Firebrand

A piece of burning wood.

( Sch : 1. 70' , b. 21'; dr. 10'6" ; cpl. 52 ; a 1 6.pdr, 6 12-pdr.)

Firebrand, a schooner, was purchased in April 1816 at New Orleans, and first put to sea in August 1816, Lieutenant T. S. Cunningham in command.

Cruising the southern coast of the United States from New Orleans, Firebrand protected American commerce from pirates and inforced the revenue laws. On her first cruise, in August and September 1816, she recaptured an American sloop and a Spanish ship from the pirates near Isle Cayes, and captured an armed schooner commanded by one of the Barataria pirates. Late in 1819, she apprehended four smugglers' boats off the Sabine, and took the armed schooner La Maison commanded by a buccaneer from the New Orleans area.

Anchored near Pass Christian, Miss., 28 July 1819 to take on provisions from Bay Saint Louis, Firebrand WAS wrecked on Square Handerkerchief Shoal in heavy gale that night. Thirty-six of her crew, all of l those who were not ashore on provisioning and other l ship's business, were lost with their ship.