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

Captain Sever's Commission As Captain in U.S. Navy-- Part 2

The commission reads:

"Know ye, that reposing special Trust and Confidence in the Patriotism, Valour, Fidelity and Abilities of James Sever, Esquire, I have nominated , and by  and with the Advice and Consent  of the senate, do appoint him a Captain in the Navy.

"He is therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of a Captain by doing and performing all Manner of Things thereunto belonging.

"I do strictly charge and requite all Officers, Seaman and Marines under his Command to be obedient to his Orders as a Captain.

"And he is to observe and follow such Orders and Directions from time to time, as he shall receive from me, or the future President of the United States, or his Superior Officer set over him, according to  to the Rules and Discipline of the Navy.

"This Commission to continue in Force during the pleasure of the President of the United States for the Time being.

"Given under my Hand at Philadelphia this Eleventh Day of May  in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-Eight and in the Twenty ___?__ Year of the Independence of the United States.

"By Command of the President of the United States of America.   JOHN ADAMS"

Registered Josiah Fox

Got $24,000 Lying Around?  --Brock-Perry

Captain Sever's Commission Signed by President John Adams-- Part 1

From CopBlock "1798 John Adams signed naval commission frigate USS Congress birth of U.S.Navy."

Offered for $24,000.

President John Adams (1735-1826), second U.S. president, appoints on 5/11/1797, James Sever as Captain of the USS Congress, one of 6 war frigates started by the U.S. Navy under the Naval Act of 1794.

Professionally framed  in museum glass and with an early engraving of John Adams.

Frame measures 23" by 18.5".  Document is in excellent condition and signature is very strong.  Includes JSA Letter of Authenticity.

--Brock-Perry

James Sever, USN: A Short Naval Career

James Sever:  Captain, May 11, 1798.  Discharged 18 June 1801.    Under Peace Establishment Act.

A very short naval career.  Perhaps due to the problems the USS Congress had on its first mission and what his subordinates had to say about him.  Of course,too,he started at one of the highest officer rates in the Navy.  There was no climbing through the ranks for him.

But, this was a restart to the U.S. Navy.

Maybe the short career is why it is so difficult to find information on him.

--Brock-Perry-Sever

The Three Attempts to Launch the USS Constitution

In the last post, I mentioned that the Democratic papers made fun of the USS Constitution because of the fact that it had taken three tries to get the ship into the water.

From Wikipedia.

The ship's launch on September 20, 1797, was attended by President John Adams and Massachusetts Governor Increase Sumner.  Upon launch, the ship slid down the ways just 27 feet before stopping.  It turned out that her weight had caused the ways to settle into the ground, preventing further movement.

Work on it was hasty, and a second attempt two days later resulted in just an additional 31 feet.  People were wondering if the ship would ever get launched.  After a month of rebuilding the ways, the third time was the charm and on October  21, 1797. the Constitution finally reached the water.

Captain James Sever christened her by breaking a bottle of Madeira on her bowsprit.

--Brock-Perry

Captain James Sever-- Part 8: Society of Cincinnati

The article showed a portrait miniature of James Sever that recently was sold and from the face, you can see that Mr. Morris' thoughts on his captain were confirmed.

James Sever left the U.S. Navy in 1801 and did not serve again, even though he was alive during the War of 1812.  He must have become persona non grata with someone.  In later years he became involved with the Massachusetts Society of Cincinnati (officers in the American Revolution).

According to historian Christopher McKee , Sever was "an avid and vocal Federalist" which might explain his presence at the launch.  The USS Constitution frigate was seen as a triumph for Boston federalists., while the Democratic press presented the ship  and the failed launches as little more than a costly farce.

It would have been easy for Sever to visit Boston, especially since the ship construction he was superintending had been halted.  But, that still doesn't explain why so few sources even mentioned him as being there.

--Brock-Perry

Captain James Sever-- Part 7: Others' Opinions of Him

Stephen Higginson, the Navy Agent at Boston thought that"  "Sever will be an excellent naval commander; he is a cool, firm, discreet, gentlemanlike man, who feels and conducts with dignity and zeal proper is station; he is remarkable  for discipline and regularity."

Charles Morris (the Constitution's first lieutenant in 1812)  served under Sever on the USS Congress and held only a partial flattering  opinion of his first commander:  "He was well educated, very austere and distant in his manner, not very amiable in temper, rigid in discipline, , and very punctilious in all manners of military etiquette.

"I believe he was rather deficient in seamanship, but remarkable coolness and self-possession in trying situations  enabled him to decide and direct what was proper to be done better than most of his officers who better understood their profession practically."

He evidently was one of those aboard the Congress when they ran into the problems on its maiden voyageand Sever's junior officers gave him a no confidence vote and several shipped off to the USS Chesapeake.

--Brock-Perry

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

Captain James Sever-- Part 5: Did He Christen the USS Constitution?

According to the United Services Journal in 1891:  "The tides were high and favorable, and at half-past twelve,Captain James Sever stood on the heel of the bowsprit, provided with a bottle of choice old Madeira wine from the valuable and well-stocked cellar of Hon.Thomas Russell, a prominent Boston merchant.

"She glided easily and majestically into the water, and was brought up by her starboard anchor within two hundred yards of the ways.    As she then floated, she drew eighteen feet aft and fourteen feet forward."

But, was this story true?  Did Captain James Sever christen the USS Constitution?  There were other newspaper accounts and they didn't mention the presence of Sever.  Was it that the role of christening was too insignificant or perhaps he wasn't there at all.

Let's See.  --Brock-Perry

Captain James Sever-- Part 4: The Madeira Mystery and the Launch of the USS Constitution

From the USS Constitution Museum "Madeira Mystery."

The magnificent U.S. warship's launch was not so impressive the first two times it was attempted.  The launch was a no-go.    The third time proved to be the charm.

Anxious shipwrights and boisterous onlookers gathered at Edmund Hartt's shipyard  that October day to see the ship enter its"destined element."

But, one mystery from that day continues.  According to most 20th century accounts, a man by the name of James Sever had the honor of christening the Constitution before she slid down the launching ways  into Boston Harbor.

Ira Hollis' 1900 book "The Frigate Constitution The Central Figure of the U.S. Navy Under Sail" wrote:  "The successful launch  finally occurred on October 2121. Captain James Sever, whose ship was on the stocks at Portsmouth (the USS Congress) awaiting congressional action, went down to break a bottle of wine over her bow."

That's Our James Sever.  --Brock-Perry

Captain James Sever-- Part 3: Some More on the Captain

The Naval History and Heritage Command  Navy Officers 1798-1900  has James Sever, Captain, 11 May 1798.  Discharged 18 June 1801 under Peace Establishment Act.

Also, under this under Christening, Launching and Commissioning of U.S. Navy Ships. I found this:

The first mention of the christening of a Navy warship we have  is that of the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," at Boston 21 October 1797.  Her sponsor, Captain James Sever, USN, stood on the weather deck at the bow.

"At fifteen minutes after twelve she commenced a movement into the water with such steadiness, majesty and exactness  as to fill every heart with  sensations of joy and delight."

As the Constitution ran out, Captain broke a bottle of fine old Madeira over the heel of the bowsprit.

The National Museum of the U.S. Navy has then sword and leather sea chest of James Sever, commander of the USS Congress during the Quasi War with France.

--Brock-Perry

Captain James Sever-- Part 2: Superintendent of USS Congress' Construction, Christened the USS Constitution

Captain James Sever was the first captain of the heavy frigate USS Congress which was a sister ship to the USS Constitution.

He was also the superintendent  of the construction of the USS Congress at a shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  The sister ship of the Congress, the Constitution, still exists today in Boston Harbor.

In fact, it was Captain James Sever who christened the USS Constitution with a bottle of wine during her launching on October 21, 1797.

--Brock-Perry

Captain James Sever-- Part 1: From Massachusetts

I have been writing about this man in the last several posts about the USS Congress.

From Find A Grave.

This was the only information I could find out about him.

Birth  12 November 1761

Death:  16 December 1845 (age 84)

Burial:  Old Burying Ground   Kingston, Massachusetts.  Many of his family are buried here.

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American Revolution Major General John Thomas is buried here as well.

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Since he was alive through the War of 1812, you'd think I'd be able to find out more about him.  And, being given command of one of the U.S. Navy's best ships would make you think so as well.

--Brock-Perry

USS Congress (1799)-- Part 6: An Inauspicious Maiden Voyage

The USS Congress was launched on 15 August 1799 under the command of Captain James Sever.  It fit-out at Rhode Island and set off on its maiden voyage 6 January 1800 in company with the USS Essex to escort merchant ships to the East Indies.

Six days later she lost all of her masts in a gale.  Because her rigging had been set and tightened in a cold climate, it had slackened once she reached warmer waters.  Without the full support of all her rigging, all the masts fell within a four hour period, killing one crew member trying to do repairs.

The crew rigged a temporary sail and the Congress limped to the Gosport Navy Yard for repairs.  While there, some of Server's junior officers announced that they had no confidence in his ability as a commanding officer.  A hearing was held, and Captain sever was cleared  of any wrongdoing and remained in command of the Congress, though many of his crew soon transferred out to the USS Chesapeake.

Of course, the USS Chesapeake went on to have a somewhat checkered career as an unlucky ship.

--Brock-Perry