10/18/2026
October 18th, marks the 214th anniversary of the 1812 battle between the British HM Brig "Frolic" , 18 guns, and U.S. Navy sloop-of-war "Wasp", also 18 guns.
"Wasp" was five days out of the Delaware river and commanded by Master Commandant Jacob Jones. She was heading South to try to intercept British trade from the Caribbean to the British Isles when she encountered a British convoy off Cape Hatteras, NC. The convoy was protected by HM Brig "Frolic", which had just been through a rough gale that had scattered the convoy and damaged the ship. "Frolic" was under the command of Commander Thomas Whinyates.
Though the weather had moderated some since the gale, the sea state was still rough and the wind was high. The ships went into action 11:30am. Of note during the battle, while both navies typically trained to fire into their opponent's hull, "Frolic" deliberately broke with convention and fired into "Wasp's" rigging to disable her. The battle went on for another 20+ minutes, with "Wasp" becoming increasing unmanageable as her rigging was shot away, and "Frolic" taking heavy casualties as the American's continued firing into the hull. With both vessels increasingly out of control, the ships made contact just before noon, with "Frolic" ramming "Wasp". The American sailors fired a bow-on raking broadside down the deck of the British warship and then boarded her, taking the vessel in short order. Superior American gunnery had carried the day. Unfortunately for the Americans, circumstances would contrive to make their victory a very short lived one.
As the crew of the "Wasp" were attempting to repair their capture, fate would intervene. The patrolling British 74 gun ship of the line, HMS Poictiers found both ships still attempting to repair battle damage. "Frolic", still hopelessly damaged, was swiftly recaptured and "Wasp", with her already damaged rigging, was fairly easily run down and captured as well. Thus ended a short but notable early sea battle during the War of 1812.
