EDITOR'S
CORRESPONDENCE.
Leonard town, Md
May 3.
On Wednesday last, a part of the
enemy's squadron, consisting of a 74 (perhaps the Dragon, captain Barrie,)[1]
and three large schooners ascended the Potomac as high aa Montalbino, the seat
of major Somerville.[2] Some barges endeavored to burn a vessel in Britain's
Bay but were repelled by the militia; they afterwards took possession of
Blackstone's and St. George's Islands, for the purpose of watering; on Sunday
another ship and brig came into the river, and at sun set last evening (Monday)
then were all under way standing towards the Chesapeake. About noon, yesterday, there was a severe
skirmish between the barges, with two privateer schooners, and the Westmoreland
militia near Pi[][]tone - the fire continued with great vivacity for at least
an hour, after which the boats retired - N.
Int. [3]
 |
| HMS Dragon (? labelled HMS Fame) off Endoume, Marseille |
24 July 1823
Jean Meissonnier, Voiliers de l'Époque romantique, Edita Lausanne, 1991, ISBN 2-88001-273-2, p.53
[1] HMS
Dragon was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on
2 April 1798 at Rotherhithe. In the British Royal Navy, a third rate was a ship
of the line which from the 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically
built with two gun decks (thus the related term two-decker). Years of
experience proved that the third rate ships embodied the best compromise
between sailing ability (speed, handling), firepower, and cost. So, while first
rates and second rates were both larger and more powerful, the third-rate ships
were in a real sense the optimal configuration. Sir Robert Barrie KCB, KCH (5
May 1774 – 7 June 1841) was a British officer of the Royal Navy noted for his
service in the War of 1812. Barrie took command of the 74-gun third rate HMS
Dragon in October 1812, and sailed to America during the War of 1812. He
participated in the blockade of Chesapeake Bay. He served as the commodore of
the squadron for several months, and captured over 85 vessels. His squadron
blockaded the Patuxent River between June and August. In September 1814. from
Wikipedia.
[2] William
Clarke Somerville was born in St. Mary's County, Maryland on March 25, 1790. At
different times in his life he owned: Mulberry Fields, which he inherited from
his father; Sotterley, which he won from his brother in law in a dice game; and
Stratford Hall, the birthplace of Robert E. Lee. He later renamed Mulberry
Fields to Montalbino. During the War of 1812 Somerville served in the 12th
Regiment of Maryland Militia, based in St. Mary's County, Maryland. from Wikipedia.
[3] Baltimore
Patriot & Evening Advertiser.; Date: 05-07-1814; Volume: 3; Issue: 108;
Page: [2]; Location: Baltimore, Maryland.
Transcribed by John Peter Thompson, May 7th, 2013.
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