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
HMS Pictou (1814) HMS Pictou (1814) HMS "Pictou" was the American letter of marque schooner "Zebra" that the Royal Navy captured in 1813. The Admiralty purchased her in 1814 and she served on the North America station during the War of 1812 before the navy sold her in 1818. On 20 April 1813 the British frigates and captured "Zebra" off the west coast of France as "Zebra" was sailing from Bordeaux to New York. At the time the British frigate was in sight. "Zebra" carried ten guns and a crew of 38 men under the command of Captain L. Bourne. By 26 July