USS Wasp of the United States Navy was a sailing sloop-of-war captured by the British in the early months of the War of 1812.

In 1808 Wasp was heavily involved in supporting Jefferson's Embargo, including delivering an army garrison from New York City to Passamaquoddy in June, patrolling Casco Bay, Maine, in the winter of 1808–1809, and remaining at Portland until May, 1809.

[2] In the final weeks of 1810, she was operating from the ports of Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, presumably patrolling the waters along southern Atlantic coast.

In 1811, she sailed to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she and the brig Nautilus joined frigates United States and Congress in forming a squadron commanded by Commodore Stephen Decatur.

[3] On 9 March 1812 Wasp sailed from New York for France to deliver an Anglo-Irish mercenary named John Henry who had sold intelligence to President Madison indicating Britain's interest in determining if the New England states wished to secede from the union.

The correspondence, known as the Henry Papers, helped build outrage in Congress against Britain that led to the declaration of war, however the documents are now widely believed to have been a forgery.

[5] On 13 October, she sailed from the Delaware River, two days later she encountered a heavy gale that tore away her jib boom and washed two crewmen overboard.

The following evening, Wasp encountered a squadron of ships and, in spite of the fact that two of their number appeared to be large men-of-war, made for them straight away.

In a short, sharp, fight, both ships sustained heavy damage to masts and rigging, but Wasp prevailed over her adversary by boarding her.

On 27 June she captured the schooner Little Bill, John Roach master, which had been sailing from St Bartholomew to North Carolina.

[14] Lastly, Loup Cervier was one of four British warships that shared in the capture of the sloop Emeline, of 44 tons (bm), O. Adams, master.