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Sinking of HMS Avon facts for kids

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USS Wasp vs HMS Avon
Part of the War of 1812
NavalMonument13 byAbelBowen 1838.png
Engraving of the battle by Abel Bowen
Date 1 September 1814
Location
Result United States victory
Belligerents
 United States  United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Johnston Blakely James Arbuthnot
Strength
1 sloop-of-war
173 crew:
U.S. Navy
U.S. Marines
1 brig-sloop
121 crew:
Royal Navy
Royal Marines
Casualties and losses
1 sloop-of-war slightly damaged,
3 wounded
1 brig-sloop sunk,
10 killed,
29 wounded


The Sinking of HMS Avon was a naval battle during the War of 1812. It happened on September 1, 1814. In this fight, the American warship USS Wasp defeated the British ship HMS Avon. The Americans couldn't capture the Avon because other British ships arrived. The Avon sank soon after the battle.

Before the Battle: USS Wasp's Journey

The American warship USS Wasp was a strong sloop-of-war. It had spent seven weeks in Lorient, France. During this time, the crew repaired the ship after a tough battle against HMS Reindeer. They also replaced sailors who were injured or lost.

On August 27, Wasp left the port. Almost immediately, it found itself in action. Early on September 1, the Wasp spotted a group of ten merchant ships. These ships were protected by a large warship called HMS Armada. The Wasp attacked many times. It managed to capture one ship that was full of iron, brass, and weapons.

Later that day, as evening came, the commander of Wasp, Johnston Blakely, saw four more ships. He decided to sail towards the closest one.

The Battle Begins: Wasp vs Avon

The ship Blakely approached was HMS Avon. This British ship was a brig-sloop. It had sixteen 32-pounder carronades and two 6-pounder long guns. The Wasp was more heavily armed. It carried twenty-two 32-pounder carronades, two 12-pounder chase guns, and a 12-pounder boat carronade.

As Wasp got closer to Avon, the two ships exchanged greetings and warning shots. The Americans told the British ship to stop. Blakely then moved his ship right next to Avon. He chose a position that made it hard for Avon to escape by sailing away with the wind.

Night Fight and American Accuracy

It was completely dark by this time. The wind was strong, and the sea was quite rough. Despite the conditions, the American gunners were very good. After only half an hour, the Avon was badly damaged. Part of its masts were broken, and one-third of its crew were injured or killed. Many of its guns were also knocked out of place.

In contrast, the Wasp suffered very little damage. The battle was fought so closely that one American sailor was hit by wadding from a British cannon. However, only four shots hit the hull of the Wasp, and only three American sailors were wounded in total.

Avon Surrenders and Sinks

About 45 minutes after the battle started, the Avon surrendered. As the crew of Wasp prepared to take control of the British ship, another ship appeared. Then two more ships were seen approaching. The Wasp quickly sailed away with the wind. Its crew worked to fix the ropes that had been shot away.

The closest British ship chasing Wasp was HMS Castilian. This ship got close enough to fire a shot at Wasp, but it missed. The Avon had been sending out distress signals, so the Castilian stopped its chase to help. The crew of the Avon was rescued, and the badly damaged ship sank soon after.

After the Battle: Wasp's Disappearance

After the battle, the Wasp continued to sail west of the English Channel. On September 21, it met a neutral Swedish merchant ship. On board were two officers from the American frigate USS Essex. That ship had been captured the year before off the coast of Chile. Some of the officers from the ships Wasp had captured earlier were put on the Swedish ship.

After the two ships went their separate ways, the Wasp was never seen again. It is believed to have been lost in a bad storm south of the Azores.

Impact of the Battle

The prisoners released from Wasp brought news of the battle back to Britain. They described how easily Wasp had defeated Avon. This led to calls in Britain for larger and better-armed ships to be built. However, they did not fully consider how much more effective the American gunnery had been in the battle.

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