HMS Childers (1812)

Commander Buckland Bluett commissioned Childers in July 1812.^[1] When news of the outbreak of the War of 1812 reached Britain, the Royal Navy seized all American vessels then in British ports. Childers was among the 42 Royal Navy vessels then lying at Spithead or Portsmouth and so entitled to share in the grant for the American ships Belleville, Janus, Aeos, Ganges and Leonidas seized there on 31 July 1812.^[2][a]

Commander John Bedford replaced Bluett in August and sailed for the Leeward Islands on 29 September.^[1] On 3 November she captured the American schooner Snapper, along with Acasta, Aeolus and Maidstone.^[4] Snapper was a privateer of 172 tons, out of Philadelphia. She carried 11 guns and had a crew of 90 men under the command of Captain J. Green.^[5][b] That same day Childers captured the brig Isabella, which was sailing from New York to Puerto Rico.^[4] Some six weeks later, on 16 December, Childers captured the brig Baltimore, which was on her way to Bermuda.^[4]

From December 1813 onwards, she was under Commander John Brand Umfreville.^[1]

For the rest of the conflict, she was with a flotilla of ships operating off the Gulf coast.^[c] In September 1814, she took part in the first, unsuccessful attack on Fort Bowyer.^[d] The final contribution was to embark a field piece, some sick marines and provisions, to allow the remaining marines to march to Pensacola without hindrances, which was appreciated by the artillery officer.^[e] For much of the autumn, Carron was at Pensacola, until General Andrew Jackson's numerically superior land forces expelled the British flotilla after the battle of Pensacola at the start of November 1814.^[13]

On 27 January 1815 Childers left Nassau, Bahamas, escorting a convoy heading to Britain,^[14] Childers moored at Bermuda the following week.^[15] On 21 May Childers departed Bermuda, and arrived at Portsmouth on 23 June 1815.^[16]

Commander Richard Wales assumed command in October 1815, in the Leeward Islands. Lieutenant Edward W. Corry Astley (acting) assumed command in September 1816 while Wales was ill, giving up command on Wales's return. During Astley's command, yellow fever attacked the crew of Childers, forcing him to bring her into English Harbour, Antigua, with only 15 men available for duty.^[17] According to The Naval Chronicle, within a month she lost over 35 officers and men dead from fever.^[18]

In January 1817 Commander Amos Freeman Westropp assumed command.^[1]

Childers was broken up at Chatham on 7 March 1822.^[1]