John Downes, USN-- Part 2: Service in the First Barbary War and War of 1812

From Wikipedia.

Commodore John Downes (December 23, 1784-August  11, 1854) was a career naval officer, whose service covered the first half of the 19th century.

John Downes was born in Canton, Massachusetts,  on December 23, 1784.  He served as  acting midshipman from September 9, 1800, and was appointed midshipman from June 1, 1802.  He rendered distinguished service during the  First Barbary War in  1804 on the frigate Congress and distinguished himself again on the frigate New York in a boat attack upon Tripolita feluccas (a type of ship).

In March 1807, he was made a lieutenant and served as executive officer for Captain David Porter on the USS Essex during her cruise in the Pacific during the War of 1812..  In an action off James Island (in the South Pacific) Downes was in command of the sloop Georgiana during the capture of three British whalers.

He also participated in the action off Charles Island (Galapagos Islands) before sailing to Nuku Hiva to assist in building America's first base in the Pacific Ocean.

--Brock-Perry

A Recap of Ships Burned at Washington Navy Yard Aug. 24, 1814

Five ships were burned that day.  Two of them were nearing completion, the frigate USS Columbia and brig USS Argus.

The three others were either in ordinary or a hulk.  They were frigates:  USS New York, USS Boston and USS General Greene.  The first two were subscription ships built by those cities for use in the U.S. Navy.

--Brock-Perry

Four USS New York's Destroyed by U.S.-- Part 2

From Wikipedia.

The fourth USS New York destroyed by the United States was the battleship USS New York (BB-34) which fought in World War I and World War II.  It is believed to be the only U.S. ship to sink a U-boat in WW I.

During WW II, it was involved in the invasion of North Africa, convoy duty, a training ship and then went to the Pacific where it was at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

It then became part of Operation Crossroads as a test ship, surviving two atom bomb blasts before being used as naval target practice and being sunk.

An Interesting and Full Career.  --Brock-Perry

Four USS New York's Destroyed By the United States-- Part 1

So, we had a USS New York burned in the War of 1812, and another USS New York burned in the Civil War, but I just came across two more USS New Yorks destroyed by Americans.

The USS New York (ACR-2/CA-2) was an armored cruiser in service 1893 to 1938 and was in the Spanish-American War and World War I and had her name changed to the USS Saratoga to free up the name New York for the battleship USS New York (BB-34).  Later, she became the USS Rochester to free up the name for the battlecruiser USS Saratoga which eventually became the aircraft carrier Saratoga (CV-3).

Decommissioned in 1938 and based in the Philippines, it was scuttled December 24, 1941, to prevent capture by the Japanese.

--Brock-Perry

USS New York-- Part 3: Service in the Mediterranean and Burned at Washington Navy Yard

The USS New York sailed to Malta on June 14, 1803, where she received a 17-gun salute from the British Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and then sailed for Gibraltar by way of Naples and Malaga..  Once there on September 14, she met the fleet of Commodore Edward Preble sent to relieve the New York and Commodore Morris.

Captain John Rodgers came aboard and relieved Morris and a month later, the New York sailed for home.  She arrived at Washington Navy Yard 9 December 1803 and was immediately placed in ordinary.

The New York remained in that state for the next eleven years and was burned when the British captured Washington, D.C., on August 24, 1814.

--Brock-Perry

USS New York-- Part 2: First Barbary War

The New York arrived in the Mediterranean Sea on 6 April 1803 and became the flagship of the fleet.  The small Moorish kingdoms along Africa's north coast had been attacking and harassing American commerce aand the American fleet was inclined to convince them otherwise.

En route to Tripoli, the New York had a powder explosion, killing four men.  Repaired at Malta, it arrived at Tripoli and negotiations began, but not until two brief engagements  convinced the Tripoli government of the superiority of American ordnance.  Talks went better after that.

Midshipman John Downes distinguished himself in the two battles.

On June 29, a tentative treaty was reached and the American ships left.  However, the Bashaw of Tripoli resumed his encroachments after the fleet left.

--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

USS Constitution Goes to Washington Navy Yard-- Part 4: The Yard Goes Up in Flames, So Do the Ships

It was a good thing the USS Constitution was not at the Washington Navy Yard in August 1814, as we would not have her around today.  The Navy Yard burned, both by the Americans, preventing the British from capturing items and the British.

On August 24, 1814, with the British approaching, the commandant of the yard, Thomas Tingey, ordered the Yard torched.  As darkness fell that night, the nation's capital city was all aglow with flames, the Yard as well.

The Navy's storehouses burned as well as as the USS New York, USS Boston, USS General Greene, USS Argus and the almost completed frigate USS Columbia.

I have seen several sources who list the Argus as being burned at Washington Navy Yard, but, the only USS Argus I can find was a brig captured in 1813 by the HMS Frolic.  I have even listed it as one of the burned ships.  Perhaps the Navy was building a new USS Argus.

I can not find any more information on the USS Columbia.

--Brock-Perry

U.S. Ships-of-the-Line-- Part 8: USS Virginia-- USS New York

USS VIRGINIA-- Authorized in 1816 and built at the Boston Navy Yard. Finished 1825 and kept on stocks and never commissioned. Broken up in 1874.

USS NEW YORK-- Built in Norfolk but never launched. Burned 20 April 1861 to prevent capture by Confederates.

--Brock-Perry

United States Ships-of-the-Line-- Part 4: The Ships and Classes

From Wikipedia "Lists of Ships of the Line in the United States Navy."

CONTINENTAL NAVY: USS America, given to France in 1782. There were three others. One was abandoned when the British captured Philadelphia in 1777 and the two others canceled and never named.

UNITED STATES NAVY:

COLUMBUS-CLASS. There were to be six in the class, but all were cancelled in 1800.

INDEPENDENCE-CLASS: Independence, Washington, Franklin and Columbus.

CHIPPEWA-CLASS: Chippewa, New Orleans and Pennsylvania (1837-1861). (The Pennsylvania was the first state-named ship-of-the-line, a tradition that continued with battleships and today, some of our submarines.)

DELAWARE-CLASS: Delaware (1820-1861), Vermont (1848-1901), New Hampshire (1864-1921), Virginia (laid-down, never launched), New York (laid-down 1820, burnt on ways 1861), Ohio (1820-1861), North Carolina (1820-1866)

Unnamed Class: 4 authorized in 1832 and never built.

The Ships-of-the-Line. --Brock-Perry

Frigate USS New York Burned When D.C. Captured

I wrote about the second USS New York, a frigate built in 1800 by the citizens of New York. It was burned while in ordinary at Washington Navy Yard when the British captured the city August 24, 1814.

You always hear about the White House being burned, but rarely of other losses from the 24-hour occupation.

Read more about the ship in my Cooter's History Thing Blog.

--Brock-Perry