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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

Confiance

Ship:
  • Built in 1814 at Ile aux Noix Naval Shipyards, Quebec, Canada by the Royal Navy
  • Launched, 25 August 1814
  • HMS Confiance was built by the British Navy for action on Lake Champlain
  • She was captured by the American fleet under the command of COMO. Thomas Macdonough during the American victory in the Battle of Lake Champlain, 11 September 1814
  • Confiance received 105 round shot in her hull and was in a sinking condition when the battle was over
  • She was taken into Whitehall, N.Y., sunk for preservation and offered for sale
  • Since there was no reasonable offer for the captured vessels, Congress authorized their purchase, 3 March 1815, to provide adequate prize money for those who had captured them
  • Confiance was taken into the Navy but never fitted out for service, placed in Ordinary at Whitehall, N.Y.,
  • In 1820 Confiance was towed into the nearby mouth of the Poultney River and formally abandoned and allowed to sink
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,200 t.
    Length 147'5"
    Beam 37'2"
    Depth of Hold 7'
    Draft unknown
    Speed unknown
    Complement 300
    Armament
    twenty-seven 24-pdrs
    two 18-pdrs
    four 32-pdrs
    six 24-pdr cannonade
    Propulsion sail
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Confiance
    098694601    		 87k A cropped image of an engraving by Benjamin Tanner (1775-1848), after a painting by Hugh Reinagle (1790-1834) of HMS Confiance at Macdonough’s victory on Lake Champlain and defeat of the British Army at Plattsburg by General Macomb, 11 September 1814.
    Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Collection    		 John Spivey
    Saratoga
    098653704    		 224k A black and white photo of a watercolor painting by artist ©Warren (attributed)
    "The Battle of Lake Champlain in Plattsburg Bay, September 1814"
    On 11 September 1814, the American squadron, the 26-gun USS Saratoga, Como. Thomas Macdonough, the 20-gun brig USS Eagle, CAPT. Robert Henley, the 17-gun schooner USS Ticondereoga, LCDR. Stephen Cassin, the 7-gun sloop USS Preble, LT. Charles Hicks and 10 boats, were attacked when lying off Plattsburg by a British squadron, the 37-gun HMS Confiance, CAPT. George Downie, the 16-gun brig HMS Linnet, CAPT. Daniel Pring, the 11-gun cutter HMS Chub, LT. James McGhee, the 8-gun cutter HMS Finch, LT. William Finch and 10 gunboats. Having had two anchors shot away Confiance brought up abreast instead of athwart hawse of Saratoga. After a fierce combat, Saratoga, who had suffered severely from Confiance's heavy broadsides, swung around to bring her port battery into action. Confiance, in endeavoring to do the same, hung with her stern towards Saratoga and was so heavily raked that she was compelled to surrender. CAPT. Downie was killed, Linnet being exposed to Saratoga's fire, struck her colors. Finch had surrendered, Chubb was captured, and the battle ended.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # USN 902816    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Saratoga
    098653705    		 258k Black and white photo of an engraving by B. Tanner after a drawing by H. Reinagle
    "Macdonough's Victory on Lake Champlain"
    MacDonough's Victory on Lake Champlain and defeat of the British Army at Plattsburg by General Macomb, 11 September 1814. Ships shown:
    HMS Finch;
    USS Preble;
    USS Eagle;
    HMS Confiance;
    HMS Linnet;
    USS Saratoga;
    HMS Chubb; and
    USS Ticonderoga.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 2258    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Saratoga
    098653706    		 209k Black and whit photo of an Aquatint by W. Strickland.
    "Battle of Lake Champlain (Plattsburg, New York), September 11, 1814">
    The British and American Fleets are depicted in action, with Cumberland Head on the right, and the town of Plattsburg, New York, behind. The ships shown are (L-R):
    USS Ticonderoga
    USS Eagle;
    HMS Confiance;
    USS Saratoga; and
    HMS Linnet. Gunboats are also shown in action on both sides. Aquatint by W. Strickland, Philadelphia, after an eye witnesses sketch.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 63489, Courtesy of Mr. S.H.P. Pell, Fort Ticonderoga Museum, Fort Ticonderoga, New York, 1938.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Confiance
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    HMS Confiance (1814)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 31 December 2021