USS Boston (1799)

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USS Boston (1799).jpg
An engraving of USS Boston in the Mediterranean circa 1802
History
US flag 15 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Boston
Namesake Boston, Massachusetts
Builder Edmund Hartt
Cost$119,570
Launched20 May 1799
Commissioned1799
FateBurned, 24 August 1814
General characteristics
Type Frigate
Tonnage700 tons displacement 400 tons
Length134 ft (41 m)
Beam34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)
Draft11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
PropulsionSail
Speed9.2 knots (17.0 km/h; 10.6 mph)
Complement220 officers and enlisted
Armament
  • 24 × 12-pounder guns
  • 8 × 9-pounder guns

The third USS Boston was a 32-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted frigate of the United States Navy. Boston was built by public subscription in Boston under the Act of 30 June 1798. Boston was active during the Quasi-War with France and the First Barbary War. On 12 October 1800, Boston engaged and captured the French corvette Berceau. Boston was laid up in 1802, and considered not worth repairing at the outbreak of the War of 1812. She was burned at the Washington Naval Yard on 24 August 1814 to prevent her capture by British forces.

Contents

Design and construction

USS Boston 1799 USS-Boston-Digital.jpg
USS Boston 1799

Boston was designed and constructed by Edmund Hartt at Boston, Massachusetts. Boston was authorized by the Naval Act of 1798  [ fr ] funded by the donations from the people of Boston, Massachusetts as part of the group of ships built by the states to supplement the Original six frigates of the United States Navy provided by the Naval Act of 1794.

The frigate has a displacement of 400 tons and had a length between perpendiculars of 134 feet (41 m). She was originally armed with twenty-four 9-pounder and eight 6-pounder guns, and carried a complement of 220 officers and men. She was launched on 20 May 1799 and commissioned soon afterwards, Captain George Little in command.

Service history

Her first Captain was George Little. [1] Boston cruised in the West Indies (July 1799 – June 1800) protecting American commerce against French privateers. On 7 November she captured a French barge, of piratical nature that had just captured a French sloop, the sloop/cutter "Le Garde Le Pelican" was then captured by Norfolk. [2] [3] On 17 November stopped a schooner with questionable papers and put a prize master on board and sent her in to Cape Francois for verification. [4] In company with USS General Greene, on 1 December 1799 she recaptured Danish brig "Flying Fish", captured by André Rigaud's barges, but with questionable crewing and other oddities (possibly French owned), [5] and assisted in the recapture of the American schooner Weymouth, which had been captured by French privateer Hope. [6] Shortly after that she encountered French Navy corvette Diligente, but took no action as she was convoying troops of General Toussaint for the Haitian Revolution, seemingly carrying a US pass. [7] Returning to Boston 25 June 1800, she cruised along the American coast until September when she sailed to the Guadeloupe Station in the West Indies. In 22°52′N52°56′W / 22.867°N 52.933°W / 22.867; -52.933 , on 12 October 1800, she engaged and captured the French corvette Berceau. Boston lost seven killed and eight wounded in the encounter. She towed her prize to Boston, arriving in November. During her West Indian cruises Boston captured seven additional prizes (two in conjunction with USS General Greene).

During the winter of 1801 Boston carried Minister Livingston to France and then joined the Mediterranean Squadron off Tripoli while under the command of Captain Daniel McNeil. She fought an action with six or seven Tripolitanian gunboats on 16 May 1802, forcing one ashore. Boston returned to Boston in October 1802 and then proceeded to Washington where she was laid up. Considered not worth repairing on the outbreak of the War of 1812, she remained at Washington until 24 August 1814 when she was burned to prevent her falling into British hands.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume 2 Part 4 of 3 Naval Operations April 1799 to July 1799 July Pg. 451" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 2 of 3 Naval Operations August 1799 to December 1799, October to November Pg. 366-367" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  3. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 2 of 4 Naval Operations January to May, 1800, February, 1800-March, 1800 Pg. 190-193 235-236" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  4. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 2 of 3 Naval Operations August 1799 to December 1799, October to November Pg. 384" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 3 of 3 Naval Operations August 1799 to December 1799, December Pg. 467" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  6. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 2 of 3 Naval Operations August 1799 to December 1799, October to November Pg. 423" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 3 of 3 Naval Operations August 1799 to December 1799, December Pg. 467" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
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