USS Viper (1806)

USS "Viper" (1806) – commissioned as USS "Ferret" (1806) – was a brig serving the United States Navy during the early days of the republic. "Viper" was assigned to enforce the Embargo Act of 1807 along the U.S. East Coast. During the War of 1812, while cruising in the Caribbean, she was captured by the more heavily armed British warships.

Built in Virginia

The first ship to be so named by the Navy, "Viper" -- originally the cutter "Ferret" designed by naval architect Josiah Fox and built at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, between 1806 and 1809 -- was commissioned under her old name on 18 April 1809, Lt. Christopher Gadsden, Jr., in command.

Enforcing the Embargo Act of 1807

Shortly after her commissioning, "Ferret" cruised along the coast of the Carolinas and Georgia to aid in the enforcement of the Embargo Act of 1807. She was renamed "Viper" during re-rigging as a brig at the Washington Navy Yard in 1809 and 1810, and from Washington sailed to New Orleans, Louisiana, arriving there on 18 March 1811. "Viper" remained off the U.S. Gulf Coast enforcing the Embargo Act until the outbreak of the War of 1812.

Captured during the War of 1812

During the war, "Viper" proved woefully inadequate in deep water operations against the larger, more heavily gunned British warships and was captured by the 32-gun frigate HMS "Narcissus" off the coast of Belize, British Honduras, on 17 January 1813 and taken to New Providence in the Bahama Islands.

Subsequent career

Nothing is known of her subsequent career.

See also

* United States Navy
* War of 1812

Reference

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