was the son and heir of John Borlase Warren of Stapleford and Little Marlow...
. He was one of three Lieutenants (the other two being Robert Finnis and Robert Heriot Barclay
Robert Heriot Barclay
Robert Heriot Barclay was a British naval officer who was engaged in the Napoleonic Wars, and its North American counterpart, the War of 1812....
) detached by Warren to the naval establishment on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, with the acting rank of Commander. The Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
however had independently appointed Captain Sir James Lucas Yeo
James Lucas Yeo
Sir James Lucas Yeo KCB was a British naval commander who served in the War of 1812.Yeo was born in Southampton on 7 October 1782, and joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman at the age of 10. He first saw action as a lieutenant aboard a brig in the Adriatic Sea, and distinguished himself during the...
as Commodore to command on the lakes. During the early part of 1813, Pring served as commander of HMS Wolfe, which carried Yeo's broad pendant.
Later in 1813, Pring was appointed to the naval establishment on Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
, based at Ile aux Noix
Ile aux Noix
Île aux Noix is an island on the Richelieu River in Quebec, close to Lake Champlain. The island is the site of Fort Lennox National Historic Site. Politically, it is part of Saint-Paul-de-l'Île-aux-Noix.-Background:...
in the Richelieu River
Richelieu River
The Richelieu River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows from the north end of Lake Champlain about north, ending at the confluence with the St. Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec downstream and northeast of Montreal...
. He was temporarily superseded by Commander Thomas Everard (who was senior to Pring) during several destructive raids against American outposts and depots on Lake Champlain during the late summer of 1813. During the early months of 1814, Pring commanded gunboats which played a part in the Battle of Lacolle Mills
Battle of Lacolle Mills (1814)
The Second Battle of Lacolle Mills was fought on 30 March 1814 during the War of 1812. The small garrison of a British outpost position, aided by reinforcements, fought off a large American attack.-Background:After the St...
.
In the spring of 1814, the Americans constructed a substantial flotilla on Lake Champlain, which outmatched Pring's force. In response, the British laid down the fifth rate frigate HMS Confiance. This was a ship which required a Post Captain in command, so Pring was superseded by Captain George Downie
George Downie
George Downie was a British Royal Navy officer during the War of 1812. He commanded the British squadron which attacked the American fleet anchored at Plattsburgh Bay in Lake Champlain during the Battle of Plattsburgh on September 11, 1814...
. Pring took charge of the 16-gun brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Linnet. During the Battle of Plattsburgh
Battle of Plattsburgh
The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, ended the final invasion of the northern states during the War of 1812...
, Pring anchored the Linnet across the head of the American line of battle and did great damage, but Downie was killed and the Confiance and two other British armed vessels were forced to surrender. Left isolated and unable to escape, Pring fought on until the Linnet was battered almost to the point of sinking. In his report, Pring paid tribute to the gallantry of Downie, and also to the care paid to the prisoners and wounded by his opponent, Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough
Thomas MacDonough
Thomas Macdonough was an early-19th-century American naval officer noted for his roles in the first Barbary War, and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Sr. who lived close to Middleton, Delaware. Being the sixth child born, he came from a large family of ten...
.
As was customary after any defeat, Pring faced a court martial between 18 and 21 August 1815 aboard HMS Gladiator
HMS Gladiator (1783)
HMS Gladiator was a 44-gun fifth-rate Roebuck-class ship of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 20 January 1783 by Henry Adams of Bucklers Hard. She spent her entire career on harbour service, never putting to sea. Even so, her crew earned prize money for the seizure of two Russian and five...
, but was exonerated and honourably commended. The next year, he was promoted Post Captain. He briefly commanded the naval establishment on Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, but this was soon closed down. Pring then went on half pay for 20 years, living at Ivedon Penn near Honiton.
In 1836, he returned to active service, in command of the frigate HMS Inconstant. From 1841 until 1843, he commanded the second rate ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
HMS Thunderer
HMS Thunderer (1831)
HMS Thunderer was a two-deck 84-gun second rate ship of the line, a modified version of the Canopus/Formidable-class launched on 22 September 1831 at Woolwich Dockyard....
. In 1845, he commanded the 76-gun ship of the line, HMS Imaum, and was appointed Commodore on the Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
station.
He died late in 1846 at Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
, Jamaica, possibly of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
.
He and his wife apparently left no children.