A Happy Christmas for the Acasta

'Acasta and the Herald 1812', click on image to visit the original painting

It was to be a Happy Christmas indeed when, near this day (in 1812), the Acasta in the company of HMS Poictiers overtook and captured the American Privateer Herald as she and her prizes were bound for Baltimore. She had two other vessels with her, the Friendship and the Little Catharine.

The Herald, being a ship of only 10 guns and barely 50 men, was no match for the combined might of the Poictiers and the Acasta. According to the reports I've heard from the Acastas that have been aboard the Friendship, she has a fortune in cargo aboard her, a fine Christmas present for every man in the crew (in terms of prize money that is). 

U.S. Privateer- Herald 
Class- Brig.
Guns-10
Men-50
Commanded by- .............
Out of- New York
Enemy's
Ships- 1
Brigs- 1
Schrs- 1
Sloops &c.- 0
Cargo, and estimated value- =$400,000

During the War with Great Britain, from 1812 to 1815.

The Cargo of the ship Friendship alone was estimated as per table; the brig was the packet Little Catharine of 6 guns. This cruiser was subsequently captured by the Acasta and Poictiers at sea, December 25, 1812.

Source:

George Foster Emmons, The navy of the United States, from the commencement, 1775 to 1853; with a brief history of each vessel’s service and fate ... Comp. by Lieut. George F. Emmons ... under the authority of the Navy Dept. To which is added a list of private armed vessels, fitted out under the American flag ... also a list of the revenue and coast survey vessels, and principal ocean steamers, belonging to citizens of the United States in 1850. ( Washington: Gideon & Co., 1853.) page 180, 181