American Fifth Rate frigate 'Congress' (1799)

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Congress	2399
Nominal Guns	38	DANFS
Nationality	United States of America
Operator	United States Navy
Ordered	27.3.1794	DANFS
Keel Laid Down	1796	ref:740
Launched	15.8.1799	DANFS
First Commissioned	12.1799	ref:740
How acquired	Purpose built	DANFS
Shipyard	Portsmouth - New Hampshire	DANFS
Ship Class	Constellation Class	DANFS
Designed by	Joshua Humphreys (1751-1838)	B90
Constructor	James Hackett (1739-1802)	DANFS
Category	Fifth Rate	DANFS
Ship Type	Frigate	DANFS
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	DANFS
Broken Up	1834	DANFS

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 BoatswainConrad Buskinref:11471802 - 20.11.1802Acting GunnerJames P Mixref:11471802 - 20.11.1802Acting CarpenterRobert Smithref: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
From	Until	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1804	1805	American Mediterranean Squadron 1804-1805	Samuel Barron (d.1810)
1805	1806	American Mediterranean Squadron 1805-1806	John 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.

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

DANFSUnknownWeb Site

ref:740Paul H. SilverstoneBook

B90Paul H SilverstoneBook

W053VariousWeb Site

ref:1203Dudley W KnoxBook

ref:1147 Book

USNR-1821AuthorityWeb Site

W064 Web Site

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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