General Armstrong
Encyclopedia
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The General Armstrong was an American
brig
built for privateer
ing during the Atlantic Ocean
theater of the War of 1812
. She was named for Brigadier General
John Armstrong, Sr. who fought in the American Revolutionary War
.
Samuel Chester Reid
, and was armed with seven guns, including a Long Tom
. On 19 April 1814, she captured the British
armed merchantman Fanny
, of eighteen guns and forty-five men, off the coast of Ireland
. The engagement, which lasted about an hour, was described as a "severe" close range action. The entire battle was fought within "pistol shot range" and eventually the British struck their colors after losing several men either killed or wounded. The crew of the General Armstrong lost one killed and six wounded, the Fanny a like number. The British ship third rate later recaptured Fanny.
General Armstrong is most remembered for her involvement in the Battle of Fayal
from 26 to 27 September 1814. In the engagement, the British brig-sloop and several boats armed with cannon and carrying sailors and marines, attempted to cut out the General Armstrong. General Armstrong repulsed the attacks but Captain Reid felt he had no chance of escaping the Azores
so he ordered the scuttling of General Armstrong after fighting off the Carnation for a final time on 27 September. The Americans made it to shore where the Portuguese
authorities protected them. Casualties amounted to two killed and seven wounded for the United States; the British lost 36 men killed and 93 wounded. Two of their boats were sunk and two others were captured.
The General Armstrong was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
built for privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing during the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
theater of 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...
. She was named for Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
John Armstrong, Sr. who fought in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
War of 1812
The General Armstrong had a crew of about 90 men, under the command of CaptainCaptain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Samuel Chester Reid
Samuel Chester Reid
Samuel Chester Reid was an officer in the United States Navy who commanded a privateer during the War of 1812. He is also noted for having helped design the 1818 version of the flag of the United States, which first established the rule of keeping thirteen stripes and adding one star for each U.S...
, and was armed with seven guns, including a Long Tom
Long Tom
Long Tom may refer to:* the Long Tom River in Oregon* Long Tom Pass, a mountain pass in Mpumalanga, South Africa* Long Tom , an Australian sounding rocket* Long Tom, a chimney pot approximately 4 to 6 feet tall...
. On 19 April 1814, she captured the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
armed merchantman Fanny
Fanny (1812 privateer)
Fanny was an armed merchantman that sailed between Liverpool and South America. Her master was James Laughton, the father of Sir John Knox Laughton. On 5 December 1812, Laughton was granted a Letter of Marque for the ship. On 19 April 1814, the American privateer General Armstrong captured her,...
, of eighteen guns and forty-five men, off the coast of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The engagement, which lasted about an hour, was described as a "severe" close range action. The entire battle was fought within "pistol shot range" and eventually the British struck their colors after losing several men either killed or wounded. The crew of the General Armstrong lost one killed and six wounded, the Fanny a like number. The British ship third rate later recaptured Fanny.
General Armstrong is most remembered for her involvement in the Battle of Fayal
Battle of Fayal
The Battle of Fayal was an engagement fought in September 1814 during the war between the United States and the United Kingdom at the Portuguese colony of Fayal in the Azores. A British warship and several boats filled with sailors and marines attacked an American privateer in port...
from 26 to 27 September 1814. In the engagement, the British brig-sloop and several boats armed with cannon and carrying sailors and marines, attempted to cut out the General Armstrong. General Armstrong repulsed the attacks but Captain Reid felt he had no chance of escaping the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
so he ordered the scuttling of General Armstrong after fighting off the Carnation for a final time on 27 September. The Americans made it to shore where the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
authorities protected them. Casualties amounted to two killed and seven wounded for the United States; the British lost 36 men killed and 93 wounded. Two of their boats were sunk and two others were captured.