Current Events

1
Current Events

• Submarine Ready To Sight Green Water
• USS OHIO operational post refit
• Coretta Scott King Dies _at_ 78
• Power of the Media? Why always new Fears??

2
Sea Power and Maritime Affairs

• Lesson 5 The U.S. Navy in the Napoleonic Era,
• 1783-1815

3
A New Nation

• Articles of Confederation
• Weak central government
• No power of taxation.
• Congress unable to fund a Navy after Rev War.
• 1785 - All Continental Navy warships
  decommissioned.
  
• New maritime trade markets-
• Large American merchant fleet.
• China and Mediterranean Sea.
• American merchant ships no longer protected by
  the Royal Navy.
  

4
Naval Policy Debate Begins

• U.S. Constitution - 1788.
• Stronger federal government with ability to tax.
• The Congress shall have Power To provide and
  maintain a Navy.
  
• The President shall be Commander in Chief of the
  Army and Navy of the United States.
  
• Federalists New England -- Alexander Hamilton,
  John Jay
  
• Proponents of a strong Navy.
• Ensure neutral rights on the seas and protect
  vital trade interests.
  
• Republicans Middle and Southern States --
  Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry
  
• Strong U.S. Navy would provoke European powers.
• Navies are expensive and imperialistic - a
  luxury.

5
Beginnings of the U.S. Navy

• Navy Act of 1794
• Six frigates authorized for defense of shipping
  in Mediterranean.
  
• Navy is part of the Department of War.
• Secretary of War Henry Knox.
• Large 44-gun frigates planned.
• More heavily armed than normal frigates.
• Faster than Ships of the Line.
• 1797 United States, 44 and Constitution, 44
  completed -- called Humphreys frigates.
  
• Marines deployed on Navy ships.
• Continue tradition of British Royal Marines.
• Protect Captain and officers from the crew.
• Provide musket fire from quarterdeck and
  fighting tops.

6
Jays Treaty -- 1794

• January 1794 British rescind Orders in
  Council.
  
• Chief Justice John Jay - special envoy to
  London.
  
• Issues British-American relations.
• Maritime disputes, western forts, northern
  boundary, Mississippi navigation, and reparations
  for slaves seized during Revolution.
  
• British Concessions
• Open West Indies ports, leave western outposts,
  Canada boundary.
  
• American Concessions
• Abandon French Alliance of 1778, U.S. ports not
  to be used by foreign privateers, British trading
  rights increased.
  
• Results
• American trade with Britain increases.
• U.S. government able to collect large duties on
  trade.

7
Quasi-War with France

• French reaction to Jays Treaty
• Decree - U.S. merchants seized by French
  privateers.
  
• XYZ Affair
• American delegation to Paris insulted - Congress
  and American public outraged.
  
• Department of the Navy established -- 1798.
• Benjamin Stoddert - First Secretary of the Navy.
  
  
• Increase in naval expenditures for
• Shipyards
• Ships - completed frigates begun by Navy Act of
  1794.
  
• Congress issues letters of marque to privateers
  against France.
  
• Undeclared naval war.
• Orders to subdue, seize, and take any armed
  French vessel.

8
Operations of the Quasi-War

• Main theater of war West Indies.
• U.S. Navy uses British ports.
• Most of the French fleet blockaded in Europe
  after defeats by Royal Navy.
  
• Early American naval commanders
• Lieutenant William Bainbridge is captured in
  Retaliation.
  
• Commodore Thomas Truxton in Constellation.
• Captain Edward Preble in Essex to the Pacific and
  East Indies.
  
• U.S. naval funding again increased in 1799.
• Large shipbuilding program increases size of U.S.
  Navy.
  
• Convention of Peace effectively ends war - 1800.
• 1778 Alliance and 1798 Decree nullified, but all
  American claims cancelled.

9
Republican Naval Policy

• Thomas Jefferson elected in 1800.
• Large reductions in Naval funding.
• Republicans reduce federal taxation and
  spending.
  
• All Navy ships sold except 13 frigates.
• 7 of the 13 frigates in mothballs.
• Jeffersons Gunboat Navy -- a strictly
  defensive strategy.
  
• Static and weak defense of American coast.
• Floating gun platforms - reduced maneuverability.

10
Barbary Wars 1801-1805

• Increasing tribute demands of North African
  states.
  
• William Bainbridge forced to sail George
  Washington under Algerian flag with tribute to
  Ottoman sultan.
  
• Undeclared war against the Barbary States begins
  - 1801.
  
• Frigate squadrons deployed to Mediterranean.
• Early commodores unsuccessful
• Robert Dale fails to be aggressive - resigns in
  1802.
  
• Thomas Truxton turns down command due to lack of
  a captain for his flagship and is dismissed from
  service.
  
• Richard Morris - dismissed for dilatory
  conduct.
  
• Commodore Edward Preble takes command - Sept
  1803.
  
• Aggressive tactics are highly successful.
• Prebles Boys will command U.S. ships in the
  War of 1812.

11
Barbary Wars Operations

• Hard Luck Captain William Bainbridge --
  Philadelphia captured in Tripoli harbor and crew
  imprisoned.
  
• Philadelphia held under Tripolis guns.
• Lieutenant Stephen Decatur -- special warfare
  mission.
  
• Uses captured Intrepid to board and burn
  Philadelphia.
  
• Promoted to Captain at age 25.
• Eatons march on Tripoli.
• Includes First Lieutenant Presley OBannon and
  six Marines.
  
• Capture of Derna in April 1805.
• Awarded Mameluke sword by Prince Hamet - still
  used today.
  
• The shores of Tripoli.
• Boost in support for Marine Corps.

12
British Victory at Trafalgar

• Great Britain secures command of the seas.
• French threat to invade England ended.
• Great Britains overseas commerce flourishes.
• Royal Navy gains ability to threaten U.S.
  commerce with France and other countries.
  
• French Navy declines in strength.
• Napoleons army still supreme on European
  continent.
  
• Continental System established in Europe to
  isolate Great Britain.
  
• Napoleonic Wars continue until Napoleon is
  defeated by Britains Duke of Wellington at
  Waterloo - 1815.

13
Causes of the War of 1812

• British at war with France
• British begin to seize U.S. Ships
• Neutral rights categorized
• Visit and search of merchant men by naval
  vessels
  
• Ports closed in peacetime
• Impressment

14
Neutral Rights of U.S. Shipping

• Great Britain at war with the French Empire
• British seize U.S. merchant ships.
• Dispute over neutral rights
• Blockade
• United States Must be effective to be legal.
• Great Britain Paper blockades are binding.
• Visit and search of merchants by naval vessels.
• United States Only in restricted areas.
• Great Britain Virtually anywhere on high seas.
• Ports
• United States Can be open to neutral trade
  during war.
  
• Great Britain Must remain closed.
• Impressment
• United States Search of neutral vessels for
  British subjects is illegal.
  
• Great Britain Search of neutral vessels for
  British subjects is okay.

15
The Road to War

• President Madison - 1809
• Begins to move naval policy away from building
  gunboats.
  
• Sectionalism
• New England maritime interests.
• Strong Navy desired for protection of shipping.
• Desire to avoid a war with Great Britain.
• War Hawks - Southern and western states.
• Support only a small Navy.
• British support of Indian attacks in Northwest
  Territory led by Tecumseh.
  
• Favor war with Great Britain and invasion of
  Canada.
  
• War in Europe turns in Frances favor -- 1812.
• U.S. Declaration of war against Great Britain -
  June 1812.
  
• Neutral rights, impressment, and Indian
  relations.
  
• Minimal U.S. Army and Navy strength.

16
Napoleonic Wars -- 1812-1815

• Continental Europe
• Napoleons France (Land Power) versus
  Coalitions.
  
• Maritime Europe
• Great Britain (Sea Power) versus France (Severely
  weakened at sea by defeat at Trafalgar in 1805).
  
• Naval Strategies
• Britain blockades French ports.
• French use Continental System as a blockade of
  British trade.
  
• Guerre de Course -- Commerce Raiding
• Practiced by both sides.
• Includes privateering.
• Global war
• Atlantic, West Indies, Mediterranean, Indian
  Ocean, Pacific

17
U.S. Naval Policies

• Strategy
• Rodgers Proponent of squadron operations.
• Decatur Proponent of single-ship operations.
• Commerce Raiders
• Atlantic Ocean
• English Channel
• USS Essex in the Pacific Ocean -- Captain David
  Porter
  
• Raids on British whaling fleet.
• Letters of marque issued to privateers.
• Naval Administration
• Small organization.
• Inadequate coastal defenses.
• Limited resources available.
• Funding increases significantly during the course
  of the war.

18
Course of the War -- 1812

• Cruise of Commodore Rodgers' squadron
  unsuccessful.
  
• Single-ship engagements won by Americans
• USS Constitution versus HMS Guerriere
• Captain Isaac Hull
• USS United States versus HMS Macedonian
• Captain Stephen Decatur
• USS Constitution versus HMS Java
• Captain William Bainbridge
• Superiority of U.S. ships, training, and
  commanders is evident.
  
• Naval victories increase morale and support.
• Congress authorizes expanded naval building
  program.
  
• Unsuccessful American invasion of Canada.
• Detroit occupied by British and Indians - threat
  to NW Territory.

19
Course of the War -- 1813

• British Strategy
• Victories in Europe allow movement of ships and
  troops from Europe to America.
  
• Increase blockade on American ports.
• Raid American coasts.
• USS Chesapeake versus HMS Shannon
• Great Lakes Campaign

20
Great Lakes Campaign -- 1813

• British supply forces via St. Lawrence River and
  Great Lakes.
  
• Control of communications routes on the lakes is
  necessary.
  
• Lake Ontario
• Commodore Isaac Chauncey and Commodore Sir James
  Yeo.
  
• Shipbuilding race and lack of initiative lead to
  stalemate.
  
• Lake Erie
• Oliver Hazard Perry
• Flagship Named USS Lawrence in honor of fallen
  friend.
  
• Defeats British fleet in the Battle of Lake Erie.
  
  
• We have met the enemy and they are ours .
• British forces cut off from supplies.
• General William Henry Harrison receives Perrys
  message, recaptures Detroit, and defeats British
  and Indians at the Battle of the Thames.
  
• Indian leader Tecumseh is killed and NW Territory
  secured for U.S.

21
Course of the War -- 1814

• British blockade of American ports - highly
  effective.
  
• American Navy unable to sortie.
• U.S. economy in decline due to reduced maritime
  commerce.
  
• Washington Campaign
• British forces raid Chesapeake.
• Washington burned.
• Baltimore -- Fort McHenry - Star Spangled
  Banner.
  
• Militia and gunboats very ineffective for coastal
  defense.
  
• Battle of Lake Champlain near Plattsburg.
• Commodore Thomas MacDonough
• Remembers Nelsons tactics at the Battle of the
  Nile.
  
• British invasion of New York from Canada.
• British defeated and retreat to Canada.

22
Peace and Aftermath

• Great Britain agrees to peace.
• American victories at Lakes Erie and Champlain.
• American privateers capture British merchants.
• Treaty of Ghent -- 24 December 1814
• Status Quo Ante Bellum
• British end impressment of American seamen.
• Battle of New Orleans -- 1815
• Occurred after peace treaty signed.
• Gunboats delay British at Lake Borgne.
• British defeated by General Andrew Jacksons
  makeshift army.
  
• Victories in Creek War and at New Orleans -
  emerges as national hero.

23
Naval Contributions

• Victory on the lakes
• Lake Erie Restores American control of
  Northwest Territory.
  
• Lake Champlain Prevented invasion of New York.
• Created stalemate.
• Commerce Raiding
• Ultimately ineffective.
• BUT - Plays a factor in British agreement to
  peace.
  
• Single ship engagements
• Superiority of American shipbuilding and
  command.
  
• Boost to national morale.
• BUT - Ineffective against British blockade.
• British sea powers effectiveness increased
  throughout the war as French were defeated on
  continental Europe.

24
Summary -- War of 1812

• British view as a Limited War.
• Americans view as
• A struggle to end British-supported Indian
  attacks.
  
• An attempt to acquire Canada.
• An assertion of the nations neutral rights
  against British interference.
  
• Main Theatres
• Atlantic
• Effective British blockade of US ports.
• Gunboat policy fails to prevent British raids.
• Great Lakes
• U.S. wins control of sea lines of communication.
• British forced to retreat.