USS Richmond (1798)

Last updated
History
US flag 15 stars.svgUnited States
NameRichmond
Namesake Richmond, Virginia
Acquired1798
In service1798
Out of service1801
FateSold
General characteristics
Tons burthen200 (bm)
Complement104
Armament16 guns

USS Richmond was a brig purchased for the US Navy in 1798 by the citizens of Richmond, Petersburg, Manchester and Norfolk, Virginia, while being built at Norfolk as Augusta for a Mr. Myers. Renamed Richmond, she was fitted out in the fall of that year and in December stood out from Hampton Roads for the Caribbean with Captain Samuel Barron in command for service in the Quasi-War with France.

Sailing south, the brig joined Thomas Truxtun's squadron in the West Indies and operated with the ships of that squadron to protect American merchant shipping from French raiders - warships and privateers. Based at St. Kitts, Richmond convoyed merchantmen among the ports of the Lesser Antilles until June 1799. In late April or before 6 May 1799, Richmond, USRC Eagle and USRC Virginia captured the French ship Louis. [1]

In March, 1799 Captain Barron, promoted to a different command, was replaced by Lt. Josias M. Speake. [2]

On 10 June 1799, Richmond departed the West Indies with a convoy bound for Norfolk, whence she continued on to New York. Between 18 July and 6 October, she cruised off the east coast, from Boston to the Virginia Capes, in search of rumored French raiders. In January 1800 Richmond was in New York City and assisted or was threatened by a fire on the brig Admiral Duncan.

In February 1800, Richmond returned to the Caribbean. Based at San Domingo for a year, she re-captured the American schooner Chance on 22 May and assisted in returning Thomas Chalkley to the American merchant fleet on the 28th.

After the end of the Quasi-War with France, Richmond sailed north and in February 1801 she arrived back at New York. In March most of her crew was detached; and on 1 April she was ordered turned over to the Navy agent at New York to be sold at auction.

Related Research Articles

USS Baltimore was a ship of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Boston</i> (1799) Three-masted frigate of the United States Navy

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, Bostonengaged 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.

USS <i>Constellation</i> (1797) US naval frigate commissioned in 1797

USS Constellation was a nominally rated 38-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted frigate of the United States Navy.

The first USS Eagle, a schooner, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1798, and commissioned in the Revenue Cutter Service under the command of Captain H. G. Campbell, USRCS. She placed under control of the Navy in July 1798 for service in the undeclared naval war (Quasi-War) with France.

USS Ganges was a man-of-war in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France.

USS New York was a three-masted, wooden-hulled sailing frigate in the United States Navy that saw service during the Quasi-War with France.

The first USS Montezuma was a merchant ship built in Virginia in 1795. The United States Navy acquired her during the Quasi-War with France and retained her name.

The first USS Norfolk was a brig in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France.

USS Retaliation was the French privateer Croyable, built in Maryland, that then operated out of Santo Domingo. Delaware captured her on 7 July 1798 off New Jersey. She then served in the United States Navy during Quasi-War with France. Two French frigates recaptured her on 20 November 1798. The French Navy took her into service as Magicienne. However, Merrimack captured her on 28 June 1799. She served in the US Navy in the Caribbean briefly, before arriving in Philadelphia in August. She was paid off there and sold on 29 November.

USS <i>Pickering</i>

USS Pickering was a brig, the 1st brig built for the UCRC Service, in the United States Revenue Cutter Service and then the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France. She was named for Timothy Pickering, then the Secretary of State.

The first USS George Washington was a frigate in the United States Navy. She was named after United States Founding Father and President George Washington.

The second USS Delaware was a ship which served in the United States Navy during Quasi-War with France.

USS Merrimack, was a ship launched by an Association of Newburyport Shipwrights and presented to the Navy in 1798. She was the first ship of the Navy to be named for the Merrimack River. She saw action in the Quasi-War.

USRC <i>Eagle</i>

USRC Eagle was one of the first ten cutters operated by the United States Revenue-Marine, which later became the United States Revenue Cutter Service and later still became part of the United States Coast Guard.

Samuel Barron was a United States Navy officer. He was an older brother of Commodore James Barron, also a US Navy officer.

USS Augusta was a brig purchased by the US Navy on 30 June 1799 at Norfolk, Virginia and fitted out at Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania by Naval Constructor Joshua Humphreys. She was placed in commission for service in the Quasi-War with France sometime late in 1799 with Lieutenant Archibald McElroy in command.

USRC Scammel or sometimes referred to as Scammel II was a revenue cutter built in 1798 to serve in the Quasi-War with France. After completion she was transferred to the U.S. Navy and served in the West Indies naval squadron commanded by Commodore John Barry. While in Revenue-Marine service her captain was John Adams. In a letter dated 20 May, 1799 Navy Secretary Benjamin Stoddert notified the Treasury Secretary that he should consider her to be officially transferred to the U.S. Navy. In U.S. Navy service her first captain was Lieutenant Commander Fernald. She assisted the sloop USS Portsmouth in the capture of the French ship Hussar. After the war, the Navy retained Scammel until it was sold in 1801.

USRC Virginia was a schooner built in 1797 for the United States Revenue Cutter Service at Portsmouth, Virginia. At the outset of the Quasi-War in 1798, the only ships available to the Navy were the 10 ships of the Revenue cutter service, the largest of which was the Virginia. She was transferred to the Navy in 1798 and served in the Quasi War until 1800, when she was returned to the Revenue Cutter Service, recommissioned in 1802 and sold in 1807.

USRC General Green was a cutter operated by the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service. She was named for the Revolutionary War hero Major General Nathanael Greene.

USRC Diligence was a cutter operated by the United States' Revenue Cutter Service.

References

  1. "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume 3 Part 2 of 4 Naval Operations April 1799 to July 1799, May, 1799 Pg. 143" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume 2 Part 3 of 3 Naval Operations November 1798 to March 1799 March Pg. 518" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 25 April 2024.