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 ClassDANFS
Designed byJoshua Humphreys (1751-1838)B90
ConstructorJames Hackett (1739-1802)DANFS
CategoryFifth RateDANFS
Ship TypeFrigate DANFS
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 Commanding Officers


DatesRankNameSource
1799 - 4.1801CaptainJames SeverDANFS4.1804 - 1804CaptainJohn Rodgers (d.1838)DANFS8.1804 - 11.1804CaptainStephen Decatur (1779-1820)DANFS9.1811 - 12.1813CaptainJohn Smith (d.1815)DANFS10.1822 - 1824CaptainJames Biddle (d.1848)DANFS

1 Commissioned Officer


DatesRankNameSource
1812 - 1813LieutenantLewis Warrington (1782-1851)W053

6 Warrant Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
30.10.1799 - ChaplainWilliam Balchref:12031802 - 20.11.1802Acting CarpenterRobert Smithref:11471802 - 20.11.1802Acting BoatswainConrad Buskinref:11471802 - 20.11.1802Acting GunnerJames P Mixref:11471802 - 20.11.1802MasterDavid Phippsref:11471821SurgeonAndrew B CookUSNR-1821

3 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
1815 - 1817MidshipmanJoel Abbot (d.1855)W0641821Surgeon's MateDavid S EdwardsUSNR-18211821Surgeon's MateJohn FitzhughUSNR-1821

Service History


DateEventSource
1799Outfitted at Portsmouth, Boston and Newport Rhode Island
6.1.1800Left Newport in company with Essex (32) 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) (36) in company with President (44)
8.1812Returned to Boston
8.10.1812Left Boston in company with President (44)
10.10.1812Chased the Nymphe (38) (38)
21.10.1812Contacted Galatea (36) (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)
2.5.1813Unsuccessful chase of the British sloop Curlew (16) (18)
8.5.1813Parted company with President (44) , 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 1804-1805Samuel Barron (d.1810) 
1805-1806American Mediterranean Squadron 1805-1806John Rodgers (d.1838) 

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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