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 Spitfire (1814) USS Spitfire (1814) USS "Spitfire" (1814) was a heavily armed schooner in the United States Navy. She was built for service in the War of 1812, but did not see service until the Barbary Wars when she was sent with the American fleet to the Mediterranean to force an end to piracy of American ships. The third ship to be so named by the U.S. Navy, "Spitfire" was purchased at Baltimore, Maryland, between October and December 1814 for service in a squadron commanded by Commodore David Porter which was to operate out of southern American ports against British shipping in