History of the United States Navy the ship!". Despite their earlier successes, by 1814 many of the Navy's best ships were blockaded in port and unable to prevent British incursions on land via the sea. During the summer of 1814, the British fought the Chesapeake Campaign, which was climaxed by amphibious assaults against Washington and Baltimore. The capital fell to the British almost without a fight, and several ships were burned at the Washington Navy Yard, including the 44-gun frigate USS "Columbia". At Baltimore, the bombardment by Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner", and the hulks blocking the channel prevented the
USS Wasp (1814) The American warship continued her ravages of the British merchant marine. On 12 September 1814, she encountered "Three Brothers", a brig, and scuttled her. On 14 September 1814, she sank the brig "Bacchus". On 21 September 1814, an eight-gun brig, (or "Atlanta"), ran afoul of "Wasp", and she, too, suffered the ignominy of capture. Deeming "Atalanta" too valuable to destroy, Blakeley placed her under the command of Midshipman David Geisinger and sent her to the United States. She entered Savannah, Georgia safely on 4 November 1814. After "Wasp" and "Atalanta" parted company, on 9 October 1814 she spoke the Swedish