Dimensions
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentDANFSLength of Gundeck190' 10"US Feet57.912 Breadth54' 7"US Feet16.5037 Depth in Hold21' 4"US Feet6.5024 Burthen2,243US Ton Armament
1817Broadside Weight = 2160 Imperial Pound ( 979.56 kg)DANFS | Gun Deck | 48 American 32-PounderLower Gun Deck | 30 American 32-PounderUpper Gun Deck | 33 American 32-Pound ColumbiadQuarterdeck | 16 American 32-Pounder CarronadeForecastle | 8 American 32-Pounder Carronade1836Broadside Weight UnknownDANFS | Quarterdeck | 8 American 8" Shell Gun1854Broadside Weight = 736 Imperial Pound ( 333.776 kg)DANFS | Gun Deck | 46 American 32-PounderQuarterdeck | 10 American 8" Shell GunCrew Complement
Date# of MenNotesSource
1817790Establishment
1836790Establishment
1854790Establishment
6 Ship Commanders
DatesRankNameSource3.7.1815 - 1815CaptainDANFS7.7.1849 - 3.7.1682CaptainDANFS1872 - 1873CommanderDANFS5.1887 - 5.1890CommanderDANFS8.1894 - 2.1895CaptainDANFS18.11.1895 - 2.1896CommanderDANFS7 Flag Officers
DatesRankNameSource3.7.1815 - 29.11.1819CommodoreDANFS29.11.1819 - 1822CommodoreDANFS22.3.1837 - 30.3.1840CommodoreDANFS14.5.1842 - 1842CommodoreDANFS22.1.1847 - 30.5.1849CommodoreDANFS7.7.1849 - 3.7.1852CommodoreDANFS10.10.1854 - 1854CommodoreDANFS1 Commissioned Officer
DatesRankNameSource31.1.1817 - 25.10.1818LieutenantW0652 Warrant Officers
DatesRankNameSource9.1871 - 9.1874Assistant Paymaster1879 - 1882PaymasterService History
DateEventSource3.7.1815Left Boston for the Mediterranean15.11.1815Arrived at Newport1822Placed in Ordinary1836Razeed to a fifty-four gun frigate22.3.1837Recommissioned20.5.1837Sailed from Boston13.6.1837Arrived in Portsmouth, England7.1837Called at Copenhagen29.7.1837At Cronstadt to receive a visit from the Emperor of Russia13.8.1837Left Cronstadt for Rio de Janeiro - Became Flagship of the Brazil Squadron30.3.1840Arrived at New York and placed in ordinary14.5.1842Recommissioned as flagship in the home squadron, based at Boston and New York4.8.1846Recommissioned29.8.1846Left Boston for the Californian coast22.1.1847Entered Monterey Bay and became flagship of the Pacific squadron16.5.1847Captured the Mexican ship and a launch19.10.1847Supported the capture of Guaymas11.11.1847Landed a mixed force of sailors and marines to occupy Mazatlan12.8.1848Arrived at Honolulu23.5.1849Returned to USA at Norfolk30.5.1849Decommisioned and placed in ordinary7.7.1849Recommissioned as flagship of the Mediterranean squadron26.7.1849Left Norfolk of the Mediterranian23.5.1850Arrived at Spezia, Italy25.6.1852Returned to Norfolk3.7.1852Placed in ordinary at New York9.1854Recommissioned as flagship of the Pacific Squadron10.10.1854Left New York2.2.1855Arrived at Valparaiso, Chile2.10.1857Mare Island Navy Yard to become receiving ship3.11.1912Decommisioned3.9.1913Struck from the Navy list28.11.1914Sold to John H. Rinder and moved to the Union Iron Works, San Francisco for break up
Notes on Ship
San Francisco Chronicle, November 20, 1912VALLEJO, November 19.
The historic old frigate Independence, for the past fifty-four years receiving ship at Mare island and the oldest ship in the United States Navy, was placed out of commission at Mare island this morning. The ceremony of hauling down the flag was a simple one, and the men and property were formally transferred to the more modern cruiser Cleveland, lately returned from Nicaragua.
Just what will be done with the Independence has not as yet been officially announced. It has been frequently reported that the directors of the Panama-Pacific Exposition would make some arrangements with the Government whereby the relic of another century would become one of the exhibits in 1915. As yet official word to this effect has never been received here.
Prominent Native Sons and Daughters of the Golden West have petitioned the Government to retain the Independence because of its association with the early history of California. For that reason it has often been referred to as the naval Argonaut, it having first sailed up the coast in 1846, before the days of gold.
The keel of the Independence was laid down at Boston in 1812, it having been the intention of the Navy Department to have the ship ready for the war with England in that year. However, unfortunate delays occurred and the Independence was not launched until 1814, when as the flagship of Commodore Bainbridge it took a prominent part in the war against Algiers.
In 1836, the frigate was still the pride of the old white navy, and to keep it up-to-date it was cut down to three stacks, and the guns reduced from seventy-four to fifty-four. At this time the Independence was good for ten knots an hour in the wind, which was considered very fast time.
In 1846, commanded by Commodore Shubrick, the Independence paid its first visit to California, having come around the horn to harass the Mexican coast, at the time of the war with that country. Returning to the east coast, the frigate became the flagship of the European squadron. It returned to this coast eight years later and has been at Mare island ever since.
The old frigate displaces 3700 tons, which is one-tenth of the displacement of the new Pennsylvania. Its value at this time is in the brass used in its make up. At that time, copper was a cheap metal, and every bolt, rivet and rod on the Independence is of that mineral.