Sailing Ships in the 1800s

Marine History is dubbed with various tags thatSchooners are versatile because they can carry
characterized the use of the ships and/or the style.every conceivable type of cargo. The schooners are
The mid-1800s to early the 1900s was dubbed withalso used for coastal work, ocean voyages on inland
some affection as the golden age of sailing or thewaterways and in the open seas. In the late 1800's,
golden age of sailing ships. The sailing ships in thethere could be up to 2000 schooners on the Great
1800s plowed all seven seas in the world to transportLakes for the purpose of hauling a great variety of
cargo. Also the rigs of the 1800 ships are divided intocargo and actually for pleasure as well or for the
two categories. The two categories are:purpose of fishing.
The fore-and-aft-rigShips, through the history of our country and before
The square righave had a great influence on countries and peoples.
For each of these categories there were certainThey have promoted trade and been a basic form of
styles of sailing ships in the 1800s. The styles of shiptransportation through the decades of many centuries.
referred to as the "fore-and-aft-rig" are:So from the 1600's to the 1800's, the big sailing ships
The Sloopwere called East Indiamen and they carried silks,
Grand Bank Fishing Schoonerspices, and other riches from the Far East to Europe.
Two Masted Fishing SchoonerHowever, during the mid-1800's, steam-powered ships
Square Topsail Schoonerbegan to replace these sailing vessels.
Coastal SchoonerThe sailing ships in the 1800s participated in the wars
Ketchof that century. In 1805 there was a battle fought on
Four Masted SchoonerJuly 20 by the famous name of Battle of Cape
Tern SchoonerFinisterre. This battle was one of the Napoleonic wars
The second style of ship is the "square rig" these arefought between two fleets of two famous admirals by
the styles:the name of Vice Admiral Robert Calder and Vice
BrigantineAdmiral Pierre Villeneuve.
BrigIn the War of 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the
BarquentineHMS Guerriere. This battle was the first one in a series
Barque or Barkof single-ship victories for the US Navy over the Royal
Full Rigged ShipNavy in the early days of the War of 1812.
The fore-and-aft-rig style ships are generally of aIn the years of the civil war, there were many battles
schooners style. Schooners have been know tofought with the sailing ships in the 1800 ships over the
out-number square riggers in America, generally. Theinland waterways. Some of the were the capture of
schooners can sail closer to the wind and they couldNew Orleans, The Battle of Memphis and when the
also be sailed with a smaller crew, thus the reason forH.L. Hunley sank the USS Housatonic.
their popularity.