HMS Cherub (1806) - Capture of The Essex

Capture of The Essex

On 8 February 1814, the Phoebe and Cherub found the Essex at Valparaiso. They waited off the port for Essex to come out. On the afternoon of 28 March, the Essex sailed but she lost her main topmast and anchored near the shore. Pheobe and Cherub also anchored and opened fire. The British were armed with long cannons which were more effective at a longer range than the American armament of carronades. As the British anchored out of effective range of the American carronades, the battle was very one-sided and lasted for an hour until the American captain struck his colours with 23 dead and 42 wounded on board. On the British ships only five were killed. Phoebe and Cherub also captured the Essex's tender, Essex Junior, which they then used as a cartel to transport their prisoners to New York.

On 19 June 1814, Cherub recaptured the Sir Andrew Hammond near the Sandwich Islands. Sir Andrew Hammond was a whaler that Porter had captured and left at Nuka Hiva, together with other captured vessels, including the Greenwich and the privateer Seringnapatam, the whole being under the command of Lieutenant John M. Gamble USMC. When Gamble made preparations to leave the island, many of his party mutinied. Gamble and seven men (four unfit for duty) escaped and sailed the Sir Andrew Hammond 2500 miles before they had the misfortune to meet up with Cherub.