The Super-Frigates of the U.S. Navy (or, the Original Six Frigates )

 Wikipedia.

In case you're wondering about these six frigates built as per the Naval Act of 1794, of which the USS Congress was one, here is a list of them, along with site built, guns, naval contractor and Navy superintendent:

CHESAPEAKE:  Gosport, Virginia (Norfolk, Va.), 44 guns, Josiah Fox, Richard Dale

CONSTITUTION:  Boston, Massachusetts,  44 guns, George Claghorn, Samuel Nicholson

PRESIDENT:  New York, New York, 44 guns,  Christian Bergh, Silas Talbot

UNITED STATES:  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,  44 guns, Joshua Humphreys,  John Barry

CONGRESS:  Portsmouth, New Hampshire,  36 guns, James Hackett,  James Sever

CONSTELLATION:  Baltimore, Maryland,  36,  David Stodder,  Thomas Truxton

--Brock-Perry

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

The USS Constitution Goes to Washington Navy Yard-- Part 3: Heaved Over and Ready to Go

In contrast to the slow work done on the USS Chesapeake, not so for the USS Constitution.  There was a sense of urgency because of the increasingly bad relations with Britain and all the cries for conflict from the Congressional War Hawks.

The Constitution arrived on March 5, 1812.  The Secretary of the Navy, Paul Hamilton visited the ship to determine what needed to be done.  Once the spars and uppermasts were removed and anything else removable removed, the ship was heaved down.  Heaved down is when a ship is turned onto her side so that work below the waterline can be done.  This would occur in very shallow water where a dry dock was not available.

It was heaved down on May 2 using teams of oxen to perform the heavy moving.  First the port side was exposed, then the starboard.  By May 12, cleaning and patching  the copper sheathing  and caulking was completed.  Work began to re-rig the ship with new spars and foremast.

The bowsprit had been intended for the USS Constellation, but Captain Hull redirected this  and other timbers to his ship.  The Constellation would have to wait.  Sky poles  and a double dolphin striker (no idea what these are) were added.

Preparing for War.  --Brock-Perry

USS Constellation Goes for Reconstruction-- Part 2

In the War of 1812, the Constellation sailed from Washington, D.C. to Hampton Roads, Virginia, and immediately was blockaded by the British at Norfolk.

The current USS Constellation was built in 1854, using a small amount of material from the original ship which had been disassembled in 1853.

The ship has been patched and rebuilt several times, so definitely is not the original ship.

--Brock-Perry

The USS Constellation Setting Sail for Reconstruction-- Part 1

From the October 26, 2017, WMAR ABC 2, Baltimore, Md.

The USS Constellation is a veteran of the War of 1812 and the Civil War and can usually be found in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, but on Thursday, October 26, is set sail.  It sailed to Fort McHenry and fired a salute and turned around.

The reconstruction is part of the Living Classroom Foundation's effort.

The Constellation first sailed in 1797 and participated in the Quasi War with France where it captured a French frigate and two French privateers.

--Brock-Perry

John H. Dent, USN-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

I wrote about the destroyer USS Dent in today's Tattooed on Your Soul: World War II Blog.

(15 February 1782 to 31 July 1823.

Officer U.S. Navy in Quasi-War, First Barbary War and War of 1812.  he was acting captain of the USS Constitution during the attacks on Tripoli in 1804.  Born in Maryland, the son of Congressman and Revolutionary War officer George Dent.

Appointed Midshipman 16 March 1794.Served on the USS Constellation when it captured the French frigate Insurgente in 1799.  Then served on the USS Constitution in the Mediterranean and later commanded the schooners Nautilus and Scourge during the First Barbary War.

More to Come.  --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

War Comes to Hampton Roads-- Part 2

For two years, the British raided the James River as far as Lawnes Creek and Jamestown. They raided Warwick County and attacked Norfolk. They burned and plundered Hampton. They also attacked all over the Chesapeake Bay, including Maryland and Baltimore. //// This blockade was intended to blunt the American invasion of Canada. //// The frigate USS Constellation, Captain Charles Stewart, sailed out and had to flee two ships of the line, three frigates, a brig and a schooner. Tide and the wind turned against him, but he was able to get his ship to safety by kedging for hours and get under the protective guns of Fort Norfolk. //// --Brock-Perry

The British Get Surprised At the Battle of Craney Island-- Part 2

The Royal Navy had arrived in the Chesapeake Bay in February to set up a blockade and conduct raids on the shore.

The USS Constellation had been chased into Norfolk back in 1812 and had been bottled up there ever since.  Back in the first year of the war, 1812, the British Navy had been greatly embarrassed by the domination of the bigger and stronger U.S. frigates in single ship actions with their frigates. 

They really wanted to capture the Constellation as payback.  It was even rumored that at one time the British commander, Admiral Cockburn, had disguised himself and snuck into Norfolk to see the ship himself and gather information for an attack (but I kind of doubt that an admiral would do such a thing).

The Constellation's commander, Captain Charles Stewart, besides wanting to get out of port, lamented how poorly Norfolk was defended with its two small forts.  So he, militia Brigadier General Robert Barrand Taylor and Army Engineer Walter K. Armistead planned the construction of a new fort on Craney Island.  Also, Gosport Navy Yard Commandant John Cassin agreed to let the new Craney Island defenses use his twenty gunboats.

The Constellation sent three of its large caliber naval guns to the new fort which also had a battery of four 6-pound field guns manned by militiamen of the Portsmouth Light Artillery.

More to Come.  --Brock-Perry

A Newly Discovered Map Details the Battle of Craney Island

From the June 13, 2013, Daily Press "A newly discovered map of the War of 1812 Battle of Craney island" by Mark St. John Erickson.

The War of 1812 has a striking lack of artifacts and records about Hampton Roads' role in the war.  But recently, a map has been found detailing the city of Norfolk, Craney Island and the Elizabeth River and American defenses.

The map was found by Williamsburg historian Stuart L. Butler in the papers of Royal Navy Captain Robert Barnes, on the HMS Dragon, a 74-gun ship-of-the-line that saw service in the Chesapeake Bay.  It was found in the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Duke University.

It shows details of earthworks on Craney Island, the location of Forts Norfolk and Nelson and even the anchorage of the frigate USS  Constellation which had been bottled up in the harbor.  It even included the locations of American gunboats which defended the east side of the channel.

There were also soundings of the tidal creek which the British tried unsuccessfully to cross in their June 22, 1813 attack on Craney Island.

Butler said it was a mystery as to just how a British officer would come to have a map such as this.  Were their Britsh spies or some traiterous act?

A Real Piece of History.  --Brock-Perry

War Comes to the Chesapeake Bay-- Part 2

There was a two-hour battle that ensued between the British ships and the Lottery.  It was the first salvo in a campaign of fire, plunder and fear for the Tidewater and Bay which would continue for two years.  During this time, the Royal Navy seized and burned hundreds of vessels, launched scores of hit and run raids and pillaged.

The Times of London had demanded "America must be BEATEN INTO SUBMISSION."  And the Royal Navy was to be just the instrument to do it.

A major reason for the arrival of the British fleet was to blunt an American invasion of Canada.

The American frigate Constellation almost became a victim of the British ships.  Captain Charles Stewart had arrived in the ship from Annapolis and had anchored at Hampton Road and had to leave quickly, being pursued by two ships-of-the-line, three frigates, a brig and a schooner.

As the months went by, the number of British ships increased with huge effect on the Virginia,  The state's trade dropped from $3 million annually to just $17,000.

And, Then, There Was Another Blockade of the Area in 1861.  --Brock-Perry