James Madison Appoints the Future Hero of the Battle of Plattsburg Bay, Master Sailor of the USS Saratoga During the War of 1812

The War of 1812 saw a confrontation between US and British naval forces in the Great Lakes region and Lake Champlain-Hudson River corridor.  Seeing that the US was at risk there, the government approved the construction and commissioning of vessels to counter the British threat, foremost among them being the USS Saratoga, which was given to the commander of all the vessels on Lake Champlain, Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough.  The British too increased production of their warships.  

On February 15, 1813, in the midst of the war of 1812, Philip Brum was appointed Sailing Master.  After the completion of the USS Saratoga in early 1814, he became the Sailing Master of that vessel, commanded by Macdonough.

In September of 1814, British and American naval forces fought a now-famous battle in Plattsburg Bay, where Macdonough had secured the heights and had time to prepare his ships for the British advance.  This was the definitive battle for control of the Lake, which held the key to the British plan to head straight down the Hudson from Canada into New York.  The lead vessel for the Americans was Macdonough's ship, the Saratoga.  During the battle, one side of the ship lost its cannons and was disabled.

In his book, "The Field-book of the War of 1812," Benson Lossing describes what happened next. "With the aid of Philip  Brum, his skillful sailing-master, he [Macdonough] wound the ship, by means of a stream anchor and hawsers, so that he brought the guns of his starboard quarter to bear on the [British ship] Confiane, which had vainly endeavored to imitate the movement."  In other words: Brum was able to swing the ship around to expose a fresh side with all its armaments. The British attempted a similar maneuver but were unable to accomplish it.

Macdonough's victory at Plattsburg left the Americans unchallenged on Lake Champlain and sent the British limping back to Canada.  This also undermined position of the British negotiators in Ghent, and led to more favorable terms for the Americans.  It was also a morale booster for the Americans, coming as it did just after the British burning of Washington.

Document signed, Washington, February 15, 1813, being Philip Brum's original apointment as "Sailing Master in the Navy of the United States."

Such appointments are uncommon; the last such sailing master's appointment of which we found record sold around 3 decades ago.