Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-12-06
From the Boston Chronicle
NATIONAL SHIP LOST.

From the Boston Chronicle
NATIONAL SHIP LOST.
Our navy, as at present organized, dates from
the year 1874. and it is perhaps not little Gu
rous that one of its first prizes should have been
the first vessel lost without any one being able
to tell how she was lost In 1899 the frioate
Constellation, then under command of Captain
Iruxton, captured the French fYigate rInsur-
eente, after very gallant action. This was
during what was called the quasi war with
France, caused by the depredatieea that were
made upon our commerce by the cruisers Of that
country which we very properly resenM, THE
prize was taken into the navy, and was first COM
manded by Capt. Murry, who was succeeded by
Capt. Fletcher The latter officer sailed olta
cruise in july l80O with sort of rowing COM
mission. Some letters were received by persons
on board of her. sent in by vessels that she spoke
but, though she was to have been absent only
eight weeks, nothing has ever been seen of her
for almost five and fifty years. The Pickerin,
Capt Hillar, IA gun vessel, which sailed a
month later than the Insurgente for the West
Indies, was never heard from again. The Sara
toga of IL guns, was lost in the same way in
1907.
One OF the finest vessels that ever sailed from
this country was the sloop of war Wasp, which
lett Portsmouth, n H., in 1914, under the COM
mand of Capt Blakely. On the Oath of June
she captured and destroyed the British slooo of
was Reindeer, and on the first of September the
Avon, a vessel of the same class. One of her
prizes was taken on the 2lst September and sent
to America, under command of Mr.. Geisger,
and no direct intelligence was ever afterwards
received of her. She was spoken by Swedish
brig on the Sth of October, out of which she
took two American officers who had belonged to
the frigate Essex, and were passengers in the
Swede from Rio de Janero. This was the last
time that she was seen and known. Various
stories as to her fate were current far years.
Mr. Cooper says -
F" There is only one rumor in reference to this
ship that has any appearance of probability.
1t is said that two English frigates chased an
American sloop-of-war, off the southern coast,
about the tilhesthe Wasp ought to have arrived,
and that the three ships werc struck with
heavy squall, in which thesloop of-war suddenly
disappeared. -..s-..e
The Wasp was uncommonly well manned and
offcered, and her loss was a severe one to the
navy Capt. Blakely was an admirable COM
mander, and the gentlemen under him were Of
high merit. Two of the Lieutenants, Mr.. Reilly
and Mr.. Baury, had taken part in the capture
of the Guerriere and Java, and another. Mr..
Iillinghast, was an officer on board the Enter
prise when she took the Boxer.
The Epervier brig, eighteen guns, sailed from
the Mediterranean for ahe United States in 1915.
and was never heard from after,she passed the
straits of Giberalter. She had been taken from
the English, in 1874, by the Peacock, Captain
Warrington. We believe that at the time of
her loss she was commanded by one of the Shu-
bricks, an historical name in our navy.
The most remarkable instance of the loss of q
national ship, since the close of the last war with
} England, was that of the Hornet, which is sup
: posed to have foundered in 4" norther," in the
f Gulf of Mexico, about quarter of a century
0 ago Nothing was heard of her, if we remem-
= ber, after she left Tampico, some time in the
0 year 1880. The Hornet was one of the lucky
/ ships" of the navy, and great favorite both
t with the service and with the country, and was
e distinguished for the part which she took in the
d war of 1915, capturing everything with which
i, she fought escaping from superior vessels. In
# 1913, when commanded by Capt. Lawrence, she
It took the British brig Peacock, after short but
It very warm action of fifteen minutes, the Pea
e cock being sunk Attached to Commodore De-
e caturs squadron, a few months later, shA was
6 compelled to take refuge in New London when
d that squadron fell in with a greatly superior
e British force where she was blockadsd FOR lorz
y period. Escaping from New London she sgaif
J, went to sea in January 1915, Ger command o.
d Capt Biddle. On the 22d of Mavh she enga
l. ged and captured the Perguin, d British vessel
t, of about her own size and with picked crew
n Subsequently she was chased for two or thre
days by British seventy-four, and narrow
1t escaped heing captured.
s. The recent losses of the Albany and the POI
OF poise have revived the interest that used to b
IN felt in the losses that we have mentioned above
n Is will be seen that it is no new thing in ou
d. navy for vessels to disappear, leaving no trac
rs of their fate, and the same remark applies I
to all navies.
ng This list embraces only those which have neve
ly been heard of after leaving port. There hay
M been numerous other losses of national shiI
M among which were the capsizing of the Some
me in squall, the burning of the steamer Missi
ee sppi, the destruction of the Fulton by explosion
ii. &c. Tho sharp build, the weight of metal, an
cts the open ports of ships of war probably expo
rse them to more causalties than merchant vessel
IT'S Notwithstanding they are much more Efficient
ay and numerously manned.
ire The Boston Bee says a wedding took place
rm week or two since, in East Boston, between
L. of ,ko haJ kaan -