Action of 9 November 1822
Encyclopedia
The Action of 9 November 1822 was a naval battle
fought between the American
schooner
and a squadron of three piratical schooner
s off the coast of Cuba
during the United States Navy
's West Indies Anti-Piracy Operation. Fifteen leagues
from Matanzas
, Cuba
, a large band of pirates captured several vessels and held them for ransom
. Upon hearing of the pirate attacks, the Alligator under Lieutenant
William Howard Allen
rushed to the scene to rescue the vessels and seize the pirates.
Upon arriving at the bay where the pirates were said to be, USS Alligator dispatched boats to engage the enemy vessels, as the water was too shallow for the American warship
to engage them herself. With Allen personally commanding one of the boats, the Americans assaulted the piratical schooner Revenge. Although the Americans were able to force the pirates into abandoning Revenge, the buccaneers managed to fight their way out of the bay and inflict heavy casualties among the Americans, including Allen. With their commander mortally wounded
, the Americans ceased pursuit of the pirates but managed to recover the vessels that had been held in the bay.
William Allen
, put in to Matanzas
, Cuba, intending to patrol the area as part of the United States Navy
's West Indian Anti-Piracy Campaign. Upon arriving at the port, Allen discovered two Americans attempting to raise $7,000 in order to pay a ransom to a band of pirates that had captured their vessels. If the ransom was not delivered, the pirates threatened to destroy the ships and rough up their crews. Learning from these men that the pirates were holed up some 15 leagues
away, Allen took the civilians aboard and decided to make an attempt at recovering their ship from the buccaneers.
The band of pirates was relatively large, consisting of around 125 men and three armed schooners. One schooner, Revenge, was an 80-ton vessel armed with five cannon
and 35 men; a second, 90-ton schooner had six guns and 30 men; a third vessel displaced 60-tons, was armed with three cannon and manned by 60 men. In addition to their armed vessels, the pirates also had in their possession five American prize
s. These were the ship rigged vessel William Henry from New York
, the brigs Iris and Sarah Morril from Boston
, and a pair of merchant schooners with one hailing from Rochester
and the other Salem
.
Allen's force of 100 was outnumbered by the pirates and also outgunned, with Alligator mounting only 12 six pounders compared to the pirates' 14 cannon. Despite being outnumbered, Alligator and her crew were experienced veterans, having taken the Portuguese
brig Marianna Flora the year before in a bloody action. Allen himself was also an experienced commander who had taken command of USS Argus during her engagement with HMS Pelican
in the War of 1812
. Though Alligator draft
was too deep to chase pirate craft inshore, if need be, she could send her cutter, gig
, and launch
out with boarding parties to engage the pirates.
were put into the boats, with Allen personally taking command of the launch, Lieutenant Dale the cutter, and Midshipman
Henley the gig. Revenge was already underway by the time it was sighted and attempted to escape the Americans despite the lack of wind, using its sweeps. After the American boats had rowed about 10 miles (16.1 km), the piratical schooner made an about-face and raised a red flag. Upon approaching the piratical schooner, the American craft were fired on with both grape and roundshot. The American boats returned fire with small arms and moved in to board the vessel. Rather than try to fight off the boarding attempt, the pirates abandoned Revenge while another schooner covered their escape. Alligator gig manned by Henley and four men was sent off to take Revenge as a prize.
Allen then set off with the other two boats in an attempt to seize the schooner which had helped Revenge crew escape. This second schooner maintained a heavy fire upon the advancing American boats, and Alligator cutter soon lagged behind as it had taken heavy casualties and had trouble manning its oars. Allen attempted to rally his men by standing up and waving them forward. In doing so Allen exposed himself and was struck by musket
fire, taking a round first in the head and then in the chest. With their commander mortally wounded and their crew taking heavy casualties, the American boats withdrew, thus allowing the second piratical schooner as well as a third that had not been engaged, to escape. The vessels the pirates had seized were left behind and recovered by the Americans after the action had ended.
Alligator left Matanzas on 18 November escorting her prizes back to the United States. The following day, she ran hard aground on a coral reef
in the Florida Keys
, which has since been named Alligator Reef
. Her crew failed to refloat the vessel, but managed to salvage her guns, papers, and other valuables. Fearing that she would be salvaged by pirates, they burnt her and she sank. Though it was previously thought that the location of the wreck was known, a 1996 expedition proved this false and Alligator exact final resting place remains unknown. Allen was regarded by the Navy as a hero for his efforts against the pirates and his name would be used as a rallying cry the following year when USS Galliniper and USS Mosquito engaged and defeated a band of pirates led by Diabolito
near the same area where the American lieutenant had been slain.
Naval battle
A naval battle is a battle fought using boats, ships or other waterborne vessels. Most naval battles have occurred at sea, but a few have taken place on lakes or rivers. The earliest recorded naval battle took place in 1210 BC near Cyprus...
fought between the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
and a squadron of three piratical schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
s off the coast of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
during the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
's West Indies Anti-Piracy Operation. Fifteen leagues
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
from Matanzas
Matanzas
Matanzas is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. It is famed for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore.It is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas , east of the capital Havana and west of the resort town of Varadero.Matanzas is called the...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, a large band of pirates captured several vessels and held them for ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
. Upon hearing of the pirate attacks, the Alligator under Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
William Howard Allen
William Howard Allen
William Howard Allen was a United States naval officer. He was born in Hudson, New York in 1790; appointed midshipman in 1808 and became a hero during the War of 1812 when he served aboard USS Argus. Later he commanded the Alligator, which was sent to the West Indies to destroy pirates as part of...
rushed to the scene to rescue the vessels and seize the pirates.
Upon arriving at the bay where the pirates were said to be, USS Alligator dispatched boats to engage the enemy vessels, as the water was too shallow for the American warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
to engage them herself. With Allen personally commanding one of the boats, the Americans assaulted the piratical schooner Revenge. Although the Americans were able to force the pirates into abandoning Revenge, the buccaneers managed to fight their way out of the bay and inflict heavy casualties among the Americans, including Allen. With their commander mortally wounded
Mortal Wound
A mortal wound is a very severe and serious injury whether accidental or inflicted intentionally , which leads directly to the death of the victim. Death need not be instantaneous, but follows soon after...
, the Americans ceased pursuit of the pirates but managed to recover the vessels that had been held in the bay.
Background
In early November 1822, the schooner USS Alligator, under the command of LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
William Allen
William Howard Allen
William Howard Allen was a United States naval officer. He was born in Hudson, New York in 1790; appointed midshipman in 1808 and became a hero during the War of 1812 when he served aboard USS Argus. Later he commanded the Alligator, which was sent to the West Indies to destroy pirates as part of...
, put in to Matanzas
Matanzas
Matanzas is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. It is famed for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore.It is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas , east of the capital Havana and west of the resort town of Varadero.Matanzas is called the...
, Cuba, intending to patrol the area as part of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
's West Indian Anti-Piracy Campaign. Upon arriving at the port, Allen discovered two Americans attempting to raise $7,000 in order to pay a ransom to a band of pirates that had captured their vessels. If the ransom was not delivered, the pirates threatened to destroy the ships and rough up their crews. Learning from these men that the pirates were holed up some 15 leagues
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
away, Allen took the civilians aboard and decided to make an attempt at recovering their ship from the buccaneers.
The band of pirates was relatively large, consisting of around 125 men and three armed schooners. One schooner, Revenge, was an 80-ton vessel armed with five cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
and 35 men; a second, 90-ton schooner had six guns and 30 men; a third vessel displaced 60-tons, was armed with three cannon and manned by 60 men. In addition to their armed vessels, the pirates also had in their possession five American prize
Prize (law)
Prize is a term used in admiralty law to refer to equipment, vehicles, vessels, and cargo captured during armed conflict. The most common use of prize in this sense is the capture of an enemy ship and its cargo as a prize of war. In the past, it was common that the capturing force would be allotted...
s. These were the ship rigged vessel William Henry from New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the brigs Iris and Sarah Morril from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and a pair of merchant schooners with one hailing from Rochester
Rochester, Massachusetts
Rochester is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,232 at the 2010 census.-History:Rochester was settled in 1679 on the lands called "Sippican" by the local Wampanoags, along the coast of Buzzards Bay...
and the other Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
.
Allen's force of 100 was outnumbered by the pirates and also outgunned, with Alligator mounting only 12 six pounders compared to the pirates' 14 cannon. Despite being outnumbered, Alligator and her crew were experienced veterans, having taken the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
brig Marianna Flora the year before in a bloody action. Allen himself was also an experienced commander who had taken command of USS Argus during her engagement with HMS Pelican
Capture of USS Argus
The capture of USS Argus occurred during the Anglo-American War of 1812. The brig had been audaciously raiding British merchant shipping in British home waters for a month, when intercepted by the heavier British Cruizer class brig-sloop Pelican...
in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Though Alligator draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
was too deep to chase pirate craft inshore, if need be, she could send her cutter, gig
Captain's Gig
The captain's gig is a boat used on naval ships as the captain's private taxi. It is a catchall phrase for this type of craft and over the years it has gradually increased in size, changed with the advent of new technologies for locomotion, and been crafted from increasingly more durable...
, and launch
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
out with boarding parties to engage the pirates.
Action
As Revenge was the nearest of the three pirate vessels to the Americans, Allen ordered Alligator boats lowered to run inshore and attack her. Some 40 men armed with small armsSmall arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
were put into the boats, with Allen personally taking command of the launch, Lieutenant Dale the cutter, and Midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
Henley the gig. Revenge was already underway by the time it was sighted and attempted to escape the Americans despite the lack of wind, using its sweeps. After the American boats had rowed about 10 miles (16.1 km), the piratical schooner made an about-face and raised a red flag. Upon approaching the piratical schooner, the American craft were fired on with both grape and roundshot. The American boats returned fire with small arms and moved in to board the vessel. Rather than try to fight off the boarding attempt, the pirates abandoned Revenge while another schooner covered their escape. Alligator gig manned by Henley and four men was sent off to take Revenge as a prize.
Allen then set off with the other two boats in an attempt to seize the schooner which had helped Revenge crew escape. This second schooner maintained a heavy fire upon the advancing American boats, and Alligator cutter soon lagged behind as it had taken heavy casualties and had trouble manning its oars. Allen attempted to rally his men by standing up and waving them forward. In doing so Allen exposed himself and was struck by musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
fire, taking a round first in the head and then in the chest. With their commander mortally wounded and their crew taking heavy casualties, the American boats withdrew, thus allowing the second piratical schooner as well as a third that had not been engaged, to escape. The vessels the pirates had seized were left behind and recovered by the Americans after the action had ended.
Aftermath
By the end of the action, the American boats were all damaged and their crews suffered four killed and three wounded. Allen was among the former and died some four hours after the battle ended. Despite the fact that they had escaped, the pirates also suffered heavy casualties, with 14 bodies being counted by the Americans at the end of the action in addition to several buccaneers that were presumed drowned. Alligator returned to Matanzas with the recovered prizes; there Allen was buried with an escort provided by the local governor.Alligator left Matanzas on 18 November escorting her prizes back to the United States. The following day, she ran hard aground on a coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
in the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
, which has since been named Alligator Reef
Alligator Reef
Alligator Reef is a coral reef located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It lies to the southeast of Upper Matecumbe Key. This reef lies within a Sanctuary Preservation Area ....
. Her crew failed to refloat the vessel, but managed to salvage her guns, papers, and other valuables. Fearing that she would be salvaged by pirates, they burnt her and she sank. Though it was previously thought that the location of the wreck was known, a 1996 expedition proved this false and Alligator exact final resting place remains unknown. Allen was regarded by the Navy as a hero for his efforts against the pirates and his name would be used as a rallying cry the following year when USS Galliniper and USS Mosquito engaged and defeated a band of pirates led by Diabolito
Diabolito
Diabolito or Little Devil was a 19th century Cuban pirate. One of the more violent of the era, he actively engaged the United States Navy and was one of the main fugitives pursued during later American naval expeditions in the Caribbean during the 1820s.-Biography:The Cuban-born Diabolito became...
near the same area where the American lieutenant had been slain.