Daguerreotype of War of 1812 American privateer Matilda photographed in 1849

chubachus

First Sergeant
Joined
Nov 27, 2014
Location
Virginia
Sailing_Ship_Matilda.jpg


Wikipedia: “Matilda (1812 ship) was an American privateer out of Philadelphia that the British captured in July 1813, that the Americans recaptured, that the British recaptured, and that the Americans again recaptured.” Is this the same ship as that one? And what was its fate?

Image source.
 
Uncertain.

I have the Matilda as an 11 gun schooner if that helps.

And while a schooner was almost always two masted they did exist with three masts and the vessel in the picture does appear to just about conform to the general description of a 3 masted schooner. However this vessel seems perhaps a bit large for 11 guns? Other opinions may vary. I look forward to their opinions.
 
That is an awesome photo. Hoping all that mess wasn't from the ship being dismantled- but if it was from refitting, would it be as messy?

An 1863 ship Matilda was still in shipping logs.
matilda 1863.JPG


From 1805! " French schooner privateer "

matilda 1.JPG


matilda 3.JPG

From 1805 to 1813 she sure changed hands- French-American-British

matilda 2.JPG

From a 1927 article " On this day ", July 9th- so in 1818 she suffered a mutiny toboot
 
@USS Cumberland is correct -- the vessel in the OP is a full-sized, deep water merchant ship,, likely intended for the overseas packet trade, and may be the same one in the first clipping by @JPK Huson 1863 in No. 4 above. I don't have my references with me, but this is affirmatively not a privateer from the War of 1812, sorry.

The jack flying from the bowsprit is of the same pattern as an official U.S. Navy Jack (being the union of the national ensign). It was common enough for civilian ships to fly naval-style flags and ensigns on special occasions when decorating the vessel. The image in the OP appears to be the ship's launching.
 
It seems a little out of place that such an image would be in the collection of the Missouri Historical Society, but there is a notation in the Alexandria, Virginia Gazette (May 16, 1849, p.2) that "the citizens of St. Louis enjoyed the novel sight, in the 3rd instant, of the launch of the ship Matilda, a vessel of 500 tons burthen." It would indeed by an odd sight in St. Louis, which (if this is that event) would explain why a photographer was there to record it.
 
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