CAPTAIN THOMAS BOYLE
Upon the declaration of war with England in 1812 Americans naturally
inaugurated at once a vigorous privateering campaign.
War was declared on June 18th, and by the end of the month two
privateers had put out from Salem, and a dozen more were almost ready
for sea; while New York had sent out, by the middle of October,
twenty-six vessels, mounting some three hundred guns, and manned by more
than two thousand men.
On July 10th occurred a curious episode, quite impossible in these days,
when the earth is tied up in every direction with telegraph cables. The
British man-of-war schooner _Whiting_ was lying in Hampton Roads; her
commander, Lieutenant Maxey, ignorant of the declaration of war, was in
his boat, going on shore, when the American privateer _Dash_, Captain
Carroway, arrived upon the scene. Carroway, better informed, seized the
English commander and his boat, and, running alongside the _Whiting_,
called upon the officer in charge to surrender--which he did.
The American Government, however, in view of the English captain's
ignorance of the commencement of hostilities, ordered the _Whiting_ to
be returned. A similar incident is said to have occurred in the case of
the _Bloodhound_, an English sloop of 12 guns, captured by the 8-gun
privateer schooner _Cora_. Neither of these events is chronicled by
British naval historians.
One of the most daring and skilful privateer captains during this war
was Thomas Boyle. His first command was the _Comet_, a staunch,
fast-sailing schooner, and he lost no time in getting to work, starting
upon his first cruise in July 1812, within a month of the declaration of
war.
Returning in November, after capturing several vessels, he refitted his
craft and prepared to set forth again. There was more difficulty,
however, in getting out upon this occasion, as the English had a strong
squadron blockading Chesapeake Bay.
Waiting for a dark, squally night, Boyle made his venture on December
23rd, and all went well until near daybreak, when he suddenly found
himself under the guns of a frigate, which let drive a broadside at him.
The _Comet_ sustained but little damage, however, and got clear away,
heading for the coast of Brazil, where Boyle learned that some English
vessels were about to sail from Pernambuco.
This information proved to be correct, and on January 14th they were
discovered, standing out to sea--three brigs and a ship--_i.e._ a larger
vessel full-rigged. Boyle was prepared to find the merchant vessels
armed, but did not reckon upon a very obstinate resistance from them. He
stood out to sea, so as to be able easily to get between the English
vessels and the coast; and about three o'clock he put his helm up and
gave chase. The fast schooner soon neared the other ships; and then
Boyle discovered that he was in for a more exciting adventure than he
had anticipated, for one of the brigs was obviously a man-of-war, of
formidable strength, though he had been informed that there were no
British war-vessels in the neighbourhood.
However, he put a bold face on, cleared for action, and steered for the
cruiser, hoisting his colours as he came abreast of her. She replied
with Portuguese colours, and hailed that she would send a boat on board.
Boyle, distrustful, but wishing to ascertain the real nationality of the
stranger, hove to and awaited her boat; for he did not see what a
Portuguese man-of-war had to do with convoying British vessels. Well,
nobody else can see it, either; but she turned out to be a genuine
Portuguese, and the officer gave Boyle a great idea of her force,
telling him that the merchantmen were under his charge, and must not be
molested.
Boyle, producing his commission from the American Government, replied:
"This is an American cruiser, here are my papers, and I am going to take
these English vessels if I can. I don't recognise your right to
interfere, and I shall fire upon you if you do."
To this plain statement of the case the Portuguese officer replied that
his ship had orders to protect the merchantmen, and that he would be
very sorry if anything disagreeable occurred.
"Oh, so shall I," said Boyle; "very sorry; but if you oppose me, I shall
fire into you."
The Portuguese officer returned to report to his captain, promising to
come back presently. This, however, he did not do. It was by this time
quite dark, and Boyle, hailing to know when he might expect the boat,
was asked to send his boat; but he did not quite like this plan--indeed,
it was highly suspicious; so he replied that he did not care about
sending his boat away in the dark.
"And now I'm going to take those English vessels."
Accordingly, he "let draw" his sails, and was soon among them, hailing
the ship to heave-to as he romped past her, having great way on the
schooner. Finding no attention paid to his demand, he tacked and came
alongside the ship, and opened fire upon her and one of the brigs--the
man-of-war being close on his heels, and speedily joining in the fray.
All five vessels, under a press of sail, were now running together in a
ruck, the _Comet_, from her superior sailing qualities, being compelled
to tack and manoeuvre to maintain her position. There was a bright
moon, but presently the smoke from the guns accumulated in a great
cloud, obscuring the view, so it was difficult to tell one vessel from
another. This was quite an agreeable arrangement for Captain Boyle, as
he could make no mistake, while the others were in constant dread of
hitting a friend--and probably did so occasionally.
This running fight lasted until nearly midnight. The Portuguese fired
away whenever he could do so without risk of hitting his convoy, but
made wretched practice, while Boyle took but little notice of him,
sticking to his prey tenaciously, until the ship and one brig
surrendered, much cut up; but the _Comet's_ boat, going to take
possession, was struck by a broadside from the Portuguese, and returned,
almost sinking. Then the privateer and the man-of-war had a set-to
alone, the latter eventually sheering off, but hovering near, evidently
watching for a chance.
Boyle, however, managed to send a prize crew on board the brig. The
captain of the ship hailed that he was severely damaged, almost sinking,
and his rigging cut to pieces; but he would endeavour to follow, as
ordered, if he could get his ship under command.
Standing by his prize until daybreak, Boyle saw the war-brig again
bearing down upon him; he immediately tacked and went to meet her. But
the Portuguese had apparently had enough of it; she managed to take the
ship and one brig with her into Pernambuco, the two merchantmen in an
almost sinking condition, masts tottering, sails cut to pieces, leaving
Boyle with his one prize--a rich one. It was altogether an extraordinary
affair, for the _Comet_ only carried 14 guns and about 120 men; and the
Portuguese brig, seen afterwards by some Americans at Lisbon, was found
to be a very formidable vessel, heavily armed. Why she was convoying
British vessels, Portugal not being at war with America, does not appear
to have been explained. Her name is not given.
This incident affords a good indication of the character of Thomas
Boyle; he found the _Comet_ so superior in speed, as a rule, to any
vessel, small or great, which he encountered that he used sometimes to
sail round a ship of superior force, just out of range of her
guns--thereby vastly amusing himself and his crew, and greatly annoying
the other man. By pursuing these tactics upon one occasion, he secured
the retreat of a prize, keeping a British man-of-war brig engaged in
trying to catch him, while the prize got safely away.
The _Comet_ made seven-and-twenty prizes; and Captain Boyle was then
placed in command of the _Chasseur_, a more formidable vessel, mounting
sixteen long 12-pounders. She is said to have been one of the fastest
and most beautiful vessels afloat, and in her Boyle had a most
successful career. The last and most important action he fought was with
the British man-of-war schooner _St. Lawrence_, of 13 guns--an
American-built vessel, formerly the _Atlas_, privateer, and captured by
the British in July 1813.
This was on February 26th, 1815, off the coast of Cuba, when Boyle,
about 11 a.m., gave chase to a schooner apparently running before the
wind. She was discovered to be a man-of-war, with a convoy, just visible
from aloft, as was imagined, in company. The _Chasseur_ gained, though
not very fast, and the stranger presently hauled nearer to the wind,
apparently anxious to escape. At 12.30 Boyle showed his colours and
fired a gun, but the other made no sign, continuing her efforts to
escape, and losing her foretopmast through the press of sail she
carried. The _Chasseur_ now came up rapidly, and at one o'clock the
chase fired a gun and hoisted English colours.
Watching her narrowly, Boyle made out only three gun-ports on one side,
and there appeared to be very few people on deck. So he cracked on his
canvas, anxious to get alongside and make short work of her; and, not
anticipating serious fighting, made no great preparations for action.
When, however, he ran up within pistol-shot, about half-past one, a
sudden change came over the English vessel--port-covers were triced up,
showing her full armament, with a crowd of men at quarters, who gave
three cheers and promptly put in a broadside. Boyle had been caught
napping for once.
He and his men did not take long, however, to recover themselves. The
_Chasseur_ at this time had only 14 guns on board, according to American
accounts, having sacrificed some on a former occasion in escaping from a
British frigate. She is put down in Sir W. Laird Clowes's "Royal Navy"
as carrying 24 guns. This, however, is an error.
However this may be, Boyle got to work, hammer and tongs; came to close
quarters, ran his foe aboard, and, in a quarter of an hour from the
first shot, the Englishman surrendered!
The equality of the two vessels, or rather, to be precise, the slight
preponderance of force in the _Chasseur's_ favour, is dwelt upon in
detail by Mr. Maclay (page 296). "Here," he says, "we have an admirable
opportunity to compare the relative merits of American and British
man-of-warsmen; for the _St. Lawrence_, being built and equipped by
Americans, deprives our friends, the English, of their oft-repeated cry
that our vessels were better built, etc. The _Chasseur_ carried 14 guns
and 102 men as opposed to the _St. Lawrence's_ 13 guns and 76 men. Both
vessels were schooners."
In view of the categorical statement which ends this paragraph, Mr.
Maclay would have done well to take into consideration the illustration
of the action which appears opposite page 298, a replica of that in Mr.
Coggleshall's book, in which the American vessel is clearly a brig. One
does not, of course, place much reliance upon details in illustrations
of this class, as proving or disproving important statements, and the
draftsman has represented the British schooner "all on end" aloft,
whereas she had lost her foretopmast before the action commenced. But
what says Mr. Coggleshall? "The _Chasseur_ was a fine, large brig" (page
367); and he was a seaman, so he took care that his illustration should
be technically correct and in agreement with the text, with regard, at
least, to the rig of the vessels.
This discrepancy naturally arouses some suspicion as to other details,
and a perusal of the minutes of the court-martial upon Lieutenant James
Edward (_not_ Henry Cranmer) Gordon,[16] held at Bermuda, April 21st,
1815, throws considerable light upon the matter.
Lieutenant Gordon describes the _Chasseur_ as a large brig, registering
upwards of 400 tons, British measurement, and much superior to our
18-gun brigs. Making every allowance for unconscious exaggeration on the
part of an officer upon his defence, this description accords with that
of the American seaman, Coggleshall. Gordon further states that he had
on board 52 seamen and officers, 6 passengers, and 6 boys, total 64,
which was 12 short of his complement. Compare Captain Boyle's statement,
in his letter to one of the owners, that the _St. Lawrence_ had on board
"a number of soldiers, marines, and some gentlemen of the navy,
passengers"; in another place "eighty-nine men, beside several boys."
The crew of the _Chasseur_, according to the evidence of some officers
of the _St. Lawrence_, admitted in conversation that they had 119 on
board, though some were away in prizes.
The officers of the _St. Lawrence_, on their oath, state that there were
48 men at quarters, and that the long 9-pounder was not in action, _as
they had not the men to man it_.
There is no mention, either in Gordon's letter or the evidence, of any
attempt to disguise the force of the schooner. She had no convoy with
her, and simply tried to get away on account of the important
despatches, which were weighted and thrown overboard before surrender.
Gordon and his officers were honourably acquitted, the court being
satisfied that they had done their best against heavy odds, handicapped
as they were by the loss of the foretopmast. The duration of the action
is stated as half an hour, or more, by the schooner's officers; this,
however, is not of very much importance.
Captain Boyle was, no doubt, a very brave man and a fine seaman, and the
capture of a regular British war-vessel was a great feather in his cap;
but it is really no very extraordinary feat for a large brig to take a
schooner, fighting two guns less, and with a crew, including boys, in a
minority of about forty--accepting the American statement as to the
_Chasseur's_ crew--and partially crippled aloft.
Captain Boyle, rendered more and more bold and enterprising by success,
sent a "Proclamation of Blockade" of the British coast to be posted in
Lloyd's Coffee House. This was a joke, said to be in imitation of the
farcical "paper" blockades of the American coasts issued by British
admirals, when they had not the ships present to enforce it. The British
blockade, however, was no farce as a whole, as American writers testify.
[Footnote 16: Mr. Maclay is not, however, responsible for this error, as
Gordon is so named by Sir W. Laird Clowes, vol vi., p. 155. The mistake
does not recur in the list of British losses, p. 555, the name being
given as James Edward Gordon, as in the official report of the
court-martial.]