Warships for South American Rebels: Shipbuilders Adam and Noah Brown Find a New Market for Frigates in South America
USS Peacock
Battle of Lake Champlain, September 1814 p. 18 images courtesy naval history and heritage command, us navy
D
uring the War of 1812 (1812– 1815), Adam and Noah Brown of New York were busy shipbuilders. From the onset of the war in June 1812 they built eight privateers, the sloop-of-war Peacock for the United States Navy, the squadron for Commodore Perry on Lake Erie, the fleet for Commodore Macdonough on Lake Champlain, and the Robert Fulton-designed steam frigate Demologos for the defense of New York Harbor. In the midst of this work they also managed to build a brig and a frigate on speculation in the hope the United States Navy would purchase the vessels. The brothers were perhaps encouraged to do this by the contract for Peacock and correspondence with the secretary of the navy. Peacock was laid down in early July 1813 before the contract with the Navy had actually been signed, and was launched on 19 September. While the vessel was under construction, the Browns exchanged correspondence through New York Naval Agent John Bullis with Secretary of the Navy William Jones about going to Sacketts Harbor on Lake Ontario and building three similar sloops of war there. The Browns replied that they would leave for Sacketts Harbor with four hundred men as soon as the contract was signed. This proposal did not materialize, but discussions with Bullis and correspondence with the secretary of the navy continued.
by James Brown
Oliver Hazard Perry
In December the Browns wrote to Jones asking to be given the contract to build naval vessels authorized by Congress. In January 1814 Secretary Jones asked the Browns if they could procure the timber for a 44-gun ship and if they were ready to build the vessel. Prior to this exchange, and acting in anticipation of getting a Navy contract for new construction, the Browns had laid down two vessels, a brig and a frigate, on speculation using their own funds. The brig was probably laid down during the winter of 1813–14 and was launched on 21 March 1814. The frigate had also likely been laid down late in 1813 and was probably launched during the spring of 1814. The Browns offered both vessels to the Navy in March 1814. The Navy had inspected the plans of both vessels while they were on Adam and Noah Brown built formidable vessels for the US Navy at their New York shipyard, but they also traveled far inland to build fleets from scratch at remote locations along the shores of Lake Erie for Oliver Hazard Perry, and Lake Champlain for Thomas Macdonough. The sloop-of-war USS Peacock, depicted here after she was rebuilt as an exploration ship, was built in less than three months at their New York shipyard in 1813. Their ability to build ships in the wilderness, from gunboats to frigates, helped give the Americans the edge in pivotal battles on the lakes in 1813 and 1814.
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SEA HISTORY 164, AUTUMN 2018