American Fifth Rate frigate 'Congress' (1799)

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Congress

2399
Nominal Guns38DANFS
NationalityUnited States of America
OperatorUnited States Navy
Ordered27.3.1794DANFS
Keel Laid Down1796ref:740
Launched15.8.1799DANFS
First Commissioned12.1799ref:740
How acquiredPurpose builtDANFS
ShipyardPortsmouth - New Hampshire DANFS
Ship ClassConstellation Class (1796)DANFS
Designed by
Joshua HumphreysAmerican
Designer
Ship Builder
Service 1751
B90
Constructor
James HackettAmerican
Ship Builder
Service 1739
DANFS
CategoryFifth RateDANFS
Ship TypeFrigateDANFS
Sailing RigShip RiggedDANFS
Broken Up1834DANFS

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentDANFS
Length of Gundeck164' 0"Imperial Feet49.9872 
Breadth41' 0"Imperial Feet12.4968 
Depth in Hold13' 4"Imperial Feet3.9963 
Burthen1,266Tons BM 
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentB90
Length of Gundeck164' 0"Imperial Feet49.9872 
Breadth41' 5"Imperial Feet12.6238 
Depth in Hold14' 3"Imperial Feet4.2863 
Burthen1,266Tons BM 

Armament


1800Broadside Weight = 288 Imperial Pound ( 130.608 kg)DANFS
Gun Deck24 American 18 Pounder
Quarterdeck8 American 12-Pounder
Forecastle4 American 12-Pounder

1800Broadside Weight = 288 Imperial Pound ( 130.608 kg)B90
Gun Deck24 American 18 Pounder
Quarterdeck8 American 12-Pounder
Forecastle4 American 12-Pounder

1.1800Broadside Weight = 252 Imperial Pound ( 114.282 kg)B90
Gun Deck28 American 18 Pounder

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
1800340Establishment?DANFS

5 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
1799 - 4.1801Captain
James SeverAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1749-1849
DANFS4.1804 - 1804Captain
John RodgersAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1837
DANFS8.1804 - 11.1804Captain
Stephen DecaturAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1820
DANFS9.1811 - 12.1813Captain
John SmithAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1804
DANFS10.1822 - 1824Captain
James BiddleAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1770-1812
DANFS

1 Commissioned Officer


DatesRankNameSource
1812 - 1813Lieutenant
Lewis WarringtonAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1827-1851
W053

6 Warrant Officers


DatesRankNameSource
30.10.1799 - Chaplain
William BalchAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1799-1801
ref:12031802 - 20.11.1802Acting Carpenter
Robert SmithAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1802
ref:11471802 - 20.11.1802Acting Boatswain
Conrad BuskinAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1802
ref:11471802 - 20.11.1802Acting Gunner
James P MixAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1802
ref:11471802 - 20.11.1802Master
David PhippsAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1846
ref:11471821Surgeon
Andrew B CookAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1782-1882
USNR-1821

3 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
1815 - 1817Midshipman
Joel AbbotAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812-1818
W0641821Surgeon's Mate
David S EdwardsAmerican
Naval Sailor
Medic
Service 1818-1842
USNR-18211821Surgeon's Mate
John FitzhughAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1788-1888
USNR-1821

Service History


DateEventSource
1799Outfitted at Portsmouth, Boston and Newport Rhode Island
6.1.1800Left Newport in company with
Essex (32) 1799-1814
American 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
as convoy to merchantmen
12.1.1800Lost a mast and returned to port
26.7.1800Left for the West Indies
29.8.1800Recaptured the merchant brig Experiment
4.1801Returned to Boston and placed in ordinary at Washington
4.1804Recommissioned and left for the Mediterranean
11.8.1804Arrived at Gibraltar
11.1804Laid up in ordinary at Washington
11.1804Returned to the United States
9.1811Recommissioned after extensive repairs
1812Several brief cruises along the Eastern coast of the United States
6.1812Assigned to the North Atlantic squadron
23.6.1812Chase of the
Belvidera (36) 1809-1906
British 36 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(36) in company with
President (44) 1800-1815
American 44 Gun
5th Rate Frigate

8.1812Returned to Boston
8.10.1812Left Boston in company with
President (44) 1800-1815
American 44 Gun
5th Rate Frigate

10.10.1812Chased the
Nymphe (38) 1812-1875
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
1871 Renamed "Handy"
(38)
21.10.1812Contacted
Galatea (36) 1810-1836
British 36 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(36) convoying two vessels, Congress took one - ''Argo''
31.12.1812Returned to Boston after taking nine prizes in total on her cruise
30.4.1813Cruise off the Cape Verde Islands and the Braziliam coast with
President (44) 1800-1815
American 44 Gun
5th Rate Frigate

2.5.1813Unsuccessful chase of the British sloop
Curlew (16) 1812-1822
British 16 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(18)
8.5.1813Parted company with
President (44) 1800-1815
American 44 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
, sailed southeast taking four prizes
14.12.1813Returned to Portsmouth for repairs and was disarmed and laid up
10.1822Operations against the West Indies pirates
1823Trips to Spain and Argentina carrying ministers of state
4.1823Returned to the United States
1824Placed in ordinary at Norfolk
12.1824Towed to Washington for repairs
1829Returned to Norfolk for service as a receiving ship, years later laid up in ordinary
1834Broken up at Norfolk


Fleets

DatesFleetFleet CommanderSource
1804-1805American Mediterranean Squadron 1804-1805
Samuel BarronAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1749-1810
 
1805-1806American Mediterranean Squadron 1805-1806
John RodgersAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1837
 

Notes on Ship


Original RequirementB90
Originally ordered as a 44, re-rated during construction
Delays in constructionB90
Construction ceased from 1796 to 1798
Builder?B90
The 'The U.S. Sailing Navy, 1775-1853' gives Jason Hackett as the builder.
 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by regis on Monday 3rd of April 2017 18:39

see the sailing navy de Silverstone

régis

Posted by Vol Williams on Monday 3rd of April 2017 03:06

Any idea what the armament was for Congress in 1812?

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