USS Troup (1812)
 Rossie capturing Princess Amelia, 1812 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom
| |
| Name: | Princess Amelia |
| Namesake: | Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom |
| Fate: | Captured September 1812 |
 United States
| |
| Name: | USS Georgia |
| Namesake: | Congressman George Troup of Georgia |
| Acquired: | By purchase of a prize |
| Renamed: | USS Troup |
| Fate: | Sold, 1815 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Brig |
| Tons burthen: | 179 (bm) |
| Sail plan: | Brig |
| Complement: | 28 (British service) |
| Armament: |
|
The USS Troup was the British Post Office Packet Service packet Princess Amelia, which Joshua Barney in the American privateer Rossie captured at the start of the War of 1812. After a short but intense fight, Princess Amelia struck on 16 September 1812.
As a packet, Princess Amelia sailed from Falmouth on several voyages to Jamaica and to the Mediterranean. For instance, she arrived in Falmouth on 2 July 1811, having sailed from Jamaica in April. In August 1812 she left Bridgetown, Barbados,[2] for St. Thomas. From there she sailed for England. It was on this voyage back to Falmouth that she encountered Rossie.
Rossie was armed with ten 12-pounder guns and one long 9-pounder on a pivot, and had a crew of 95; Princess Amelia was armed with four 6-pounders and two 9-pounders, and had a crew of 27 or 28. Princess Amelia had to strike after she had lost three men killed, including her captain, Isaac Moorsom, and her sailing master, John Nankevell, and 11 men wounded.[3] (Some of the wounded may have died later as a report on her arrival in Savannah gives her casualties as six dead and six or seven wounded.) American casualties were seven men wounded, one of them, the first lieutenant, severely.[4][Note 1]
Rossie sent her prize into Savannah, Georgia.[Note 2] There the United States Navy bought her and named her Georgia. The Navy then changed her name to Troup, naming her after Congressman George Troup of Georgia who had written to Secretary Hamilton urging her purchase.[6]
The US Navy used Troup as a guard and receiving ship at Savannah for the remainder of the War of 1812, under the command of a Captain Walpole. She was sold at Savannah in 1815.
Footnotes
- Notes
- ↑ The merchant ship Hibernia apparently repatriated the mate and crew of Princess Amelia.
- ↑ After Barney left her to join the US Navy, Rossie became a letter of marque. The Royal Navy captured her on 6 January 1813 in the Basque roads. She was carrying coffee from Baltimore to Bordeaux.[5]
- Citations
- ↑ Silverstone (2001), p.54.
- ↑ Essquebo & Demarary Royal Gazette, No. 534, 5 December 1812.
- ↑ History (1895), pp. 225-6.
- ↑ Brannen (1823), p.66.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 16715. p. 628. 27 March 1813.
- ↑ Dudley (1985), pp.617.
References
- Brannen, John, ed. (1823) Official letters of the military and naval officers of the United States, during the war with Great Britain in the years 1812, 13, 14, & 15: with some additional letters and documents elucidating the history of that period. (1823) (Printed by Way & Gideon).
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- History of the post-office packet service between the years 1793-1815 (1895). (Macmillan and Co.).
- Dudley, William S. ed. (1985) The Naval War of 1812: a documentary history. (U.S. Naval Historical Center; Government Printing Office).
- Silverstone, Paul H. (2001) The Sailing Navy, 1775-1854. (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press) ISBN 1- 55750-893-3