Ottawa (1814 ship)

Ottawa was a merchant ship launched at Quebec in 1814 that sailed to England and acquired English registry. In 1815, a US privateer captured her. Although the Royal Navy recaptured her, the Vice-admiralty court at Jamaica restored her to her original captors. She later returned to British ownership and was wrecked in 1822.

History
United Kingdom
NameOttawa
NamesakeOttawa
Launched1814, New Liverpool, Quebec[1]
FateWrecked November 1822
General characteristics [2]
Tons burthen331,[3] or 340,[1][4] or 341 (bm)
Length96 ft 3 in (29.3 m)
Beam28 ft 10 in (8.8 m)
Complement30
Armament16 × 6-pounder guns
NotesThree masts

Career

A letter dated 21 October 1814 reported to the registry at Quebec that Ottawa had been re-registered at Liverpool.[1]

Ottawa first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1815.[3]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1815 J.Simpson A.Garnett Liverepool–Jamaica LR

On 9 March 1815 the US privateer Kemp, Captain Joseph Almeda (or Almeida), captured the British merchantman Ottawa, James Simpson, master, which was off Cuba while sailing from Liverpool to Jamaica with a cargo of porter, soap, potatoes, hams, cheese, etc.[lower-alpha 1]

American sources reported that Ottawa was armed with three guns, and had a crew of 17 men. Almeda spent three days transferring some of Ottawa's cargo to Kemp. He put a prize crew aboard her and the two vessels sailed for the United States.[6][lower-alpha 2] Ottawa had struck after only one broadside from Kemp. In order to be able to store the prize goods she was carrying, Alameda collapsed some of his own water casks.[8]

On 26 March Kemp encountered the United States schooner Ocean and from her learned of the end of the war. On 3 April Kemp reached Baltimore with a cargo valued at US$112,799.[6]

However, also on 3 April, HMS Anaconda and Moselle recaptured Ottawa. The London merchant James Strachan Glennie protested the recapture, acting on behalf of Kemp and Joseph Almeda, arguing that the recapture had occurred during the period the Treaty of Ghent had established for restitution of captures. The Vice admiralty court of Jamaica found for Glennie.[9] The first reports of Otway's capture too mention that she was probably a good prize because Kemp had left her after the period the treaty allowed for [10]

Lloyd's List reported that Ottawa, Simpson, master, had put into Ocoa Bay after the American privateer Kemp had captured her. There boats from a British man of war had cut Ottawa out, and taken her to Jamaica. From Jamaica she had sailed to Savannah, and had arrived there.[11] The 1816 issue of Lloyd's Register had the annotation "capt." beneath her name.

Ottawa returned to British ownership.

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1818 J.Anderson Earl & Co. Liverpool–New Orleans LR
1819 J.Anderson
Campbell		 Earl & Co. Liverpool–New Orleans LR
1822 Campbell
T.Todd		 Earl & Co.
Moxon & Co.		 Liverpool–Africa
Liverpool–Miramichi		 LR
1823 T.Todd Moxon & Co. Liverpool–Miramichi LR

Fate

A letter from Maranaham, dated 25 November 1822, reported that Ottawa, Todd, master, had been wrecked on 3 November on the Island of St Anna. Her crew had been saved.[12] Ottawa was on a voyage from Liverpool to Maranhão.[13]

Notes
  1. Kemp was a schooner of 228 tons (bm; American). She was on her fifth cruise (her second under Almeida's command), was armed with six guns, and had a crew of 135 men. She may have been sailing out of Wilmington, North Carolina.[5]
  2. Some accounts refer to Ottawa as Otway.[7]

Citations
  1. Library and Archives Canada, Ship Registrations 2787–1966 – Item: 55666: OTTAWA.
  2. Page 17 of the Prize appeal case for the ship 'Ottawa', James Simpson (master), at the Vice-Admiralty Court of Jamaica, 1817.
  3. LR (1815), Seq.No.O218.
  4. Marcil (1995), p. 468.
  5. Kert (2015), no.294 of Appendix 1.
  6. Fairburn (1955), pp. 897–898.
  7. Good (2012), p. 61..
  8. Garitee (1977), p. 158.
  9. Printed prize appeal fromrecaptures. the Vice-Admiralty Court of Jamaica. Reference: HCA 45/70/23.
  10. Good (2012), p. 61.
  11. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 5008. 26 September 1815. hdl:2027/hvd.32044105232904.
  12. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 5767. 10 January 1823. hdl:2027/hvd.32044105226310.
  13. "Ship News". The Times. No. 11766. London. 11 January 1823. col D, p. 2.

References
  • Fairburn, William Armstrong (1955). Merchant Sail. Vol. 2. Fairburn Marine Educational Foundation.
  • Garitee, Jerome R. (1977). The Republic's Private Navy: The American Privateering Business as Practiced by Baltimore During the War of 1812. Mystic Seaport.
  • Kert, Faye M. (2015). Privateering: Patriots and Profits in the War of 1812. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 72. ISBN 9781421417479.
  • Marcil, Eileen Reed (1995). The Charley-Man: a history of wooden shipbuilding at Quebec 1763-1893. Kingston, Ontario: Quarry. ISBN 1-55082-093-1.
  • Good, Timothy S., ed. (2012). American privateers in the war of 1812: the vessels and their prizes as recorded in Niles' weekly register. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786466955.
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