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| Congress | 2399 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominal Guns | 38 | DANFS | |
| Nationality | United States of America | ||
| Operator | United States Navy | ||
| Ordered | 1794/03/27 | DANFS | |
| Keel Laid Down | 1796 | ref:740 | |
| Launched | 1799/08/15 | DANFS | |
| First Commissioned | 1799/12 | ref:740 | |
| How acquired | Purpose built | DANFS | |
| Shipyard | Portsmouth | DANFS | |
| Ship Class | Constellation Class | ||
| Designed by | Joshua Humphreys | B90 | |
| Constructor | James Hackett | DANFS | |
| Category | Fifth Rate | DANFS | |
| Ship Type | Frigate | ||
| Sailing Rig | Ship Rigged | ||
| Broken Up | 1834 | DANFS | |
Armament | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | Broadside Weight = 288 Imperial Pound ( 130.608 kg) | DANFS | ||
| Gun Deck | 24 | American 18 Pounder | ||
| Quarterdeck | 8 | American 12-Pounder | ||
| Forecastle | 4 | American 12-Pounder | ||
| 1800 | Broadside Weight = 288 Imperial Pound ( 130.608 kg) | B90 | ||
| Gun Deck | 24 | American 18 Pounder | ||
| Quarterdeck | 8 | American 12-Pounder | ||
| Forecastle | 4 | American 12-Pounder | ||
| 1800/01 | Broadside Weight = 252 Imperial Pound ( 114.282 kg) | B90 | ||
| Gun Deck | 28 | American 18 Pounder | ||
Crew Complement | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | # of Men | Notes | Source |
| 1800 | 340 | Establishment? | DANFS |
Commanders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Rank | Name | Source |
| 1799 | 1801/04 | Captain | James Sever | DANFS |
| 1804/04 | 1804 | Captain | John Rodgers | DANFS |
| 1804/08 | 1804/11 | Captain | Stephen Decatur | DANFS |
| 1811/09 | 1813/12 | Captain | John Smith | DANFS |
| 1822/10 | 1824 | Captain | James Biddle | DANFS |
Commissioned Officers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Rank | Name | Source |
| 1812 | 1813 | Lieutenant | Lewis Warrington | W053 |
Warrant Officers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Rank | Name | Source |
| 1821 | 1821 | Surgeon | Andrew B Cook | USNR-1821 |
Petty Officers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Rank | Name | Source |
| 1815 | 1817 | Midshipman | Joel Abbot | W064 |
| 1821 | 1821 | Surgeon's Mate | John Fitzhugh | USNR-1821 |
| 1821 | 1821 | Surgeon's Mate | David S Edwards | USNR-1821 |
Service History | Date | Event | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1799 | Outfitted at Portsmouth, Boston and Newport Rhode Island | |||
| 1800/01/06 | Left Newport in company with Essex as convoy to merchantmen | |||
| 1800/01/12 | Lost a mast and returned to port | |||
| 1800/07/26 | Left for the West Indies | |||
| 1800/08/29 | Recaptured the merchant brig Experiment | |||
| 1801/04 | Returned to Boston and placed in ordinary at Washington | |||
| 1804/04 | Recommissioned and left for the Mediterranean | |||
| 1804/08/11 | Arrived at Gibraltar | |||
| 1804/11 | Laid up in ordinary at Washington | |||
| 1804/11 | Returned to the United States | |||
| 1811/09 | Recommissioned after extensive repairs | |||
| 1812 | Several brief cruises along the Eastern coast of the United States | |||
| 1812/06 | Assigned to the North Atlantic squadron | |||
| 1812/06/23 | Chase of the Belvidera (36) in company with President | |||
| 1812/08 | Returned to Boston | |||
| 1812/10/08 | Left Boston in company with President | |||
| 1812/10/10 | Chased the Nymphe (38) | |||
| 1812/10/21 | Contacted Galatea (36) convoying two vessels, Congress took one - ''Argo'' | |||
| 1812/12/31 | Returned to Boston after taking nine prizes in total on her cruise | |||
| 1813/04/30 | Cruise off the Cape Verde Islands and the Braziliam coast with President | |||
| 1813/05/02 | Unsuccessful chase of the British sloop Curlew (18) | |||
| 1813/05/08 | Parted company with President , sailed southeast taking four prizes | |||
| 1813/12/14 | Returned to Portsmouth for repairs and was disarmed and laid up | |||
| 1822/10 | Operations against the West Indies pirates | |||
| 1823 | Trips to Spain and Argentina carrying ministers of state | |||
| 1823/04 | Returned to the United States | |||
| 1824 | Placed in ordinary at Norfolk | |||
| 1824/12 | Towed to Washington for repairs | |||
| 1829 | Returned to Norfolk for service as a receiving ship, years later laid up in ordinary | |||
| 1834 | Broken up at Norfolk | |||
Sources | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ID | Description | Author | Type |
| DANFS | Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships | Unknown | Web Site |
| ref:740 | The Sailing Navy, 1775-1854 | Paul H. Silverstone | Book |
| B90 | The U.S. Sailing Navy, 1775-1853 | Paul H Silverstone | Book |
| W053 | Virtual American Biographies | Various | Web Site |
| USNR-1821 | US Naval Register for 1821 | Authority | Web Site |
| W064 | USS Abbot - DD629 | Web Site | |