Comments on: The first war America lost. https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/13/the-first-war-america-lost/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/13/the-first-war-america-lost/#comment-26134 ER Wed, 14 Aug 2013 13:27:06 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=36669#comment-26134 After writing my little essay concerning the exploits of USS Essex in the south seas (based on my memory of a book I read years ago), I looked her up on Wiki. Both the accounts were comparable--except for the description of the final battle. The stories are quite different (although Essex acquits herself honorably in both versions, the Royal Navy doesn't). Somebody is fibbing. After writing my little essay concerning the exploits of USS Essex in the south seas (based on my memory of a book I read years ago), I looked her up on Wiki. Both the accounts were comparable–except for the description of the final battle.

The stories are quite different (although Essex acquits herself honorably in both versions, the Royal Navy doesn’t). Somebody is fibbing.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/13/the-first-war-america-lost/#comment-26132 ER Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:51:00 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=36669#comment-26132 As far as the Brits were concerned, it was just a sideshow. They were locked in a bitter military struggle against Napoleon, what actually deserves the title of First World War, because most of Europe was involved. The US civics class interpretation of the American entry into the war was because the Royal Navy was boarding our merchant ships and impressing our sailors. The Brits claimed they were arresting deserters, British subjects, who had joined the American merchant fleet to escape the fighting. The true reason was probably that we were breaking the British blockade of the European continent, and getting rich trading with both sides. Militarily, the war was mostly favorable to the UK, although American forces did score a few notable victories against a much stronger opponent, particularly at sea. American ships were superior to the British, and their crews were more motivated, not having spent exhausting years in a war with France that never seemed to end. The most notable American success against the British was at the Battle of New Orleans, although this occurred after the Peace was signed and had no strategic significance.(news traveled slowly in those days). One of the most overlooked campaigns of that war was the saga of the USS Essex, a small American frigate that broke into Pacific waters and did phenomenal damage to UK whaling interests (a business as big and vital then as petroleum is today). Essex was eventually trapped by two Brit frigates in Chile, where she was destroyed by a combination of sheer bad luck--and British treachery. The laws of war at the time stated that when belligerents found themselves in a neutral port, they were forbidden to fight there, and had to carry their quarrel elsewhere. Essex was given a 24 hour head start, but the Brits immediately gave chase, and in the midst of battle, the Yankee ran aground where her guns could not bear, and the English pounded her into rubble. This incident is (loosely) the basis of the plot for the popular film "Master and Commander". Although both the author and filmmaker took liberties with the historical facts; the first to not alienate British readers, the second to not alienate American audiences. <img src="http://cache.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/34947-bigthumbnail.jpg" alt="." /> As far as the Brits were concerned, it was just a sideshow. They were locked in a bitter military struggle against Napoleon, what actually deserves the title of First World War, because most of Europe was involved.

The US civics class interpretation of the American entry into the war was because the Royal Navy was boarding our merchant ships and impressing our sailors. The Brits claimed they were arresting deserters, British subjects, who had joined the American merchant fleet to escape the fighting. The true reason was probably that we were breaking the British blockade of the European continent, and getting rich trading with both sides.

Militarily, the war was mostly favorable to the UK, although American forces did score a few notable victories against a much stronger opponent, particularly at sea. American ships were superior to the British, and their crews were more motivated, not having spent exhausting years in a war with France that never seemed to end. The most notable American success against the British was at the Battle of New Orleans, although this occurred after the Peace was signed and had no strategic significance.(news traveled slowly in those days).

One of the most overlooked campaigns of that war was the saga of the USS Essex, a small American frigate that broke into Pacific waters and did phenomenal damage to UK whaling interests (a business as big and vital then as petroleum is today). Essex was eventually trapped by two Brit frigates in Chile, where she was destroyed by a combination of sheer bad luck–and British treachery.

The laws of war at the time stated that when belligerents found themselves in a neutral port, they were forbidden to fight there, and had to carry their quarrel elsewhere. Essex was given a 24 hour head start, but the Brits immediately gave chase, and in the midst of battle, the Yankee ran aground where her guns could not bear, and the English pounded her into rubble.

This incident is (loosely) the basis of the plot for the popular film “Master and Commander”. Although both the author and filmmaker took liberties with the historical facts; the first to not alienate British readers, the second to not alienate American audiences.

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