HMS Severn (1813) facts for kids
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Ship's plan for Severn
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Severn |
| Ordered | 4 May 1812 |
| Builder | Wigram, Wells & Green, Blackwall Yard |
| Laid down | January 1813 |
| Launched | 14 June 1813 |
| Completed | 11 September 1813 |
| Honours and awards |
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Algiers" |
| Fate | Sold for breaking up, 20 July 1825 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Endymion-class frigate (revived) |
| Tons burthen | 1,25487⁄94 bm (as designed) |
| Length | 159 ft 2+5⁄8 in (48.530 m) (gundeck); 132 ft 2 in (40.28 m) (keel) |
| Beam | 41 ft 3 in (12.57 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) unladen; 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m) (laden) |
| Depth of hold | 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Speed | 14.4 knots (26.7 km/h; 16.6 mph) |
| Complement | 300 (later 340) |
| Armament |
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HMS Severn was a powerful frigate of the British Royal Navy. She was launched in 1813. Severn was one of five large frigates built to match the strong American ships of that time. Because there wasn't enough oak wood, she was built using "fir" (which was actually pine). This meant she wouldn't last as long as other ships. Even so, Severn served well, especially during the attack on Algiers in 1816. She was eventually taken apart in 1825.
Contents
Building the Severn
Severn was first ordered as a 38-gun frigate and was supposed to be named Tagus. She was designed to carry two more guns at the front compared to her original design. On January 7, 1813, before she was even launched, Tagus was renamed Severn.
The War of 1812
Severn began her service under Captain Joseph Nourse. She sailed in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Saving a Convoy
On January 18, 1814, Severn was protecting a group of merchant ships (a convoy) traveling from England to Bermuda. She met two French frigates, Sultane and Étoile. Severn bravely drew the French ships away from the convoy, saving all the merchant vessels. After a long chase, the French frigates gave up and sailed away.
Capturing Enemy Ships
Later that year, on May 1, Severn captured an American privateer schooner named Yankee Lass. This schooner had nine guns and a crew of 80 men. She had been at sea for 20 days but hadn't captured any ships. At the time, Severn was sailing with another British ship, HMS Surprise.
Severn also helped capture several American schooners. These included William, Eliza, Union, Emmeline, and Little Tom.
The Chesapeake Bay Campaign
In the late summer and autumn of 1814, Severn played a big role in the War of 1812. She was stationed in Chesapeake Bay to block the Patuxent River. This area was important because the British launched their invasion of Maryland from here. This invasion led to the Battle of Bladensburg and later the burning of Washington D.C..
On July 2, Severn and another ship, HMS Loire, captured two schooners, two gun-boats, and a sloop. They also destroyed a large amount of tobacco.
On August 20, Severn, along with HMS Hebrus and HMS Manly, sailed up the Patuxent River. Admiral Alexander Cochrane and his force of marines and sailors entered Washington on the night of August 24. The British then burned important buildings like the White House, the Treasury, and the War Office. They left the next day and returned to the Patuxent River.
Attack on Baltimore
The design of Severn and her sister ships meant they were too deep to sail into Baltimore's harbor. So, her sailors had to use ropes and anchors to pull rafts carrying small cannons and rocket launchers seven miles up the river to Fort McHenry. During the attack on Baltimore, Admiral Sir George Cockburn commanded from Severn. Even though the navy helped with the land attack and suffered some losses, Severn herself did not lose any crew members.
More Captures
Between October 1, 1814, and March 25, 1815, Severn captured many American merchant ships. Some of these were also armed vessels. These included schooners like Speedwell, Nonsuch, and Amelia, and larger ships like May Flower, Anna Marie, and Necessity.
On December 20, Severn also captured the American schooner Banyer. This ship had four guns and a crew of 31 men.
Operations in Georgia
On January 10, 1815, Admiral Cockburn landed on Cumberland Island in Georgia. This was done to keep American forces busy there, so they couldn't join other American forces defending New Orleans. Severn was part of a large naval group during this operation.
Five days later, British forces attacked Fort Peter near the town of St. Marys. They took the fort without any losses. They then captured St. Marys after a small fight. The British seized two American gunboats and 12 merchant ships. This included a large ship called Countess of Harcourt, which an American privateer had captured earlier. The British left St. Marys after about a week and went back to Cumberland Island.
On February 26, 1815, Severn recaptured a merchant ship named Adventure. She sent it to Bermuda, earning money for saving the ship and its cargo.
Finally, on March 3, Severn destroyed the American privateer Ino. American reports say Ino got stuck outside Charleston on March 7. As her crew tried to free her, Severn arrived and sent her boats to board Ino. Inos crew, not knowing the war had ended on February 15, fired at the British boats. Inos crew then set their ship on fire and escaped in boats. A schooner from Charleston rescued most of them.
After the War
Severn was prepared for service abroad between February and July 1816. In February, the Hon. Frederick W. Aylmer became her new commander.
Bombardment of Algiers
Aylmer sailed Severn to Gibraltar. She then took part in the bombardment of Algiers on August 27. This was a major attack to stop piracy and the enslavement of Christians. British forces suffered many casualties, but the Algerians suffered even more. Severn herself had three men killed and 34 wounded.
Because of the attack, the ruler of Algiers agreed to stop enslaving Christians forever and to free all slaves in Algiers. The British also destroyed many Algerian ships. For his bravery, Captain Aylmer received an award from the King of Sicily. In 1847, surviving sailors from the battle received a special medal called the Naval General Service Medal with a clasp "Algiers".
Fighting Smugglers
After Algiers, Severn stayed in the Mediterranean for a while. From May 1817, Severn was used off the coasts of Kent and Sussex in England. Her job was to help the Royal Navy stop smuggling. She was commanded by Captain William McCulloch, who was known for being very tough on smugglers.
On August 6, 1817, she seized a boat carrying illegal foreign spirits. Three weeks later, she captured a boat named Mary with four smugglers and a lot of tea. On December 15, Severn seized another boat, Po, which was carrying illegal foreign spirits. On March 29, 1818, Severn seized Linot, also carrying illegal spirits, and captured two smugglers.
End of Service
In 1822, Severn was kept in reserve at Portsmouth. By 1824, she was at Deptford. She was put up for sale in June 1825 and was sold on July 20 for £3,610 to John Small Sedger, who broke her up for parts.
