During the War of 1812, an even newer class of US
Warship emerged out of Chesapeake Bay. They were known as the Baltimore Packets,
but soon became the Baltimore Clipper. These schooners were lightly gunned,
sleek and very fast. So fast they could sail almost directly into the wind at
full speed!
The Harvey exemplified this
class of roving privateers, overtaking and capturing British merchantmen laden
with cargo to support the British expeditionary forces then attempting to
recapture the former colonies. The Harvey was also used during the California
gold rush, when it ran blockades and transported valuable cargo from New York