HMS Levant

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Overview
Type Smooth decker with full ship rigging
Shipyard

William Courtney, Chester

Order November 18, 1812
Keel laying January 1813
Launch December 1813
1. Period of service flag
Decommissioning November 1815
Whereabouts Wrecked in 1820
Technical specifications
displacement

464 tons builder's measurement

length

116 feet

width

29 feet 10 inches

Draft

8 feet 6 inches

crew

135

Armament

22 guns (2 × 6 pounder cannons; 20 × 32 pounder carronades)

The HMS Levant was a British 22-gun ship that was built in Chester, England in 1813 . She was one of five warships of the Royal Navy that were captured or destroyed by the heavy frigate USS Constitution in the British-American War .

history

The Levant was built as one of sixteen Cyrus- class ships. The design by the surveyor William Rule was based on the lines of the French Bonne Citoyenne prize , but was significantly reduced in size. In terms of design, these vehicles were fully rigged smooth-deckers. They were classified as 6th rank ships until 1817, then as sloops. The launch of the Levant took place in December 1813. The armament of the ship is given in the literature differently with 20, 21 and 22 guns.

The first in command of the Levant was Alexander Jones, who was replaced by George Douglass on April 28, 1814. Under his command, the ship embarked on an extensive voyage that took it from England to Québec and from there to Gibraltar .

The Levant was attacked on February 20, 1815 together with the light frigate HMS Cyane 180 nautical miles northeast of Madeira by the USS Constitution . At this point the two ships were escorting two convoys. The Constitution was one of the three American "super frigates" which, due to their successes against ships of the Royal Navy, were not allowed to be attacked by obviously inferior units on the orders of the British Admiralty. However, the British wanted to prevent the destruction of the ships they were protecting and still fought. The Constitution had a decisive advantage due to the greater range of its 24 pounder cannons . Cyane and Levant had already been hit by a few volleys of the Constitution before they could even bring their own guns, Carronades of large caliber but short range, to bear. With a clever maneuver, the Constitution was also able to neutralize the at least theoretical 2: 1 advantage of the British ships and fire at the same time with the starboard and port batteries. The Levant was badly damaged and withdrew for repairs. When these were completed, she returned to the scene of the battle, but where Captain Douglass had to take note of the Cyane's surrender . Douglass faced the fight with the Americans with his ship, which was far inferior, but it was over after two broadsides of the Constitution . Six of the Levant's 115 men and 16 cabin boys were killed and thirteen wounded.

The Levant , like the Cyane before it , became an American pinch . After the most necessary repairs, the three ships set course for the Cape Verde Islands . There they were surprised on March 12th by the British large frigates Acasta , Leander and Newcastle . Constitution and Cyane were able to flee, the Levant was recaptured by the British.

The Americans were paid compensation for the Levant by the Portuguese government , as Portugal, as a neutral power , could not prevent the British attack on the Constitution and its prizes in their (then) waters.

In June 1815 officers and men from Cyane and Levant had to answer in Halifax on board the Akbar because of the loss of the ships. With the exception of three sailors who defected to the Americans, they were honorably acquitted of guilt for the defeat. From June 1815 the Levant was commanded by John Sheridan. In November of that year it was launched in Chatham and finally broken up in 1820.

Remarks

  1. ^ Rif Winfield: British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817. P. 238.
  2. ^ William James: Naval history of Great Britain. Vol. VI, p. 371.
  3. ^ Minutes of Action between the US Frigate Constitution and HM Ships Cyane and Levant. February 20, 1815.
  4. ^ Rif Winfield: British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817. P. 238: Information for the Cyrus class.
  5. ↑ The total crew number and number of wounded deviating from the target according to William James: Naval history of Great Britain. Vol. VI, p. 373.
  6. ^ William James: Naval history of Great Britain. Vol. VI, p. 376.
  7. ^ William James: Naval history of Great Britain. Vol. VI, p. 374.

literature

  • William James: The Naval History of Great Britain 1793-1827. Vol. VI, London 1837.
  • Rif Winfield: British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817. London 2005.
  • Tyrone G. Martin: A Most Fortunate Ship. A Narrative History Of Old Ironsides. Revised Edition USA 2003, pp. 185/186.
  • Colledge, JJ and Warlow, Ben: Ships of the Royal Navy . The complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy. Rev. ed., London, Chatham 2006, ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8 , OCLC 67375475.
  • Charles E. Brodine Jr., Michael J. Crawford, Christine F. Huges: Ironsides! The Ship, the Men and the Wars of the USS Constitution. USA 2007, p. 116.

Web links