The Cruise of the Essex
Although the United States and the French Empire were both at war with England, they were not allies, and did not engage in any joint operations. At sea American and French warships and privateers competed for prizes taken from the British. Captain David Porter, commanding officer of the frigate USS Essex recognized the potential for a large number of prizes among the ships of the British Pacific whaling fleet, as well as the opportunity to inflict significant damage to the British economy by disrupting the flow of whale oil to England. Porter also realized that he would be able to replenish his own ship’s stores from the whalers.
In 1813 Porter sailed into the Pacific, the first warship of the United States Navy to do so, and throughout 1813 played havoc with the British whalers, taking more than a dozen vessels, keeping and arming one as a consort, which Porter named Essex Junior. By the autumn of 1813 Porter had a fleet of eleven vessels under the control of Essex, which by then was in desperate need of a refit. Porter sailed Essex and his prizes to the Marquesas Islands, and careened Essex at Nuku Hiva, where the ship was refitted by its crew and the prisoners. The Americans also took part in a local island war, which ensured their welcome among their victorious hosts.
Following the refit Porter returned to his raiding in the Pacific. By then the alarmed British whale oil merchants and ship owners in London had felt the damage being done by a single American frigate in the Pacific, and the Admiralty in London dispatched HMS Phoebe, a frigate of 36 guns, and the sloop Cherub, of 18 guns, to the Pacific to deal with the Essex. Learning from the authorities in Valparaiso of the presence of the British, Porter determined to meet them. In January 1814 Porter returned to Valparaiso, a neutral port, to water his ships. There he was joined by the British squadron, who by international law could not attack the ships in a neutral port.
On March 28 Essex attempted to leave Valparaiso, while Phoebe cruised just outside Chilean territorial waters. When Essex lost its main topmast is a sudden squall, Porter returned to the protection of the neutral port. Phoebe, under Captain James Hillyar attacked anyway. Phoebe and Cherub engaged Essex from long range, giving them an advantage since Essex was armed with short range carronades. By the time Porter struck his colors in surrender more than half of the crew of the Essex were killed or wounded, most of his guns disabled, and the ship unmanageable due to damage to its rigging.
After the war British historians minimized the damage inflicted upon the British economy by Essex, belying the fact that the Admiralty had dispatched Phoebe and Cherub to deal with the American, and several other British warships were on the way to the Pacific when Hillyar engaged Porter at Valparaiso. The cruise of the Essex was one of the most successful commerce raiding cruises in history. Porter and surviving crew were sent home in Essex Junior, having given their parole. As they approached the United States Essex Junior was seized by the British, in violation of the parole. An enraged Porter escaped in a small boat and rowed ashore.