USS Jones (1814)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

USS Jones was a United States Navy brig built at Sacketts Harbor, New York, for service in Commodore Isaac Chauncey’s Lake Ontario fleet during the War of 1812. She was launched on April 10, 1814.

Early that year the American squadron was hampered by a British blockade and a shortage of cannon for the new ships. The blockade was lifted on June 6, but an epidemic slowed the fleet. Jones sailed with Chauncey’s ships on July 31 and arrived off Niagara on August 5. As the Americans closed on the port, now in British hands, they intercepted the British brig HMS Charwell and forced her ashore, where her crew burned her before escaping. Chauncey then sailed to Kingston via York (present-day Toronto), arriving on August 9.

The next day Jones and the schooner Conquest were ordered to cruise between Oswego and Sackett’s Harbor to protect American communications. Jones rejoined the fleet on September 17 and operated with it for the rest of the sailing season, trying to draw Sir James Yeo’s ships into a decisive battle.

Toward the end of November she returned to Sackett’s Harbor, where she served as a receiving ship for several years after the war. She was sold and broken up in 1821.

Ship details: a brig of about 509 long tons, 117 feet 11 inches long, sailing propulsion, with a crew of around 160. Armament consisted of sixteen 42-pounder carronades and four 24-pounder guns.