USS Alligator (1813)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Alligator.

Career
Name:	USS Alligator
Acquired:	Purchased, 1813
Fate:	Captured, 14 December 1814
General characteristics
Type:	Sloop
Propulsion:	Sail
Complement:	8
Armament:	• 1 × 4-pounder gun

The second USS Alligator was a sloop in the United States Navy during the War of 1812.

Alligator was purchased by the Navy in 1813 at New Orleans, Louisiana, for conversion to a gunboat. Commissioned as a tender at New Orleans, she served on that station under the command of Sailing Master Richard S. Sheppard until late in 1814.

When the British entered Lake Borgne early on the morning of 14 December 1814, Alligator attempted to join the other American gunboats on the lake. The British boats, however, cut her off and quickly captured her. Thus, her participation in the Battle of Lake Borgne — an American defeat, but one that helped to buy precious time for General Andrew Jackson's successful defense of New Orleans — proved very brief.

Her disposition by the British is unknown.

Source

• This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.