HMS Java (1811)

HMS ''Java'' was a British Royal Navy 38-gun fifth-rate frigate. She was originally laid down in 1805 as ''Renommée'', described as a 40-gun French Navy frigate, but the vessel actually carried 46 guns. The British captured her in 1811 in a noteworthy action during the Battle of Tamatave, but she is most famous for her defeat on 29 December 1812 in a three-hour single-ship action against . ''Java'' had a complement of about 277, but during her engagement with ''Constitution'' she allegedly had 426 aboard, in comparison with her opponent's 475.

French service

In May 1811, she was part of a three-sail squadron under François Roquebert, comprising ''Renommée'', and '' Néréide'', and ferrying troops to Mauritius. On 20 May, the French encountered a British squadron comprising , , , and . In the ensuing Battle of Tamatave, ''Renommée'' struck after her mainsail was set on fire. The British captured ''Néréide'' five days later at Tamatave, Madagascar. ''Clorinde'', commanded by Jacques de Saint-Cricq, escaped. The British brought ''Renommée'' into service as ''Java'' and ''Néréide'' as .

Royal Navy service

In July ''Java'' was under Captain William Gordon, but not commissioned until August under Captain Henry Lambert,Winfield (2008), p. 181. a senior commander who had seen combat on a number of occasions in His Majesty's service.Toll, p. 376

''Java'' sailed from Portsmouth on 12 November for Bombay to deliver the appointed governor, Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Hislop, and his staff with their baggage, and naval stores (including copper plates for the under-construction , at Bombay, and plans for the new ship, ). She was carrying additional personnel for other ships at the time and included another Royal Navy commander in transit.Naval Chronicle, Vol. 29 p. 243

Capture by USS ''Constitution''

Captain Lambert of ''Java'' was a well-qualified officer, having seen much combat during his service. ''Java'' had more than a full crew, having been rounded out while in Portsmouth, but many were landsmen still raw to service at sea, and even more damning to her cause, they had only practised gunnery once without shot loaded in the guns. Still, ''Java'' was well supplied and manned, and would prove to be well handled and well fought. had an experienced crew manning a heavy frigate carrying 54 cannon: thirty 24-pounder guns and twenty-four 32-pounder carronades, plus two 24-pounder bow chasers.

On 13 December 1812, sailing from Boston by way of Cape Verde, USS ''Constitution'', under the command of Captain William Bainbridge, accompanied by , commanded by James Lawrence, arrived off the coast of Brazil at St. Salvador. On 26 December ''Hornet'' was sent into the port to communicate with the American consul stationed there. On 29 December at 9:00 a.m., still out at high sea in search of prizes, crewmen aloft ''Constitution'' sighted strange sails on the distant horizon. Bainbridge initially was unsure of the disposition of the ships, but hours later as they drew closer he was able to discern that the approaching vessels were large and now assumed them to be British. To ascertain the disposition of the unidentified ships ''Constitution'' hoisted private signals (flags) at 11:30 a.m., while the assumed British vessel also hoisted its signals, but neither ship made the correct counter-signal. Harris, 1837 p. 148

''Constitution'', tacking the wind, made her way from the neutral Portuguese territorial waters with ''Java'' giving chase. At 12:30 p.m. that day ''Java'' hoisted her colors and ensign with ''Constitution'' hoisting her colors in reply. With the dispositions of each ship confirmed, ''Java'', with the weather gauge to her advantage, came about to position herself to rake ''Constitution''. Being French-built, she was comparatively light for a frigate and was consequently faster and more maneuverable than ''Constitution''. In reply ''Constitution'' fired a shot across ''Java''s bow with ''Java'' returning fire with a full broadside.

''Java'' started the battle badly out-matched both in terms of the experience of her crew and the weight of her broadside. ''Constitution'', with her experienced commander and crew, countered by not shortening sail as was standard (this reduced strain on the masts, thus making it less likely to lose a mast under fire). By 2:00 p.m., both ships were heading southeast. The opening phase of the action comprised both ships turning to and fro, attempting to get the better position for which to fire upon and rake the other, but with little success. Bainbridge now wore ''Constitution'' to a matching course and opened fire with a broadside at half a mile. This broadside accomplished nothing and forced Bainbridge to risk raking to close ''Java''. Another broadside from ''Java'' carried away ''Constitution''s helm, disabling her rudder and leaving Bainbridge severely wounded; however he still maintained command, refusing to sit out the battle. Both ships resumed firing broadsides but by now ''Java'' had a mast and sail falling over her starboard side that prevented most of her guns on that side from firing, which also prevented her from laying alongside ''Constitution''. The guns that attempted to fire only managed to set the fallen sail and rigging ablaze.

''Constitution''s accuracy of fire and the greater weight of her broadside put the much smaller ''Java'' at a large disadvantage. Within one hour, after several close encounters involving the rigging of each ship getting entangled with the other's, ''Java''s masts collapsed. During this encounter a sharpshooter aloft in ''Constitution'' mortally wounded Lambert.Toll, p. 379 Lieutenant Henry Ducie Chads now took over command, assisted by the captain in transit to his ship. Bainbridge used this opportunity to distance ''Constitution'' so as to make immediately-needed repairs, taking approximately an hour. Clearing the masts and fallen rigging aboard ''Java'' had hardly begun when ''Constitution'' returned from repairing her damage and immediately took a raking position from which ''Java'' could not defend herself. This left Lieutenant Chads no choice but to surrender ''Java''. ''Constitution'' hoisted out a boat and sent First Lieutenant Parker to take possession of the prize.

In the battle, ''Java'' suffered 22 men killed, including Lambert, and 102 wounded. ''Constitution'' lost nine men initially and 57 wounded, including Bainbridge. Some four or five later succumbed to their wounds. Harris, 1837 p. 146.

In the course of battle ''Java'' was rendered a dismasted hulk that was not worth taking as a prize. Instead Bainbridge removed her helm and installed it on ''Constitution'', replacing the one that had been shot away. On New Year's Day 1813, two days after the engagement, Bainbridge gave the order to set ''Java'' ablaze; she subsequently blew up.

Upon learning of the death of Captain Lambert, Commodore Bainbridge expressed deep sorrow for a commander he credited to be brave and noble. On 23 April 1813, Lieutenant Chads and the other surviving officers and men of ''Java'' faced the customary court martial aboard for the loss of their ship. They were honourably acquitted.

In fiction

The engagement between ''Java'' and ''Constitution'' was fictionalized in the novel '' The Fortune of War'' by Patrick O'Brian and in the novel ''Yankee Mission'' by Julian Stockwin.

See also

* Bibliography of early United States naval history
* Glossary of nautical terms (A–L)
* Glossary of nautical terms (M–Z)
* List of early warships of the English navy
* List of ship names of the Royal Navy
* Sailing ship tactics
* List of ships captured in the 19th century

Notes

References

Bibliography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Java (1811)
1808 ships
Captured ships
Frigates of the Royal Navy
Maritime incidents in 1812
Maritime incidents in 1813
Naval battles of the War of 1812
Pallas-class frigates (1808)
Ships built in France
War of 1812 ships of the United Kingdom