USS Enterprise vs Flambeau
Encyclopedia
The USS Enterprise vs Flambeau was a single ship action fought in October 1800 during the Quasi-War
. During the action the defeated the French privateer
brig Flambeau off the leeward side of the island of Dominica
in the Caribbean Sea
. Although the Enterprise was outgunned by the Flambeau she was still able to take her as a prize after a short battle. The battle helped bring to fame the Enterprises commanding officer, Lieutenant John Shaw, who added the capture of Flambeau to his already long list of French prizes.
American merchant ships often became the target of French privateer
s who seized them in large quantities. In an effort to stem these depredations against American shipping several United States Navy
warships were dispatched to hunt down French privateers. One such vessel was the , American naval schooner
under the command of Lieutenant John Shaw. Enterprise had been sent out to the Caribbean Sea
in March 1800 with orders to cruise against French shipping in the region. Enterprise had already previously engaged and defeated several French privateer
s when on the night of 24 October she sighted the privateer Flambeau off the leeward side of Dominica
.
The French letter of marque
Flambeau was a brig
that was slightly more powerful than Enterprise, having twelve eight-pound cannon
as compared to the American schooner's dozen six-pounders. The French privateer also had more crew than the American vessel, 110 opposed to Enterprises 83. With a broadside of 48 pounds to Enterprises 36 pounds and with a larger crew, Flambeau had an advantage over Enterprise. Nonetheless, Shaw decided to engage Flambeau. Enterprise could not catch up to Flambeau but when morning came Flambeau found herself becalmed. Her captain then used sweeps to close with Enterprise.
range. After engaging with small arms
for a while, Lieutenant Shaw eventually veered his schooner away and the Flambeau opened up on the Americans with a broadside
of roundshot. The Enterprise replied with her own broadside and the two vessels engaged each other with cannon for twenty minutes. The Flambeau was beginning to receive heavy damage when her captain decided to disengage and maneuvered away from the Enterprise. However, Enterprise pursued the French brig and continued to engage her.
Flambeaus foretopmast
was in danger of being dismasted from damage it had received from Enterprise, so the French captain sent men aloft to try to repair it. However after a sudden gust of wind the mast flew off the ship carrying six French sailors with it. The Enterprise ceased her attacks upon the Flambeau and sent out a boat to rescue the French sailors adrift on the topmast. After rescuing the French topmen, the Enterprise caught up with the French brig and came alongside. Before the action could continue the French captain struck her colours as Flambeau's medicine chest
had been destroyed and the hull
compromised multiple times.
where she was condemned. The proceeds from the sale of the Flambeau were adjudicated to the crew of the Enterprise.
The capture of Flambeau brought further acclaim to Shaw, who had already defeated several other French privateers and taken them as prizes. Enterprise continued her cruise, next chasing down and capturing the Pauline and later the Guadaloupeenne. Shortly afterward, chronic illness forced Shaw to transfer command of the vessel to Lieutenant Andrew Sterett
. Sterret continued to cruise the Caribbean, taking several more prizes before returning home. Upon Shaw's return home the president and other public officials personally thanked him for his service. Shaw later continued his naval career, serving with distinction during the War of 1812
.
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. In the United States, the conflict was sometimes also referred to as the Franco-American War, the Pirate Wars, or the Half-War.-Background:The Kingdom of France had been a...
. During the action the defeated the French 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...
brig Flambeau off the leeward side of the island of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. Although the Enterprise was outgunned by the Flambeau she was still able to take her as a prize after a short battle. The battle helped bring to fame the Enterprises commanding officer, Lieutenant John Shaw, who added the capture of Flambeau to his already long list of French prizes.
Background
During the Quasi-WarQuasi-War
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. In the United States, the conflict was sometimes also referred to as the Franco-American War, the Pirate Wars, or the Half-War.-Background:The Kingdom of France had been a...
American merchant ships often became the target of French 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...
s who seized them in large quantities. In an effort to stem these depredations against American shipping several United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
warships were dispatched to hunt down French privateers. One such vessel was the , American naval 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....
under the command of Lieutenant John Shaw. Enterprise had been sent out to the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
in March 1800 with orders to cruise against French shipping in the region. Enterprise had already previously engaged and defeated several French 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...
s when on the night of 24 October she sighted the privateer Flambeau off the leeward side of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
.
The French letter of marque
Letter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
Flambeau was a 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...
that was slightly more powerful than Enterprise, having twelve eight-pound cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
as compared to the American schooner's dozen six-pounders. The French privateer also had more crew than the American vessel, 110 opposed to Enterprises 83. With a broadside of 48 pounds to Enterprises 36 pounds and with a larger crew, Flambeau had an advantage over Enterprise. Nonetheless, Shaw decided to engage Flambeau. Enterprise could not catch up to Flambeau but when morning came Flambeau found herself becalmed. Her captain then used sweeps to close with Enterprise.
Action
Eventually a wind came and the two ships managed to maneuver towards each other until they were within musketMusket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
range. After engaging with small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
for a while, Lieutenant Shaw eventually veered his schooner away and the Flambeau opened up on the Americans with a broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
of roundshot. The Enterprise replied with her own broadside and the two vessels engaged each other with cannon for twenty minutes. The Flambeau was beginning to receive heavy damage when her captain decided to disengage and maneuvered away from the Enterprise. However, Enterprise pursued the French brig and continued to engage her.
Flambeaus foretopmast
Topmast
The masts of traditional sailing ships were not single spars, but were constructed of separate sections or masts, each with its own rigging. The topmast is one of these.The topmast is semi-permanently attached to the upper front of the lower mast, at the top...
was in danger of being dismasted from damage it had received from Enterprise, so the French captain sent men aloft to try to repair it. However after a sudden gust of wind the mast flew off the ship carrying six French sailors with it. The Enterprise ceased her attacks upon the Flambeau and sent out a boat to rescue the French sailors adrift on the topmast. After rescuing the French topmen, the Enterprise caught up with the French brig and came alongside. Before the action could continue the French captain struck her colours as Flambeau's medicine chest
Medicine chest
A medicine chest is a container or cabinet for storing medicine. All ships governed by the regulations of the IMO are required to have medical supplies and suitable storage for them such as refrigeration and locks....
had been destroyed and the hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
compromised multiple times.
Aftermath
The entire action lasted about forty minutes. The French were much worse off than the Americans in terms of casualties, with 7 Frenchmen killed and 33 wounded compared to 3 Americans killed and 7 wounded. A prize crew from Enterprise was sent aboard the Flambeau and sailed her to Saint KittsSaint Kitts
Saint Kitts Saint Kitts Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island (Saint-Christophe in French) is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean...
where she was condemned. The proceeds from the sale of the Flambeau were adjudicated to the crew of the Enterprise.
The capture of Flambeau brought further acclaim to Shaw, who had already defeated several other French privateers and taken them as prizes. Enterprise continued her cruise, next chasing down and capturing the Pauline and later the Guadaloupeenne. Shortly afterward, chronic illness forced Shaw to transfer command of the vessel to Lieutenant Andrew Sterett
Andrew Sterett
Andrew Sterett was an officer in the United States Navy during the nation's early days. He saw combat during the Quasi-War with France and in the Barbary Wars, commanding the schooner USS Enterprise in both conflicts.Born in Baltimore, Maryland, he was the son of John Sterett, a former...
. Sterret continued to cruise the Caribbean, taking several more prizes before returning home. Upon Shaw's return home the president and other public officials personally thanked him for his service. Shaw later continued his naval career, serving with distinction during 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...
.