Timeline of Capt. Gwinn's Life-- Part 2: A Varied Career

1823-1825   Duty at United States Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts

1826   Duty on the USS Macedonian (frigate)

1829-1832  Executive Officer, United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1837   Commanded USS Vandalia (sloop of war) Home Squadron

1839-1842   Master Commandant,  United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania.

1839   USS Dale (sloop of war) launched and commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard.  I saw no reference that he commanded the ship as shown in the USS Dale (1839)  entry in Wikipedia, but probably got his name as commander because he was in charge of the overall Navy Yard.

1842    Promoted to Captain

1844-1845   Commanded USS Potomac (frigate)   Home Squadron

1848   Commanded USS Constitution (frigate),  Mediterranean Squadron.

1849  , September 4    Died Palermo, Italy

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn Papers-- Part 3: Rising Through the Ranks

1823-1825  Duty at  United States Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts.

1826   Duty on USS Macedonian (frigate) Brazil Station

1829-1832   Executive Officer, United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1837  Commanded USS Vandalia (sloop-of-war), Home Squadron

1839-1842  Master Commandant , United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1842  Promoted to captain. 1844-1845  Commanded USS Potomac (frigate), Home Squadron

1848  Commanded USS Constitution (frigate), Mediterranean Squadron

1849,  September 4  Died , Palermo, Sicily

--Brock-Perry

The John Gwinn Papers-- Part 1

The John Gwinn papers are at the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division.

Spans dates  1815 to 1864 with most dates from 1825 to 1849.

It includes 900 items.

Official correspondence includes  orders to duty, general orders, circulars, regulations,  as well as letters received and drafts of letters sent.

The letters document the Navy's peacetime mission of protecting American commerce and interests at home and overseas.

Gwinn commanded the Vandalia (sloop-of-war),  and Potomac (frigate), Home Squadron and the Pensacola, Fl., Navy Base, 

At home he protected American commerce from aggression and piratical acts.  Abroad, he commanded the USS Constitution, the Mediterranean Squadron and, again protected American interests.  Because of political unrest in Italy,  the American consul wrote him asking for  protection of American citizens and their interests.

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn-- Part 6: War of 1812 and Beyond

John Gwinn was later ordered to Boston for the commissioning of the sloop-of-war USS Frolic.  Unfortunately Gwinn and the crew were captured on the ship's very first  cruise by the frigate HMS Orpheus and schooner HMS Shelburne on 20 April 1814.   The crew remained prisoners until the end of the war.

After release, Gwinn was promoted to lieutenant in 1816 and in the following decade made two deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and a voyage to northern Europe in three different ships.

Between 1828 and 1848, he spent a total of ten years commanding the Philadelphia Navy Yard, three years on leave and five "awaiting orders."  The remaining two years was divided between commanding the sloop-of-war Vandalia and the frigate Potomac.

He was promoted to captain in 1842.

--Brock-Perry

John Gwinn, USN-- Part 1: Captured on USS Frolic

From Wikipedia.

In the last post, I wrote that the USS Dale, named for American Revolution naval hero Richard Dale, father of Midshipman Dale who I have written extensively about this past month, was commanded by John Gwinn when it was commissioned.

I hadn't heard of him before, so Wikipedia here I go.

JOHN GWINN, III

Born June 11, 1791  Died  September 1, 1849

Born in Maryland.

During the War of 1812, he was on the USS Frolic which was captured by the Royal Navy in 1814 and remained a POW or the remainder of the conflict.

Later commanded the USS Vandalia.

Later commanded the USS Constitution.

--Brock-Perry