Johnston Blakeley, Lost At Sea

From Harper's Magazine:

Johnston Blakeley (October 1781 - October 1814)

Johnston Blakeley, born in Ireland and later a resident of North Carolina, was the commander of the USS Wasp (5th of that name) that captured the HMS Reindeer and sunk the HMS Avon... .

The USS Wasp was probably sunk in a gale; it was last heard of on October 9, 1814.  There is an historical marker commemorating Johnston Blakeley in Wilmington, North Carolina.  Johnston Blakeley's daughter Udney Marie died in childbirth; the Johnston Blakeley line is extinct.  His widow, Jane, married a Dr. [Robert] Abbott and moved to Christiansted in the Virgin Islands.


A newspaper account of Johnston Blakeley's romance was published in the Pittsburgh Press.

Captain George Downie

 A passage in the Battles of the British navy described how Captain George Downie died in the Battle of Plattsburg:

This gallant officer met his death in the following manner.  A shot from the Saratoga striking one of the 24 pounder carronades on board Confiance knocked it completely off the slide against the captain, who was standing close in the rear of it. He received the blow upon right groin and although signs of life were exhibited for a few minutes he never spoke afterward.  No part of his skin was broken and a black mark of about the circumference of a small plate was the only visible hurt sustained.  His watch was perfectly flattened and was found with the hands pointing to the hour, minute, and second at which the fatal hurt was received.

From The Outlook:

Of George Downie we know little. He was born in Ross, Ireland; he entered the British navy at an early age; in 1812 he was given command of the British fleet on the Lakes; he was killed in the Battle of Plattsburgh on September 11 1814.

Downie's genealogy according to this source (also the carronades link):

Captain George Downie 1778-1814

George Downie was the eighth son of the Reverend John Downie. He was a twin of Hector, born on 19 January 1778, almost certainly at Tong, Stornoway where his father lived.

Strength And Loss In The Battle of Plattsburgh - September 11, 1814

Battle of Plattsburgh in the Gazetteer  noted the comparative strength and loss of the two parties on the lakes were as follows:

On Sunday morning, Sept. 11 [1814], a simultaneous attack was made by the British land and naval forces, and a bloody and desperate battle ensued. At the end of 2 hours Captain Downie's flag struck, and nearly the whole British fleet fell into the hands of the Americans.

These engagements were justly considered among the most brilliant that occurred during the war of 1812.

Dr. Isaac Van Voorhis, Slain At Fort Dearborn

 From The Story of Old Fort Dearborn, an obituary of Dr. Isaac Van Voorhis (1790 - 1812), of Fishkill (NY), who was slain at the Fort Dearborn Massacre (now called Battle of Ft. Dearborn as of 2009):

Dr. Van Voorhis' article on vaccines published in 1812.

Lord Byron's Stanzas On The Death Of His Cousin, Sir Peter Parker

Eulogy by Lord Byron for his cousin, Sir Peter Parker, From The Works Of Lord Byron...:

Sir Peter Parker was killed in the Battle of Caulk's Field in Maryland during the War of 1812.

Portrait Of Francis Scott Key

 From Leading Events of Maryland History:

Battle Of Caulk's Field

Sir Peter Parker, who died at the Battle of Caulk's Field, faced Colonel Philip Reed there.

According to "Rediscover1812," "The turning point for American fortunes on the Chesapeake Bay was the battle of Caulk’s Field in Kent County. In one summer night, the British would lose more than a dozen men, a British peer and their firm grasp on Maryland’s bay country. American militia finally stood against disciplined British troops – and won." [See Caulk's Field on a Google map and a picture of a monument here]

There are more pictures at The Fort McHenry Guard site.