Wasp (CV 18) - Naval Cruise Book

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and, lowering her boats, placed prize crews on board both her and the yankee sloop which carried her captives to Ber- muda. Upon his exchange and return to the United States, CAPT jones was received with every honor belonging to a victor, and the sum of S25,000 was voted by Congress to be divided as prize money among his crew. The WASP soon flew the British flag, but was lost at sea a year later. Equally as famous as her namesake was WASP lll, another 18-gun ship, commis- sioned in 1812. Under command of Master Commandantj. Blakeley, on 22 june, 1814, she captured HMS REINDEER, after a severe fight lasting 19 minutes. For this victory CAPT Blakeley received the gratitude of Congress, and a gold medal. On September 1, 1814, she defeated and received the surrender of HMS AVON. but was unable to take possession of her prize, owing to the sudden appearance of a vast British force which arrived in time to save the survivors of the AVON's crew before that vessel sank. The WASP also took as a prize the British dispatch brig ATLANTA and sent her, with a prize crew on board, to a United States port. The ATLANTA reached Savannah, Geor- gia, on November li, 18114, bringing the last direct word from WASP Ill, The Swedish brig ADONIS reported that the WASP, on October 9, 1816, was standing for the Spanish Main. No further word was ever again received concerning this vessel. 'I I f CB A 'fi +1 I lf X. 2 J., 4. tv Her fate remains one of the unsolved mysteries of the sea. A captured iron-sidewheel steamer of S21 tons named EMMA HENRY, purchased from the New York Prize Court january ., ' - -SSJFP ' ing. She cruised in Cuban waters during the Spanish-American War, and, on 27 September, was decommissioned at Nor- folk. The following December 15th, she was loaned to the Florida Naval Militia and. on .-is th:-.sliips l.itrililSlt1il.L'lL wi the pffwefitiig puglij. IIEISP VII :CY-lla, pru- .seivleti u turrriicliztzlw ap- pifririlricw In ilu- enmity. Size is sw-'ii tivrw during un iirifleriruii cliuriye-ith :ff rrimuricl CKf'6'llUl!ll,I 13, 1865, for 525.361 became WASP IV later in the same year. Attached to the South Atlantic Squadron from 1865 to 1875, she cruised the coast of Uruguay, Paraguay and the Argentine Republic for protection of American interests and on survey work. She was used as a dispatch and special service vessel because of her unusual speed. due to her combination of steam and sail.WASP IV was sold after 20 years' Naval service. A converted yacht purchased in 1892, WASP V was the former COLUMBIA. On April 11, 1898 this 630-ton ship was placed in commission, LT Aron Ward command- 1 Painting, from the I original in collec- tion of Miss B.R. f, Robinson, shows 'l engagement be- tween WASP III fi --4 and HMS REIN- DEER in 1814. june 21,1899, returned to the Navy De- partment. During 1900'and 190l, she was out of commission at Norfolk, but on November 19th, 1901, again recommis- sioned for use as a station ship at Fort Royal, S.C. Having been once more de- commissioned at Norfolk, she was re- commissioned, October 2, 1902 and attached to the Eighth Naval District. Here she remained until 1903, cruising in the Gulf of Mexico and West Indian waters. In 1906, she was transfered to the Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island, in 1907 entered recruiting service on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and from 1908-16 was loaned to the N.Y. Naval Militia. ln 1917, WASP relieved the USS PRESTON sta- tioned at Whitestone Landing, L.l., where she served on patrol duty, deterring hostile forces from those waters. This same WASP later became flagship for Squadron Patrol Force, Third Naval District. Near the war's end, while under- going repairs in the New York Navy Yard, she received orders to Annapolis: Mary- land, as station ship. She served in this capacity until her final decommissioning in December 1918. Three years later she was purchased privately and delivered to her

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f ipklw- ff He, leeward As the brig approached she heeled over until her broadside could be counted with the eye Suddenly she short ened sail and shook the Spanish flag This did not however deceive the wary yankee Captaing only an American or an Upon boarding shortly thereafter, WASP officers and men could scarcely comprehend the destruction which had taken place in so short a time HMS FROLIC was a charnel-ship With great difhculty the two vessels were separated, . -, 9? 2' V '1.!fE,af+' 'I ' P' l Q 1 . S- ls MA I, i ji l.a.e-' 'l i, I . . W 5' fifjt 'I 1 QM. up f qw fl il sal li lkxskh' 'fr' -nk. QI' ik -ix 3 :ui x V :F .X Bbw A. if' lik 7 li Lb- ff' ml? Some early W.-tSPs are sliourn above. From top to bottom: WASP I. one of the first two vessels in the US Navy to put to sea, this small-S-gnu stoop served in the Revolution: a model of WASP II from the collection of the late President Rooseueltg WASP III, which fought in the War of 1812. capturing HMS Reindeer before dis- appearing at sea: shown in the Navy Yard at Norfolk while still a private yacht, WASP V soon. participated in the Spanish- American War. Englishman would carry sail or bring his ship hard to an enemy in that fashion. WASP's drummer beat to quarters. For more than thirty minutes the two vessels sailed side by side, constantly closing. At last the red coat ofa marine showed, and all doubt on board the WASP was dis- pelled. Captain jones hailed through his Coriiniudorc Jacob Joiies, L'SN,c'oiiii1iuii- ded WASP I1 during? two of licr most ju- niozis L'ligll1giL'l!LL'lil5. Jurys 'ru' Uiiliilliiiil- lfliiij i1ii'fiL'i'T lil 1511 'tlcri tlii' i'i'.wL'l rc- wig IJHl.l'HlN jruiii ww filfilnhli und, L11 if.-' b-Lllilr' gn-nr, zfliiiii slit' uagiizirvii the I-jff1l,Il', .fiiiitb '1l'iIh lilfvf ili'1'HTiIl4'il lil! f'mig1rv.-.:. for lii-roi:-iii ii. thi' liiiirr 1-pi lf' trumpet. Down came the colors of Spain and up the cross of St. George. At a dis- tance of scarcely sixty yards, the brig let go her broadside. But a sudden puff of wind heeled the enemy over as she fired, and her shot swept only through the upper rigging, riddling the WASP's sails. jones immediately replied with an ac- curate shot. WASP rudded along the Englishmarfs bow, and the jib-boom ofthe latter. extending across the deck imme- diately over the American commanders' head, fouled in the mizzen-shrouds. lt was unnecessary to make her fast, she lay so fair for raking that jones gave orders for another broadside. As the gunners of the WASP threw out their rammers, the tips touched the enemy's sides, and the muzzles of two twelve pounders went through the latter's bow-ports and swept the deck length. . for the FROLIC had locked her antagonist, as it were, in dying embrace: no sooner were they clear than both of the prize's masts fell, covering the dead and wounded, and hampering all efforts of WASP LT Biddle and his crew to clear the decks. During this time three great white top- sails had been pushing up above the hori- zon. A large ship of some kind was bearing down, carrying all the canvas she safely could in the sharp blow. jones, thinking that it might be one ofthe convoy returning to seek the FROLIC, called his tired crew to quarters, instructing Biddle to tit a jury rig and to make for any Southern port. But the lookout on the foremast called down information which changed matters en- tirely: A seventy-four carrying the Eng- lish flag! he shouted. That was all. WASP gunners put out their matches. There was nothing to do but wait and be taken. The great battle-ship came so close along that faces could be clearly seen looking through her three tiers of huge open ports. She disdained to hail, Bred one gun over the little WASP, and swept on. Captain jones hauled down his flag, and read the word POICTIERS under the Britisher's galleries. The latter retook the FROLIC,

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-... 1 ffwp pulure- X.hwvv'11f1!rrIs rf-lflufwgtvf.-.1-r '.lHlu-f., l9'llfP'l' Nw vvzrrwzxn H! L 'Q rj Hlrln-se-vnu11r1lf4'l'1l!f1-'NH fn In v 1 f uf wwe lrvlmv Q Nu- hllllfjlll civil. Life on board WASP is depicted in these three scenes pointed in 1944 by LCDR W. F. Draper US N R.