~An Amalgam of Medical and Maritime History~

A medical student, an aspiring maritime historian, a man who always seems to find his passions in the most unorthodox of ways. I am all these things. Perhaps a bit of an overstatement, particularly the last part, however, my quest to find that which drives me has always led me down circuitous paths. Medicine and maritime history might seem a strange amalgam to some, however, the two are linked in the most extraordinary ways. Both have rich and multifaceted histories that are prime for exploration, discovery, and learning. I seek to learn about both; separately and together.

As a student of medicine, I am at once enthralled and inundated by the wealth of knowledge to be gained from such a course of study. Despite my passion for the subject, I have found that though we are more than sufficiently prepared for our roles as healers, we often times are left with little in the way of an historical perspective. How did we come to use the techniques and medications now endorsed by physicians, and what did it take to get to this point? These are questions that I seek to answer.

Though I have always been a history enthusiast, it was not until recently that I discovered my love of ships and the sea. I quickly gained a penchant for all things maritime. an historical subject that encompasses a broad range of topics from naval battles to the science of navigation. Recently, I came to find that surgeons at sea played an integral part in the orchestra of persons aboard a sailing vessel. They were to maintain the health of the sailors at all costs, despite the rudimentary tools and the unforgiving elements of wind and sea. This effectively bridges the topics, and provides a jumping point for my future knowledge and research.

Any feedback is welcome as I share what I have gained with you.
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Wasp vs. Frolic in the War of 1812 via www.navalhistory.org

Wasp vs. Frolic in the War of 1812 via www.navalhistory.org

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Wasp vs. Frolic — The Story

USS Wasp capturing the HMS Frolic
Image via Wikipedia

To give a little background to the picture I put up the other day from the Naval History Blog, I figured I would give some more details on just what the battle between the USS Wasp and the HMS Frolic was.

The Frolic had left the Gulf of Honduras on September 12, 1812 to convoy fourteen merchantmen to Britain.  A strong gale soon scattered the convoy and forced the Frolic to jury-rig a new main yard.  The Wasp had left the Delaware River on September 13, 1812, and cruised to the south in order to prey on British shipping to and from the West Indies.  Despite losing its jib boom in the same gale that scattered the Frolic’s convoy, crew spotted several unknown sail to leeward on September 17.  At dawn on September 18, the captain of the USS Wasp, Jacob Jones, gave chase to the brig identified amongst the merchantmen.

Though the gale had passed, there were still heavy seas forcing the crews to shorten sail.  Both vessels cleared for action.  The main weaponry on each vessel were short-range carronades, forcing the ships to come within 60 yards of each other before opening fire.  Because the Wasp was positioned to windward, it fired low into the hull of its adversary, whereas the Frolic was forced to fire into the opposing ship’s rigging because of its position to leeward.  This was a very uncommon tactic for a British ship as firing cannon into the hull of an opposing ship was a central tenet of the British strategy in naval encounters.  The ships got so close together at one point that the American gunners could supposedly strike the Frolic with their rammers as they reloaded.

After less than 30 minutes, both vessels were heavily damaged, however, the Frolic was much more so.  The British ship had suffered 90 casualties to the American ship’s 10.  The two ships collided, and a final broadside from the Wasp sealed the Frolic’s fate.  American gunnery had proved superior in this naval battle.

After the battle, both of the Frolic’s masts came down and the Wasp sent a prize crew to man the tattered vessel.  However, as fate would have it, a British ship-of-the-line, the HMS Poictiers, happened upon the scene and claimed both vessels.  Captain Jacob Jones of the USS Wasp was held captive for a short time but went on to command the USS Macedonian, captured from the British on October 25.  The Frolic was too badly damaged to be salvaged and was broken up in November of 1813, whereas the Wasp served for one year in the Royal Navy as HMS Peacock but was wrecked in 1814.

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adventures-of-the-blackgang: US Sloop of War Hornet sinking the HMS Peacock; War of 1812 “…At the same moment another sail appeared, and proved to be HMS Peacock approaching the port. Clearing for action, Hornet quickly closed the distance and hauled up her colors. Peacock hauled up hers and at 5:25 pm the ships opened fire with full broadsides at a range of less than 20 yards. Passing each other, Peacock quickly came about only to find Hornet had maneuvered to a position close aboard on her bow, firing broadside after broadside into the British ship which was in turn unable to respond by virtue of Hornet’s position. Peacock, severely damaged, hauled down her colors at 5:39, just 14 minutes after the first shots were fired.”

adventures-of-the-blackgang:

US Sloop of War Hornet sinking the HMS Peacock; War of 1812

“…At the same moment another sail appeared, and proved to be HMS Peacock approaching the port. Clearing for action, Hornet quickly closed the distance and hauled up her colors. Peacock hauled up hers and at 5:25 pm the ships opened fire with full broadsides at a range of less than 20 yards. Passing each other, Peacock quickly came about only to find Hornet had maneuvered to a position close aboard on her bow, firing broadside after broadside into the British ship which was in turn unable to respond by virtue of Hornet’s position. Peacock, severely damaged, hauled down her colors at 5:39, just 14 minutes after the first shots were fired.”