Capture of HMS Dominica facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Capture of HMS Dominica
Part of the War of 1812
Date 5 August 1813 Location off Bermuda, Atlantic Ocean Result United States victory
Belligerents
United States	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Dominique Diron	George Wilmot Barette   †
Strength
1 schooner	1 schooner
Casualties and losses
5 killed 15 wounded 1 schooner damaged	18 killed 70 captured (inc. 42 wounded 1 schooner captured
Dominica was escorting a merchant ship at the beginning of the battle.

The Capture of HMS Dominica was an important single-ship action (a battle between two ships) that happened on August 5, 1813. It took place near Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean during the War of 1812. An American privateer ship called Decatur fought a tough battle against the British Royal Navy warship Dominica. The fight ended with the American ship taking control of the British ship.

What Happened Before the Battle?

Meet the Ships and Their Crews

HMS Dominica was a type of sailing ship called a schooner. It was led by a young officer named Lieutenant George Wilmot Barette. The ship had a crew of 88 sailors. It was armed with twelve 12-pounder guns, two 6-pounder guns, one 4-pounder, and one large 32-pounder gun. The British ship was also protecting another ship, a packet ship called Princess Charlotte. A packet ship carried mail and passengers.

On the other side was the schooner Decatur. This ship was a privateer. A privateer was a private ship that was allowed by its government to attack enemy ships during wartime. The Decatur was commanded by Captain Dominique Diron. It had 103 officers and crew members. The Decatur was armed with one powerful 18-pounder "Long Tom" cannon and six 12-pounder guns.

The Ships Meet

Around 10:30 AM on August 5, 1813, the Decatur appeared on the horizon. Captain Diron was careful. None of the ships were flying their flags yet, so it was hard to tell who was who. For over an hour, the three ships sailed close to each other. Captain Diron tried to figure out if the other ships were friends or enemies. He also tried to get his ship into a good position.

At 12:30 PM, the Americans found out that the Dominica was a warship. Lieutenant Barette raised the British flag. He then tried to escape with the merchant ship.

The Battle Begins

Battle between the schooners, Dominica and the Decatur on 5 August 1813

Around 1:30 PM, the Dominica fired its first shot. It was trying to attack, but the shot missed. Even though the Dominica had more guns, Captain Diron decided to fight. The Americans quickly raised their flag and got ready for battle.

Captain Diron wanted to make sure his crew fought bravely. He ordered all the hatches (doors to below deck) to be closed. This meant no one could hide below. All the ammunition, water, and grappling hooks were brought up on deck. Diron planned to get very close to the Dominica without firing. Then, he would fire all his guns at once and have his crew shoot their muskets. After that, they would try to board the British ship.

Around 2:00 PM, the Decatur moved in for this plan. But the British fired their guns first, starting a deadly fight. The two schooners exchanged fire. Meanwhile, the merchant ship Princess Charlotte continued to escape.

A Close and Fierce Fight

The ships fought very close to each other. Captain Diron could even hear Lieutenant Barette shouting to his men. Barette was telling them to aim better and shoot at the Decatur's hull (the main body of the ship). The next shots from the British hit the Decaturs hull, making two big holes. These shots killed two American sailors and damaged the Decaturs sails and ropes.

This was the most damaging attack by the British. It stopped the Americans from trying to board the Dominica. The Decatur was temporarily unable to move well. Its crew had to quickly fix the damaged ropes. After repairs, the Americans fired back with their powerful Long Tom cannon. They started hitting the Dominica more often. Many cannonballs landed on the British ship's deck.

The British tried to get away, but the Decatur was a fast ship. It stayed right behind the Dominica.

A seven gun American privateer schooner during the War of 1812.

Boarding the Ship

The battle turned into a chase for a while. Neither ship could aim very well. Captain Diron tried to board the Dominica a second time, but the British stopped him. Lieutenant Barette made one last move to prevent the Americans from boarding. However, this move caused his ship to lose wind in its sails. This allowed the Decatur to catch up to the Dominica again.

Around 3:30 PM, Captain Diron ordered his crew to get ready to board the British ship. At the last moment, Diron moved his ship so that the front part of the Decatur (the bowsprit) was pointing right at the back of the Dominica (the stern). The two ships crashed into each other. The Decaturs jib boom (a pole at the front of the ship) went right through the Dominicas main sail.

This allowed the American sailors to climb onto the Dominica's deck. They quickly took control of the ship. They forced the British flag down, and the battle was over.

After the Battle

The Americans had five sailors killed and fifteen wounded. Lieutenant Barette, the British commander, was badly wounded. But he kept fighting with his sword until he died. In total, thirteen British Royal Navy sailors were killed in the battle. Forty-seven others were wounded, and five of those later died from their injuries.

Both the Dominica and the Decatur were heavily damaged. But the Decatur was able to bring the captured Dominica into Charleston, South Carolina, a few days later.

Captain Diron became a hero. He was one of the few privateer commanders to capture a Royal Navy warship during the war. Diron was already well-known, and taking the Dominica made him even more famous. The Americans also reported that Lieutenant Barette had defended his ship very bravely until his death. When the surviving British sailors were released after the war, they said that Captain Diron and his crew treated them well. The British never gave up during the battle; they were only defeated by force.

What Happened Next?

On May 22, 1814, another British ship, HMS Majestic, recaptured the Dominica.

Later, on June 5, 1814, another British ship, HMS Rhin, saw and chased the American privateer schooner Decatur. After an eleven-hour chase, the Rhin captured the Decatur near Cape Engaño. Captain Dominique Diron had sailed the Decatur from Charleston on March 30, but he hadn't captured any ships on that trip.

Images for kids

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  Battle between the schooners, Dominica and the Decatur on 5 August 1813

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  A seven gun American privateer schooner during the War of 1812.