Newly Acquired Documents Shed History of USS Constitution-- Part 2

The USS Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat.  It was undefeated in battle and, in the War of 1812,  earned its nickname, Old Ironsides,  when British cannonballs bounced off its wooden hull.

The acquired papers cover several topics, including the construction of the nation's first six frigates, which included the Constitution.  Also, the strategic plans of the  undeclared Quasi-War against France from 1798 to 1800.

The collection belonged to James Sever, the first commander of the USS Congress, another frigate constructed at the same time.  These papers had been in his family ever since.  James Sever was the naval officer officiating at the launch of the Constitution as I have written about before.

Sever supervised the construction of the Congress  and was deployed withy the ship to the Caribbean Sea to protect U.S. merchant ships from French privateers.  The Constitution served alongside the Congress.

The collection also includes  correspondence from the Constitutions commander, Captain Silas Talbot, Henry Knox, Secretary of War under Washington, who oversaw appropriations for the construction of the Constitution and her sister ships; and Toussaint Louverture, the formerly enslaved leader of the Haitian Revolution, who corresponded with U.S. naval commanders about support for his government.

The documents will be  archived at the museum and shared publicly  via email newsletters and social media posts at first.  They also will be digitalized  and made available at the museum's website.

The More We Know.  --Brock-Perry

Disappearance of the Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 4: Preparations and a Privateer

As her health continued to deteriorate, and with rumors of pirates operating along the North Carolina coast, Theodosia was still determined to visit her father.  Her husband, John Alston, wrote a letter to the British blockading fleet to allow passage for his wife.  Aaron Burr sent his trusted friend and doctor, Timothy Green to make the voyage with his daughter.

On December 30, Theodosia, her maid and Green climbed aboard the schooner Patriot which lay moored in Charleston Harbor.  It sailed out of the harbor bound for New York City under the command of Captain William Overstocks.

The Patriot had just returned from several months in the Caribbean where it had done privateering on the behalf of the U.S. government.  It was filled with booty from that.  To disguise his ship, the guns had been stowed below and the name had been painted over.

Some stories had Theodosia taking along a recently completed painting of herself that she intended to give her father as a Christmas gift.

--Cooter

USS General Greene-- Part 2: Quasi War, Haitian Revolution, Burned At Washington Navy Yard

While in San Domingo (today's Dominican Republic), the General Greene was with the USS Boston (later burned with the Greene at Washington navy Yard in 1814).  On December 1, 1799,  the Greene assisted in the capture of the schooner Flying Fish and then retook the American schooner Weymouth, which had been captured by the French privateer  Hope.

After that, much of her time was spent keeping an eye on the Haitian Revolution and gave artillery support to General Toussaint.  In April 1800, she carried two representatives of Toussaint to an audience with President John Adams and later convoyed 12 merchant ships to Havana

Afterwards, the Greene went to Newport, Rhode Island, where its crew was discharged.  Captain Christopher R. Perry was retired under the Peace Establishment Act of 3 April 1801.  After that, the general Greene was laid up in ordinary at Washington Navy Yard where she served as a floating sick bay for the frigate USS Constellation in 1801.

In 1805, the ship was reduced to a sheer hulk.  It was burned to prevent capture by the British August 24, 1814.

That Covers All the Ships That I Found Were Burned At the Washington Navy Yard When the British Captured Washington, D.C..

Brock-Perry

USS New York-- Part 1: Quasi War and First Barbary War

From Wikipedia.

A three-masted, wooden sailing frigate that saw service during the Quasi War with France and the First Barbary War.  It was built by public subscription by citizens of New York, one of five frigates built by states to supplement the original six provided for by the Naval Act of 1794.

Length 145 feet, beam 28 feet,  340 officers and men,  Armament:   twenty-six  18-pdr. guns and twenty 32-pdr carronades.

It was built in New York City and commissioned in October 1800 with Captain Richard Valentine Morris in command.  The Quasi War took place in the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas where French warships preyed on American shipping interests.  In 1800, the New York patrolled Caribbean waters.

In 1802, it went to the Mediterranean Sea.  Became flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron in 1803.

--Brock-Perry

The Quasi War's USS Merrimack-- Part 2: Battling the French in the Caribbean

The newly commissioned USS Merrimack left Boston on 3 January 1799 for the Windward islands in the Caribbean to protect American merchant ships during the Quasi War with France.

On June 28, 1799, it took a prize, the L'Magicienne, the former U.S. Navy schooner Retaliation which had been captured by the French in 1798.  The Merrimack then captured the French privateer Bonaparte 7 August.

With the USS Ganges and USS Pickering, she recaptured the American schooner John on the 15th after that ship had been captured the day before.

This Is Called Close Action With the Enemy.  --Brock-Perry

USS Rattlesnake

From Wikipedia.

As mentioned in the last post, it was captured on June 22, 1814, 200 years ago.

Fourteen-gun brig built in Medford, Massachusetts as a privateer and purchased by U.S.Navy in 1813.  Sailed from Portsmouth, New Hampshire 10 January 1814 under Master commandant John O. Creighton and sailed with the USS Enterprise to the Caribbean and took three prizes before being forced to split up and run for it ny a British frigate.

It put into Wilmington, North Carolina.

It was back to sea under Lt. James Renshaw and captured eight more merchant ships along the Atlantic coast.  On May 31st it was again chased by a British frigate and managed to escape after throwing all but two guns overboard.

Its evading luck ran out on June 22, 1814, when it was captured by the HMS Leander off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia.  The Leander's captain reported that the Rattlesnake had 22 cannons aboard, but had thrown all overboard during the chase and it had a crew of 131.

The British Admiralty recorded the USS Rattlesnake being captured on July 7. 1814, however, and that is considered to be most likely the capture date.

It was purchased by the British Navy, but no further records of the ship have been found.

When Chased, Throw Those Heavy cannons Overboard.  --Brock-Perry

January 17, 1813, the HMS Narcissus Captures the USS Viper

From Wikipedia.

Just over 200 years ago, the British ship HMS Narcissus pursued and captured the USS Viper in the Caribbean as it was trying to get back to New Orleans after it had become separated from its companion ship.  The Viper had a severe leak that enabled the British ship to overtake her.

The Viper was originally the revenue cutter USS Ferret, built between 1806 and 1809 at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia.  It spent most of its first years in service enforcing the Embargo Act of 1807 and during this time it was renamed Viper.

Later, it operated in the Gulf of Mexico out of New Orleans.  The Narcissus captured her off the coast of present-day Belize.

The British took her into their service and it was renamed the HMS Mohawk and operated in the Chesapeake Bay under Admiral Sir John Warren.  It was in several actions including the Battle of the Rappahannock River where boat crews from the Mohawk and other British ships rowed fifteen miles up the river and captured American privateer schooners Dolphin, Lynx, Racer and Arab.

It was sold in 1814.

Never Heard of This Two-Service Ship.  --Brock-Perry