USS Eagle (1798)

Last updated
History
US flag 15 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Eagle
Cost$32,200
Launched1798
AcquiredJuly 1798
Commissioned5 July 1798 in the USRC Service. Transferred officially to US Navy 20 May, 1799
FateSold, 17 June 1801
General characteristics
Type Schooner
Displacement187 long tons (190 t)
Length58 ft (18 m)
Beam20 ft (6.1 m)
Draft9 ft (2.7 m)
PropulsionSail
Complement70 officers and enlisted
Armament• 14 × 6-pounder guns

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 Hugh G. Campbell, USRCS.

Quasi War

She placed under control of the Navy in July 1798 for service in the undeclared naval war (Quasi-War) with France.

From October 1798 Eagle patrolled off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia protecting American shipping from French privateers. Ordered to the West Indies, she arrived at Prince Rupert's Bay, Dominica, 14 March 1799, to hunt French ships, and to convoy merchant vessels on the Guadeloupe Station until late in June, when she sailed for New Castle, Delaware. Sometime in early 1799 she and USRC Diligence captured French ship Reynard. [1] On 5 April, 1799 she captured French privateer sloop "Bon Pere", Bon Pere was taken into USRC Service under same name that year. [2] [3] In late April or before 6 May 1799, Eagle, USS Richmond and USRC Virginia captured the French ship Louis. [4]

In a letter dated 20 May, 1799 Navy Secretary Benjamin Stoddert notified the Treasury Secretary that he should consider Eagle to be officially transferred to the U.S. Navy. [5]

Sometime just before 11 June, 1799 she and USS Baltimore captured a prize, probably French ship "Siren". [6] [7]

On 27 July 1799 the Secretary of the Navy sent a letter with Campbell's commission as a U.S. Navy officer, rank of master commandant. [8]

She returned to the Caribbean in August 1799 for similar duty. In early November she recaptured a brig that was being towed by a privateer, the privateer was forced ashore but got off and got away. She later captured a French sloop, and with USS Ganges captured a French Letter of Marque. [9] In December recaptured brig "George". [10] In February she recaptured schooner "Benevolence". [11] In March she recaptured schooner "Three Friends". [12] In April she captured schooner "Favorite". [13] On 2 May, 1800 captured French schooner "La Magdelaine" (15 tons). [14] On 25 June, captured French merchantman "Dolphin". [15] On 10 September 1800 she set sail for St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, with the sloop-of-war USS Maryland, escorting a convoy of 52 ships. On unknown date she and USS Maryland recaptured brig "Mahitable". [16] After arrival at New Castle on 28 September, Eagle proceeded to Philidelphia and was laid up for repairs. On 19 November 1800 Lt. Tho. Calvert was ordered to take command of her. [17] On 8 December 1800 Lt. M. Simmones Bunbury was ordered to take command. [18] Eagle's third cruise to the West Indies extended from January to June 1801, when she returned to Baltimore.

During her career in the United States' navy, she captured or assisted in the capture of 22 French vessels which had been preying on American ocean commerce. Eagle was sold 17 June 1801 at Baltimore for $10,585.73. [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Enterprise</i> (1799) US Navy schooner

The USS Enterprise was a schooner, built by Henry Spencer at Baltimore, Maryland, in 1799. Her first commander thought that she was too lightly built and that her quarters, in particular, should be bulletproofed. Enterprise was overhauled and rebuilt several times, effectively changing from a twelve-gun schooner to a fourteen-gun topsail schooner and eventually to a brig. Enterprise saw action in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean again, capturing numerous prizes. She wrecked in July 1823.

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>Adams</i> (1799) American warship

USS Adams was a 28-gun (rated) sailing frigate of the United States Navy. She was laid down in 1797 at New York City by John Jackson and William Sheffield and launched on 8 June 1799. Captain Richard Valentine Morris took command of the ship.

USS <i>Philadelphia</i> (1799) United States 36-gun frigate

USS Philadelphia, a 1240-ton, 36-gun frigate, was the second vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Philadelphia. Originally named City of Philadelphia, she was built in 1798–1799 for the United States government by residents of that city. Funding for her construction was raised by a drive that collected $100,000 in one week, in June 1798. She was designed by Josiah Fox and built by Samuel Humphreys, Nathaniel Hutton and John Delavue. Her carved work was done by William Rush of Philadelphia. She was laid down about November 14, 1798, launched on November 28, 1799, and commissioned on April 5, 1800, with Captain Stephen Decatur, Sr. in command. She was captured by Barbary pirates in Tripoli with William Bainbridge in command. Stephen Decatur led a raid that burned her down, preventing her use by the pirates.

USS <i>Constellation</i> (1797) U.S. naval frigate commissioned in 1797

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

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

USS <i>Experiment</i> (1799) United States Navy schooner

USS Experiment was a schooner in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France.

USS <i>Pickering</i> American schooner

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.

The second USS General Greene was a frigate in the United States Navy during the 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.

USS Portsmouth was constructed for the United States Navy in 1798 by master shipbuilder James Hackett to a design of Josiah Fox at what is now Badger's Island in Kittery, Maine, directly across the Piscataqua River from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She was built with funds contributed by the citizens of Portsmouth.

USS Augusta was a brig purchased by the US Navy on 30 June 1799 at Norfolk, Virginia. She mistakenly went to Trenton, New Jersey arriving on 13 September, she was then ordered to Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania for inspection by naval constructor Joshua Humphreys to see if the transport would be suitable for use as a warship. Capt. Bird was replaced by Lieutenant Archibald McElroy on the 13th. Humphreys approved and fitting out began in September. She was placed in commission for service in the Quasi-War with France sometime late in 1799.

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.

The first USS Patapsco was a sloop in the United States Navy.

The Connecticut was a sailing frigate built by Seth Overton at Chatham, Conn. and launched 6 June 1799 at Middletown, Conn. During outfitting, probably on or just before 7 July she foundered. She was refloated. She sailed 15 Oct. 1799 under the command of Captain Moses Tryon for the Guadaloupe Station, arriving off Puerto Rico on 28 October. She cruised in the West Indies for a year during the Quasi-War with France, protecting American commerce from French privateers. Connecticut's successful career was highlighted by the capture of four privateers and the recapture of seven American merchantmen. On 7 November, 1799 she recaptured schooner "Hannah" captured 72 hours earlier. On 8 December she recaptured brig "Penelope" captured by French privateer "Fleur de Mair" on 3 December. On 28 December she engages captured American schooner "Polly" that is then run ashore a Legue west of Point Chateaux. After a fight with the prize crew, who were on shore, it was found to be impossible to refloat her and she was burned. On 30 December she captured off Point Petre French privateer brig "Conqueror of Italy", the most successful privateer operating out of Guadeloupe having captured 200 American merchant ships. "Conquest of Italy" was put in service as a tender for USS Constellation. On 15 January, 1800 She fired upon a privateer but it found shelter by a fort on Demerara, later that day she chased a ship ashore at Deseada which bilged and sank. On 2 April she stopped anddetained ex-American schooner "Commerce" that had been captured by a privateer, condemded by Court at Point Peter and sold to a Dane. Capt. Tryon thoght her papers wern't "regular" and sent her to [[St. Kitts] for evaluation, where she was released. On 28 April, with USS Richmond, she recaptured Thomas Chalkley. 1 June she captured privateer schooner "Le Piege" off Descada, and on 3 July recaptured brig "Martha and Mary" on the north side of St. Kitts. On 5 June captured privateer schooner "La Unite". On 17 June recaptured a schooner off Guadalupe. On 15 July, with USS Philadelphia, captured French Letter of Marque ketch "Le Chouchou". Arrived at New London, Conn., 18 Oct. 1800. Capt. Richard Derby was ordered to replace Capt. Tryon on 1 November. In a letter dated 20 February to Josiah Parker, Chaiman of the Commitee on Naval Affairs, Navy Secretary Stoddert recommended selling her. Connecticut was sold at New York in 1801 for $19,300.

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

References

  1. ↑ "Early history of the U. S. Revenue Marine Service or (U.S. Revenue Cutter Service) 1798 to 1854 page 19" (PDF). R. L. Polk printing via Media.defence.gov. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "Early history of the U. S. Revenue Marine Service or (U.S. Revenue Cutter Service) 1798 to 1854 page 18" (PDF). R. L. Polk printing via Media.defence.gov. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  3. ↑ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VI Part 2 of 4: Naval Operations June to November 1800, July-August 1800. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 565. Retrieved 13 September 2024– via Ibiblio.
  4. ↑ "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 6 April 2024.
  5. ↑ "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. 220" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "Early history of the U. S. Revenue Marine Service or (U.S. Revenue Cutter Service) 1798 to 1854 page 18" (PDF). R. L. Polk printing via Mediadefence.gov. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "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. 327" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  8. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume 2 Part 4 of 4 Naval Operations April 1799 to July 1799 July Pg. 555" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  9. ↑ "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. 432" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  10. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 3 of 4 Naval Operations January to May, 1800, April 1800-May 1800 Pg. 563" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  11. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 3 of 4 Naval Operations January to May, 1800, April 1800-May 1800 Pg. 563" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  12. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 3 of 4 Naval Operations January to May, 1800, April 1800-May 1800 Pg. 563" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  13. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 3 of 4 Naval Operations January to May, 1800, April 1800-May 1800 Pg. 563" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 3 of 4 Naval Operations January to May, 1800, April 1800-May 1800 Pg. 469-470" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  15. ↑ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VII Part 1 of 4: Naval Operations December 1800-December 1801, December 1800-March 1801. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 373. Retrieved 2 October 2024– via Ibiblio.
  16. ↑ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VI Part 2 of 4: Naval Operations June to November 1800, July-August 1800. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 563. Retrieved 13 September 2024– via Ibiblio.
  17. ↑ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VI Part 2 of 4: Naval Operations June to November 1800, July-August 1800. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 539. Retrieved 13 September 2024– via Ibiblio.
  18. ↑ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VII Part 1 of 4: Naval Operations December 1800-December 1801, December 1800-March 1801. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 21. Retrieved 15 September 2024– via Ibiblio.
  19. ↑ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VII Part 1 of 4: Naval Operations December 1800-December 1801, December 1800-March 1801. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 258. Retrieved 26 September 2024– via Ibiblio.
  20. ↑ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VII Part 1 of 4: Naval Operations December 1800-December 1801, December 1800-March 1801. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 307. Retrieved 29 September 2024– via Ibiblio.



On 27 July 1799 the Secretary of the Navy sent a letter with Campbell's commission as a U.S. Navy officer, rank of master commandant. [1]

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.