USS United States vs HMS Macedonian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids USS United States vs HMS Macedonian
Part of the War of 1812
Naval Battle Between the United States & The Macedonian on Oct. 25, 1812, by Thomas Birch, 1813
Date 25 October 1812 Location Atlantic Ocean Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Stephen Decatur	John Surman Carden
Strength
1 44-gun heavy frigate 428 marines and sailors	1 38-gun frigate 301 marines and sailors
Casualties and losses
7 killed 5 wounded	43 killed 71 wounded 1 frigate captured

On October 25, 1812, a big naval battle happened near the Madeira Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It was between the American ship USS United States, led by Captain Stephen Decatur, and the British ship HMS Macedonian, led by Captain John Surman Carden. The American ship won this important battle. The Macedonian was captured and brought back to the United States. This was the first time a British warship was ever brought into an American port.

The War of 1812 Begins

The United States declared war on the United Kingdom on June 18, 1812. The American ship USS United States joined a group of ships in New York City. This group included the frigate Congress and the brig Argus. They sailed along the east coast until the end of August. On October 8, 1812, the group sailed again, this time from Boston. A few days later, the United States left the group to sail eastward on its own.

Meet the Warships

From Roosevelt's Naval War of 1812, the paths of United States and Macedonian, 25 October 1812

The USS United States was one of the first six frigates built for the United States Navy. It was finished in 1797. This ship was a "heavy frigate." This meant it was designed to be strong enough to beat any French or British frigate. It was also fast enough to escape from bigger ships called ships of the line. The United States had 44 guns. Its main weapons were thirty-two 24-pounder cannons. These were on the main gun deck. This ship had fought before in the Quasi-War from 1798 to 1800.

The HMS Macedonian was a Lively-class frigate from the British Royal Navy. This ship design was very successful and had been used since 1804. The Macedonian was the eleventh ship of its kind. It was launched in 1810, just two years before this battle. It officially had 38 guns. Its main weapons were twenty-eight 18-pounder cannons. The Macedonian had not been in a battle before.

Comparing the Ships

Even though the Macedonian was larger than older frigates, it was still smaller than the United States. The American ship was much more heavily armed. The United States could fire a total of 864 pounds of cannonballs at once. The British ship could only fire 528 pounds. The 24-pounder guns on the United States could also shoot farther. The United States was also bigger and stronger. It weighed 1576 tons, while the Macedonian weighed 1082 tons. The United States also had a larger crew.

How the Ships Compared (Using English measurements for both ships)

The Battle Begins

At dawn on October 25, 1812, lookouts on the United States saw a ship far away. This was about 500 miles south of the Azores islands. As the ship came closer, Captain Decatur recognized it as the British ship Macedonian. The Macedonian was on its way to its station in the West Indies.

Both ships quickly got ready for battle. At 9:00 AM, they started moving to get into position. Captain Carden of the Macedonian decided not to try to cross in front of the United States. Crossing in front would allow him to fire along the length of the American ship (called raking fire). Instead, he sailed closer to the wind, parallel to the American ship. Captain Decatur planned to fight the Macedonian from a distance. This way, his 24-pounder guns would have an advantage over the British 18-pounders. Then, he would move in closer to finish the fight.

The Fight at Sea

The battle happened just as Captain Decatur planned. The United States fired its first broadside (all guns on one side firing at once) at 9:20 AM. It didn't hit much, but the British ship fired back right away. The Macedonian's shot hit a small mast on the United States.

Decatur's next broadside was much better. It destroyed the Macedonian's mizzen top mast. This caused its driver gaff (a part of the sail) to fall. This gave the American ship the advantage in moving around. The United States then moved behind the Macedonian and kept hitting it with cannonballs. The American ship called out, asking the Macedonian its name and if it surrendered.

By noon, the Macedonian was badly damaged. Its masts were broken, and it was just a floating wreck. When the United States came closer to fire another broadside, Captain Carden had to surrender. The Macedonian had been hit by over 100 cannonballs. More than 100 of its crew were killed or wounded. This was about one-third of its crew. The United States only had 12 casualties. Because the United States' guns could shoot farther, it fired 70 broadsides. The Macedonian only fired 30. The American ship was not badly damaged at all.

After the Battle

The two ships stayed together for more than two weeks. During this time, the Macedonian was repaired enough to sail. The United States and its captured prize arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, on December 4. There was huge celebration across the country for this amazing victory. Captain Decatur and his crew were treated like heroes. They received special praise from both Congress and President James Madison. The United States Navy bought the Macedonian. It was renamed USS Macedonian and had a long and honorable career under the American flag.

After repairs, the United States sailed from New York on May 24, 1813. It was with the new USS Macedonian and the sloop Hornet. On June 1, these three ships were forced into New London, Connecticut. This was because two British ships, the 74-gun HMS Valiant and the 40-gun frigate HMS Acasta, blocked them. The United States and Macedonian were stuck there until the war ended.

However, Captain Decatur moved to a different ship, the frigate President, in the spring of 1814. He took the officers and crew of the United States with him. The Hornet managed to escape the blockade on November 14, 1814. But Decatur and the President were not as lucky. They were captured by the British on January 14, 1815.