USS Essex Junior

The sloop ''Essex Junior'' was a French prize that the British whaling firm of Samuel Enderby and Sons purchased and used as a whaler under the name ''Atlantic''. In 1813, on her second whaling voyage, the frigate captured her off the Galapagos Islands. The Americans named her ''Essex Junior''. The British recaptured her on 28 March 1814 when they captured ''Essex''. They then sent ''Essex Junior'' to New York as a cartel. There the Americans seized her and sold her.

''Atlantic''

''Atlantic'' was a French prize that Samuel Enderby & Sons purchased for use as a whaler. She appears in the ''Register of Shipping'' in 1810 under the name ''Atalanta'', with O. Gwyer, master, Enderby, owner, and trade London–South Seas.''Register of Shipping'' (1810), Seq. №A1178.
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Captain Obed Wyer (or Gwyer, or Weir, or Wier) sailed from London on 12 April 1810 bound for Peru. ''Atlantic'' was reported to have been off the coast of Peru in September 1811 with 1000 barrels of sperm oil. On 17 May 1812 she left St Helena for home. She returned on 21 July 1812.British Southern Whale Fishery database – voyages: ''Atlantic''.
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Captain Wyer sailed again for the Galapagos on 6 October 1812. ''Essex'', Captain David Porter, captured her off the Galapagos Islands on 29 April 1813. Porter took ''Atlantic'' to use as a tender, named her ''Essex Junior'', and placed her under the command of Commander John Downes.

''Atlantic'' was already pierced for 20 guns though only mounting six, so Porter augmented her existing armament with 6-pounder guns and additional 18-pounder carronades. He also put on board a crew of 60 officers and men.

Encounter with the Royal Navy

After cruising in the waters off the western coast of South America ''Essex Junior'' accompanied ''Essex'' to the island of Nuka Hiva in the Marquesas Group where repairs were made. ''Essex Junior'' returned with Porter in ''Essex'', leaving on 12 December and reaching the coast of Chile on 12 January 1814.

On 8 February 1814 and arrived at Valparaíso, a neutral port, where ''Essex'' and her prizes were anchored. Having trapped ''Essex'' in the harbour, the British waited six weeks for her to come out and thwarted all her efforts to escape. Eventually, on 28 March, Porter attempted to break out of the harbour. A squall took off his main topmast and he attempted to return to harbour but ''Phoebe'' and ''Cherub'' drove ''Essex'' into a nearby bay and defeated her in a short engagement. ''Phoebe'' and ''Cherub'' also captured ''Essex Junior''.

In the engagement, ''Phoebe'' had four men killed, including her first lieutenant, and seven men wounded. ''Cherub'' had one killed and three wounded, including her captain. The British reported that ''Essex'' had 24 killed and 45 wounded, though the Americans reported higher casualties. Lieutenant Pearson of ''Phoebe'' commanded the prize crew that sailed ''Essex'' back to Britain, where he was promoted to Commander.

Her captors used ''Essex Junior'' as a cartel to transport their prisoners of war to New York. Just outside New York, a British warship detained them overnight. Porter took the view that the detention abrogated the cartel he had signed with Hillyer of ''Phoebe'', and contrived to escape on shore. The British released ''Essex Junior'', and she sailed into harbour, past various forts that mistook her for an enemy ship and fired on her, without effect.

When she arrived at New York in July 1814, the marshal of the district seized her. She was condemned, and sold for US$25,000 on 26 August.

Notes, citations, and references

Notes

Citations

References

*Benton, Thomas Hart (1873) ''Thirty years' view: or, A history of the working of the American government for thirty years, from 1820 to 1850. Chiefly taken from the Congress debates, the private papers of General Jackson, and the speeches of ex-Senator Benton, with his actual view of the men and affairs; with historical notes and illustrations, and some notices of eminent deceased contemporaries, Volume 2''. (D. Appleton and company).
*Robotti, Francis Diane, and James Vescovi (1999) '"The USS Essex: and the birth of the American Navy'' (Adams Media Corp.).
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Essex Junior
Sloops of the United States Navy
War of 1812 ships of the United States
Vessels captured from the United States Navy
Vessels captured by the United States Navy
1810s ships
Whaling ships