The Young Teazer was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 privateer

Privateer

A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...

 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....

 that the 74-gun third rate  trapped in a naval battle off Chester

Chester, Nova Scotia

Chester is an incorporated Canadian village located in and part of Nova Scotia's Chester Municipal District in the southeastern part of Lunenburg County.-History:...

, Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

 during 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...

. Young Teazer was under the command of William D. Dobson and Hogue was under the command of Captain Thomas Bladen Capel

Thomas Bladen Capel

Admiral Sir Thomas Bladen Capel GCB RN was an officer in the British Royal Navy whose distinguished service in the French Revolutionary War, the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 earned him rapid promotion and great acclaim both in and out of the Navy...

 (who fought alongside Nelson

Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson

Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...

 in the Battle of Trafalgar

Battle of Trafalgar

The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....

). Young Teazer had eluded five British vessels over a period of two weeks before she became trapped and a member of her crew blew her up.

Historical context

Many American privateers attacked British shipping off the coast of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

 during the War of 1812. This forced the British to deploy warships to patrol the waters to forestall attacks and to attempt to capture the American vessels.

The British naval strategy was two fold. First, the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 tried to protect British merchant shipping to and from Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

, Canada and the West Indies. Second, the navy enforced a blockade of major American ports aimed at restricting American trade.

Because of their numerical inferiority, the Americans aimed to cause disruption through hit-and-run tactics, such as the capture of prizes

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...

 and engaging Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 vessels only under favorable circumstances. The American privateers were successful for the first part of the war.

On 1 June 1813, captured the USS Chesapeake outside Boston Harbour. The British then towed Chesapeake to Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

, Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. While this was occurring, the crew of the Young Teazer boarded a vessel off La Have, but allowed her and her crew to proceed as she was in ballast, and hardly worth taking. When the vessel reached Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 she reported the privateer's presence and description.

Shortly thereafter, Young Teazer captured two vessels off Sambro Island Light, at the entrance to Halifax Harbour. She then escaped possible capture by running into the harbor and raising British colors. The British discovered the ruse, but only after Young Teazer had left. Still, a number of British warships sailed in search of her.

Engagement

While Young Teazer was attempting to capture ships near Halifax, the largest Nova Scotian privateer, the brig Sir John Sherbrooke, came upon her and the privateer narrowly escaped from Halifax harbour.

On 13 June 1813, the 74-gun third rate  encountered Young Teaser and forced her into Halifax harbour, but Dobson and Young Teazer escaped the harbour again. On 17 June 1813, Wasp, which had recaptured a prize that the privateer Young Teazer had taken, sailed in search of the privateer. On 17 June 1813, was in company with when they came upon in pursuit of an American brig letter of marque

Letter of marque

In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...

 Porcupine off Cape Sable. The three British ships continued the chase for another 100 miles before they finally were able to capture the brig. However, Young Teazer briefly escaped into fog before and Castor spotted her and commenced their chase. They too lost her. A few days later, the frigate chased Young Teazer in to Lunenburg Harbour

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Lunenburg , is a Canadian port town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.Situated on the province's South Shore, Lunenburg is located on a peninsula at the western side of Mahone Bay. The town is approximately 90 kilometres southwest of the county boundary with the Halifax Regional Municipality.The...

. However, Orpheus lost her near Mahone Bay

Mahone Bay

Mahone Bay is a bay located on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada along the eastern end of Lunenburg County.Opening south directly onto the Atlantic, its eastern shore is formed by the Aspotogan Peninsula and its western shore is formed by the First Peninsula...

 due to light winds.

On 27 June, Hogue picked up the chase for 18 hours until she trapped Young Teazer in Mahone Bay. Hogue was firing "viciously" and Orpheus soon joined as well. In the evening, Hogue prepared to send a boarding party in five of her boats. However, before the British could board Young Teazer, she exploded; reportedly one of her own crew members was responsible. Thirty of her crew died. The militia captured the eight survivors including the captain.

Legacy

The Young Teazer, gutted but still partially afloat, was surrounded by floating bodies and wreckage, including her figurehead and several Quaker guns

Quaker Gun

A Quaker Gun is a deception tactic that was commonly used in warfare during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although resembling an actual cannon, the Quaker Gun was simply a wooden log, usually painted black, used to deceive an enemy. Misleading the enemy as to the strength of an emplacement was an...

 – fake wooden cannons. Much of the wreckage was salvaged, including some timbers that were used for building construction in Mahone Bay. One of the lanterns is in possession of a citizen of Blandford, Nova Scotia

Blandford, Nova Scotia

Blandford is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Chester Municipal District on the Aspotogan Peninsula on the Lighthouse Route...

, while a piece of the keel was used to build the wooden cross inside of St. Stephen's Anglican Church at Chester. A scorched fragment of the keel and a cane made from Teazer fragments is displayed at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a Canadian maritime museum located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a member institution of the Nova Scotia Museum and is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada with a collection of over 30,000 artifacts...

 in Halifax.

The story of the Young Teazer inspired one of the best known ghost ships in Atlantic Canada, the so-called "Teazer Light". The folklore states that every year on 27 June on Mahone Bay

Mahone Bay

Mahone Bay is a bay located on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada along the eastern end of Lunenburg County.Opening south directly onto the Atlantic, its eastern shore is formed by the Aspotogan Peninsula and its western shore is formed by the First Peninsula...

 off the coast of Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

, there is a ghost ship or some sort of supernatural

Supernatural

The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...

light that appears late in the evening.