French Brig | Prince de Neuchâtel | 1822

Exquisite model of the French brig " Prince de NeufChatel" an armed
brig circa 1822 launched in New York by Noah and Brown. The model
shows exceptional workmanship and detail. The rigging is complete and
uncompromised showing all appropriate standing and running cords. The
two raked masts are outfitted with countless block and tackle with
cords whipped and served. The planked deck carries cannon rigged
to the bulwarks. The hull is copper sheathed from the waterline down.
The model is mounted into a free standing mahogany display case with
matching table.

57" long x 23" wide x 66" high with table. 


For the sovereign Prince of Neuchâtel (Neufchatel is an
alternative spelling), see Louis Alexandre Berthier.
a Hermaphrodite Brig design
History
Name:Prince de Neufchatel
Builder:Adam and Noah Brown
Launched:1813
Fate:Captured, December 1814; broken up 1815
General characteristics
Length:
110 ft 8 in (33.7 m)(overall)
93 ft 8 1⁄4 in (28.6 m) (keel)

Beam:25 ft 8 in (7.8 m)
Depth of hold:11 ft 6 in (3.5 m)
Privateer: 18 guns*
British service: 16 × 12-pounder carronades+ 2 × 6-pounder bow chasers

The Prince de Neufchatel was a fast sailing United States
schooner-rigged privateer, built in New York by Adam and Noah Brown in
approximately 1812. She is a fine example of the peak of development
of the armed schooner. Neufchatel operated in mainly European waters,
damaging British shipping during the War of 1812. Noted for her speed,
at one time she outran seventeen men-of-war. In 1813, operating in the
English channel, she took nine British prizes in quick succession. She
also delivered a crushing defeat to the boats of a British frigate
that tried to capture her. The British finally captured her in
December 1814; she was broken up in 1815.

Her design is believed to be due to Christian Bergh. She had a
hermaphrodite rig, i.e., she combined the rigs of a schooner and a
brigantine. "She carried four sails on the foremast, one square sail
on the main, and a large fore-and-aft sail with gaff abaft the fore,
with large staysails over and three jibs. Her spanker boom projected
far beyond the stern."

After her capture her design caught the Navy Board's interest and on
10 April 1815 it ordered Woolwich Dock to build a copy. However, with
the end of the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars, the copy was never
built.

On 11 October 1814, under Captain John Ordronaux, she engaged in one
of the most violent privateer clashes of the war. Becalmed on the
south side of Nantucket, she became vulnerable. Captain Henry Hope of
the HMS Endymion thereupon sent 111 men in five boats to cut out the
privateersman defended by 40 Americans. After 20 minutes of savage
fighting, the British surrendered. British casualties amounted to 28
killed, 37 wounded, and 28 taken prisoner. The Americans reported 7
killed and 24 wounded. Ordronaux put most of the wounded and prisoners
off at Nantucket, and made the best of his way to Boston.

On 28 December 1814, in the Atlantic, the three British frigates,
Acasta, Leander, and Newcastle sighted her and began to pursue. Under
the strain of the large sail area her masts sprung (many Baltimore
clippers experienced problems due to their extremely large rigs). Not
being able to outrun the British frigates, Prince de Neufchatel
surrendered.[4] John Ordronaux was apparently not her captain at the
time; her commander was Nicholas Millin. At the time of her capture,
Prince de Neufchatel was armed with 18 guns and had a crew of 129 men.
She was eight days out of Boston.

Fate

The British took Prince de Neufchatel back to England. There, however,
she was damaged beyond repair on the back of the sill of a dock gate
as she was being undocked. As a result she was never commissioned into
the Royal Navy. She was broken up in 1815.