United States War of 1812 Navy and Marine Units

United States U.S. Military  U.S. War of 1812  United States War of 1812 Navy Units

Introduction
In 1812, the 18 year-old Navy had 22 commissioned warships, while there where more than 80 British vessels off the American seaboard.

Ships

 * Alert (ship) - Lieutenants Walter Stewart and Joseph Wragg
 * Boxer (brig) - Lieutenants John Porter and Charles T. Clarke
 * Chippewa (brig) - Lieutenants George C. Read, Matthew C. Perry, and Stephen Champlin
 * Congress (frigate) - Captain Charles Morris
 * Constellation (frigate) - Captain Charles Gordon
 * Constitution (Old Ironsides) - Captain Isaac Hull
 * Cyane - Lieutenant Beekman V. Hoffman
 * Enterprise (brig) - Lieutenants Lawrence Kearny and James M'Gowan
 * Epervier (Brig)- Master Commandant John Downes
 * Erie (sloop) - Captain Charles G. Ridgeley
 * Firefly (brig) - Lieutenants George W. Rodgers, David Geisinger, Mervine Mix, Paul Zantzinger
 * Flambeau (brig) - Lieutenants William H. Allen and Henry Gilliam
 * Franklin - Captain John Smith
 * Guerriere (frigate) - Captain Stephen Decatur, Master Commandant William Lewis
 * Hornet (sloop) - Captain James Biddle
 * Independence - Captain William Bainbridge, Captain William Crane
 * Java (frigate) - Captain Oliver Hazard Perry
 * John Adams (corvette) - Master Commandant Edw. Trenchard
 * Macedonian (frigate) - Captain Jacob Jones
 * Nonsuch (schooner) - Lieutenant William Laughton
 * Ontario (sloop) - Master Commandant Jesse D. Elliott
 * Peacock (sloop) - Captain Lewis Warrington
 * Prometheus (brig) - Lieutenants Alexander S. Wadsworthand William D. Salter
 * Saranac (brig) - Lieutenants John H. Elton, William Lowe, John H. Aulick, and George Hamersley
 * Spark (brig) - Lieutenants Thomas Gamble, Wm. H. Cocke, and Silas H. Stringham
 * Spitfire (schooner) - Lieutenants Alexander J. Dallas and Robert F. Stockton
 * Torch (schooner) - Lieutenants Wolcott Chauncey, Bladen Dulaney, and William Elliott
 * United States (frigate) - Captain John Shaw
 * Washington - Captain Isaac Chauncey
 * Wasp (sloop) - Captain Johnston Blakeley

Officers
Department of the Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command, Officers of the U.S. Navy gives name, rank, date of commission, and where stationed whether on a ship or on land. Marine Corps Officers has the same type of information.

Sea Fencibles
Sea Fencibles Officers, has a list of the officers with name and rank. The date by a name appears to be the date achieved that rank. 4 Aug. 13 means August 4, 1813.

"Sometimes known more formally as the Corps of Sea Fencibles of the United States, these servicemen were special volunteer naval artillery militia that served on both land and floating batteries to protect ports, harbors, and other vital coastal areas (since most Fencibles came from some type of maritime background, they already knew these areas intimately, making them very effective in a defensive capacity). Patterned after contemporary British units in the Napoleanic wars, the Sea Fencibles were established by an act of Congress on July 26, 1813 and served until disbanded on June 15, 1815. Eventually 10 companies of Fencibles fought during the war." "Because the Sea Fencibles were considered U.S. Volunteers, they fell under the immediate authority of the War Department despite the unique seaborne aspect of their duties. Therefore, their service information is located in Record Group 94, Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780′s-1917. Information about compiled service records are included in the series “Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations: War of 1812″ (ARC ID 300392). Related muster and payrolls are located in the series “Muster Rolls of Volunteer Organizations: War of 1812″ (ARC ID 654644). "

Privateers
About 500-600 privateers were sanctioned by the U.S. government to harrass and detain British merchant ships during the War of 1812.

Battles

 * Constitution, in action with HMS Guerriere, 19 August 1812
 * Capture of HMS Detroit and Caledonia on the Niagara River, 8 October 1812
 * Wasp, in action with HMS Frolic, 18 October 1812
 * United States, in action with HMS Macedonian, 25 October 1812
 * Constitution, in action with HMS Java, 29 December 1812
 * Hornet, in action with HM brig Peacock, 24 February 1813
 * Enterprise, in action with HM brig Boxer, 5 September 1813
 * Battle of Lake Erie, 10 September 1813
 * Peacock, in action with HMS Epervier, 29 April 1814
 * Wasp, in action with HMS Reindeer, 28 June 1814
 * Battle of Lake Champlain, 11 September 1814
 * Constitution, in action with HMS Cyane and Levant, 20 February 1815
 * Hornet, in action with HMS Penguin, 23 March 1815

Records and Resources

 * Gordon, William A, A Compilation of Registers of the Army of the United States, from 1815 to 1837..., (Washington: James C. Dunn, 1837), Digital version: Internet Archive with Sea Fencibles officers, states in each Military District, and list of General Staff.