Length: 40cm (16in)
Hardwood fid used in marlinespike seamanship. Of tapering elongated form with an inlaid silver collar bearing period engraved inscription ‘MARCH 28 ESSEX 1814’ in reference to the capture of the American frigate USS Essex (32-guns) by HMS Phoebe (36-guns) off Chile on 28 March 1814.
The present relic was not only witness to one of the ship to ship duels that punctuated the naval side of the War of 1812 but also to the successful commerce raiding cruise of the USS Essex under the command Commander David Porter USN. When hostilities began, Porter was on a mission of exploration but quickly deviated from his course and hoisted the iconic American ensign inscribed ‘Free Trade and Sailors rights’, as he attempted an unsuccessful rendezvous with the USS Constitution, after which he rounded Cape Horn hoping to incite revolt in the Spanish colonies in South America and attack British whaling ships in the Pacific.
Porter arrived in Valparaíso, Chile on 15 March 1813 where he received a warm welcome from the Carrera family heading a revolutionary government, and took on stores before sailing to the Galapagos Islands. Here the Essex captured 12 British whalers giving access to further stores and food, but water remained short. Porter then armed two of his prizes as auxiliaries and detached them to capture others, and two more ships were used to ferry the prisoners to Valparaíso.
On 12 January 1814, Essex arrived in Valparaíso with Essex Junior in company. The Carrera family were now in jail. A civil war had broken out in Chile and the Essex became trapped there for six weeks by the British frigate, HMS Phoebe, under Captain James Hillyar, and HMS Cherub under command of Thomas Tudor Tucker.
On 28 March 1814, Porter determined to break free, and fearing the arrival of British reinforcements, attempted a break out. Rounding the point from the neutral port, Essex lost her main top-mast to weather and was attacked just north of Valparaíso. Essex was armed with powerful but short-range 32-pounder carronades that gave Phoebe, armed with long 18-pounders, a decisive advantage at long range. Despite their lower nominal rating in numbers of guns both Essex and Phoebe were carrying 46 guns on the day of the action. For two and a half hours, Phoebe and Cherub bombarded Essex from long range, where Essex could only resist with her few long 12-pounders. Fires twice erupted aboard Essex, at which point about fifty men abandoned the ship and swam for shore. Only half of whom landed, while the British saved sixteen. Eventually, the hopeless situation forced Porter to surrender. Essex had suffered 58 dead and 31 missing of her crew of 214. The British lost four men dead and seven wounded on Phoebe, and one dead and three wounded on Cherub.