THE ENTERPRISE AND THE FLAMBEAU JIGSAW PUZZLE

Background During the Quasi-War American merchant ships often became the target of French privateers who seized them in large quantities. In an effort to stem these depredations against American shipping several United States Navy warships were dispatched to hunt down French privateers. One such vessel was the USS Enterprise, an American naval schooner under the command of Lieutenant John Shaw. Enterprise had been sent out to the Caribbean Sea in March 1800 with orders to cruise against French shipping in the region. Enterprise had already previously engaged and defeated several French privateers when on the night of 24 October she sighted the privateer Flambeau off the leeward side of Dominica. The French letter of marque Flambeau was a brig that was slightly more powerful than Enterprise, having twelve eight-pound cannon as compared to the American schooner’s dozen six-pounders. The French privateer also had more crew than the American vessel, 110 opposed to Enterprise‍ ’​s 83. With a broadside of 48 pounds to Enterprise‍ ’​s 36 pounds and with a larger crew, Flambeau had an advantage over Enterprise. Nonetheless, Shaw decided to engage Flambeau. Enterprise could not catch up to Flambeau but when morning came Flambeau found herself becalmed. Her captain then used sweeps to close with Enterprise. Action Eventually a wind came and the two ships managed to maneuver towards each other until they were within musket range. After engaging with small arms for a while, Lieutenant Shaw eventually veered his schooner away and the Flambeau opened up on the Americans with a broadside of round shot. The Enterprise replied with her own broadside and the two vessels engaged each other with cannon for twenty minutes. The Flambeau was beginning to receive heavy damage when her captain decided to disengage and maneuvered away from the Enterprise. However, Enterprise pursued the French brig and continued to engage her. Flambeau’s foretopmast was in danger of being dismasted from damage it had received from Enterprise, so the French captain sent men aloft to try to repair it. However after a sudden gust of wind the mast flew off the ship carrying six French sailors with it. The Enterprise ceased her attacks upon the Flambeau and sent out a boat to rescue the French sailors adrift on the topmast. After rescuing the French top men, the Enterprise caught up with the French brig and came alongside. Before the action could continue the French captain struck her colors as Flambeau’s medicine chest had been destroyed and the hull compromised multiple times. Source: Wikipedia.com