General Armstrong was an American brig built for privateering in the Atlantic Ocean theater of the War of 1812.

[6] General Armstrong is perhaps most remembered for her involvement in the Battle of Fayal, under the captaincy of Samuel Chester Reid, on 26 and 27 September 1814.

In the engagement, the British brig-sloop Carnation and several boats armed with cannon and carrying sailors and marines attempted to cut out the General Armstrong.

[11] Sir Sidney Smith foundered off Nantucket,[12][b] On 29 November General Armstrong unsuccessfully attacked Maxwell off the Brazil coast.

In January she captured the sloop Resolution, which was sailing from Jersey for Lisbon with linen and paper, seizing her cargo and releasing her.

That month General Armstrong also captured and scuttled the brig Phoebe, which sailed from Forney for Madeira laden with butter and potatoes.

[18] On 19 April 1814 General Armstrong captured the eighteen-gun British letter of marque Fanny and its 45-man crew off the coast of Ireland.

[19] On 26 April 1814 Lloyd's List reported the General Armstrong was seized and the crew taken prisoner when she put into Dunkirk.

[21] On 25 June 1814 General Armstrong captured the Portuguese ship Mercury but allowed her to proceed as she was neutral.

[22] On 19 July 1814 General Armstrong captured the sloop Henrietta, which was bound to Chesapeake with stores, and sent her to Egg Harbor.

Another may have been the Sir Alexander Ball, which General Armstrong captured after a short engagement some 80 miles (130 km) west of Lisbon.

The prize schooner to the General Armstrong (lately arrived at an Eastern Port) was formerly the Matilda, American privateer.

Samuel Reid took over as captain and departed Sandy Hook on 9 September 1814, a few weeks before the fateful Battle of Fayal.