John Downes, USN-- Part 3: Cruising with the Essex and the Second Barbary War

Among the prizes taken by the USS Essex was the whaler Atlantic.  Captain Porter fitted it out as a cruiser and classified it as a sloop-of-war with twenty guns and named her Essex Junior.  The ship was placed  under the command of Lieutenant Downes.  The Essex and Essex Junior were both captured at the same time on 28 March 1814.

Downes was promoted to master commandant in 1813 and two years later commanded  the brig Epervier in the squadron under the command of  Stephen Decatur against Algiers.  On June 17, 1815, he assisted in the capture of the Algerian frigate Mashouda.  Two days later, the Eperviere and three smaller vessels captured the Algerian brig Estedio off Cape Palos.  

After the conclusion of peace with Algiers, Decatur transferred Downes to his ship, the USS Guerriere.

Downes also served on the Ontario and Independence before becoming a captain in 1817.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Albion-- Part 3: Afterwards

In 1816, the Albion was part of a combined British-Dutch fleet that took part in the bombardment of Algiers on 27 August 1816, which was intended to force the Dey of Algiers to free Christian slaves.  

She fired 4,110 shots at the city and suffered 3 killed and 15 wounded from return fire.

In 1827, she was part of a combined British-Russian fleet under the command of Admiral Codrington at the Battle of Navarino, where a Turkish-Egyptian fleet was obliterated, securing Greek independence.

 At this battle, the Albion suffered 10 killed and 50 wounded, including her second-in-command, Commander John Norman Campbell.

In 1847, the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with the clasps "Algiers" and "Navarino."

In 1831, the Albion was hulked as a quarantine ship and broken up in1836.

--Brock-Perry

The Career of Thomas Macdonough-- Part 1

From Classic NY History  "Macdonough Monument:  History of Plattsburgh's Famous Monument" by Brian Kachijian.

Thomas Macdonough began his naval career in 1800.  He was born on New Year's Eve 1783 and was an orphan by the age of twelve.  His father served in the American Revolution.

He began naval service at the age of sixteen and served in the Barbary War against Algiers, Morocco, Tunis and Tripoli.  After that, he became captain of a merchant ship named the  Gullivar that transported goods between New York, England and India.

Upon the declaration of war between the U.S. and England, he returned to New York and was on his way to greatness.  He was placed in charge of naval forces on Lake Champlain at Plattsburgh, N.Y., where he oversaw the construction of American warships.

--Brock-Macdonough

Captain James Sever-- Part 6: His Background in the Continental Army and U.S. Navy

James Sever was born in Kingston, Massachusetts, in 1781.  He graduated from Harvardin 1781 and immediately received an ensign's commission in the 7th Massachusetts Regiment.  he later transferred to the 4th Massachusetts Regiment and continued service until 1784.

After making several cruises to Europe, he was appointed one of the six captains approved by the Naval Act of 1794.

He was appointed superintendent of the frigate building at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the USS Congress in 1795, but the government suspended construction of it the following year in March when a treaty was signed with Algiers.

Construction resumed on July 16, 1798, as relations with France worsened.  The Congress was launched on August 15, 1799.  James Sever served as her captain through the Quasi War.  After a less-than-spectacular cruise, she returned to the United States and was placed in ordinary in 1801.

--Brock-Perry

USS Congress (1799)-- Part 5: Finished For the Quasi War with France

The Congress was given her name by George Washington  after a principle of the U.S. Constitution.  According to reports, her keel was laid down in 1795 at a shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (or close to it, Badger Island).

James Hackett was charged with her construction and Captain James Sever served as superintendent.  Construction proceeded slowly  and was completely suspended in 1796 when a peace treaty was signed with Algiers.  The Congress remained in shipyard, incomplete, until relations with France deteriorated in 1798 and the start of the Quasi War.

At the request of then-President John Adams, funds were approved 16 July to finish her construction.

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ARMAMENT

The Naval Act of 1794 had rated the Congress as 36-gun frigates, but, because of their larger size, upped to 38-guns.  However, ships of this era  had no permanent batteries as do more recent warships.  The cannons were completely portable and often exchanged between ships and stations as needed.

--Brock-Perry

USS Congress-- Part 4: A Special Kind of Frigate

In 1785, Barbary pirates, mostly from Algiers in North Africa, began to seize American merchant ships in the Mediterranean.  In 1793 alone, eleven sere taken with their crews and cargoes held for ransom.    This caused the U.S. to pass the Naval Act of 1794. to provide funds for the construction of six frigates.  But in cost cutting, a clause was added that if a peace treaty was signed with Algiers that construction would be stopped.

Joshua Humphreys design was unusual for the time with a long keel and narrow beam and mounting heavy guns.The "ratings" or number of guns carried, was a bit of a misnomer as these frigates carried many different numbers of cannons.  The USS Congress was rated at 38 guns, but often carried as  many as 48.

The designs also gave these ships much heavier planking on their sides than was to be found on frigates at the time, meaning they could withstand broadsides better.  Humphreys design took into account that the U.S. Navy could not stand toe-to-toe with the European powers at the time, but could do well against other frigates.  They could, though, escape from the more powerful but slower ships of the line.

--Brock-Perry

Stephen Decatur and the Second Barbary War-- Part 2: Decatur's Fleet

From Wikipedia.

Wikipedia did not list the USS Saranac as being in Decatur's fleet.    Either a mistake on its part, or, it was with Bainbridge's fleet or maybe it didn't go at all.

Decatur's fleet was interesting as it consisted of two previously captured British ships.and the flagship was named for one the USS Constitution had sunk.

FRIGATES

USS Guerriere, 44 guns.   Flagship.  Named after the HMS Guerriere.  Capt. William Lewis
USS Constellation, 36 guns,  Capt. Charles Gordon
USS  Macedonian, 38 guns.  Captured from British.  Capt. Jacob Jones

SLOOPS

USS Epervier.  Captured bu USS Peacock.  Captain John Downes.  This ship disappeared carrying dispatches regarding the surrender of the Dey of Algiers after the war was over.
USS Ontario, 16 guns.  Capt. Jesse D. Elliott

BRIGS

USS Firefly, 14 guns.  Lt. George W. Rodgers
USS Spark, 14 guns.  Lt. Thomas Gamble
USS Flambeau, 14 guns.  John B. Nicholson

SCHOONERS

USS  Torch, 12 guns.  Lt. Walcott Chauncey
USS  Spitfire, 12 guns.  Lt. Alexander J. Dallas

But No Saranac.  --Brock-Perry

Captain William Henry Allen, Rhode Island Naval Hero-- Part 2

On William Allen's first cruise, he went from Philadelphia to North Africa on the USS George Washington to carry tribute to the Dey of Algiers to keep him from attacking American shipping.

In June 1807, in the Chesapeake Bay, he allegedly fired the only shot at the HMS Leopard when it was impressing American seamen from the USS George Washington.  This even caused President Jefferson to enact his December 1807 Embargo against Britain.

In early 1812, Allen was 1st Lieutenant on Captain Stephen Decatur's frigate USS United States in its victory over the HMS Macedonian and then he took command of that ship and sailed it into Newport, Rhode Island, as a prize on Dec. 6, 1812.

--Brock-Perry