USS General Greene (1799)

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History
US flag 15 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS General Greene
Namesake Nathanael Greene
BuilderBenjamin Talman and James de Wolf
Cost$105,492
Launched21 January 1799
Commissioned2 June 1799
FateBurned, 24 August 1814
General characteristics
Type Frigate
Tonnagetonnage 654
Length124 ft 3 in (37.87 m)
Beam34 ft 8 in (10.57 m)
Draft17 ft 4 in (5.28 m)
PropulsionSail
Complement250 officers and enlisted
Armament
  • 24 × 12-pounder guns
  • 6 × 6-pounder guns

The second USS General Greene was a frigate in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France.

Named after American Revolution General Nathaneal Greene, she was built under government contract by Benjamin Talman and James De Wolf at Warren, Rhode Island. Launched on 21 January 1799, the frigate was placed under command of Captain Christopher R. Perry. Perry's son, a young midshipman named Oliver Hazard Perry, was assigned to his father's ship.

General Greene sailed on 2 June 1799, joining the Governor Jay in convoying five merchantmen to Havana. Damage suffered in a heavy gale caused her to put in at Havana for repairs, and her crew was struck with yellow fever. More than 20 died and the frigate returned to Newport, Rhode Island, on 27 July with 37 men in various stages of recovery. After a thorough cleaning, fumigation, and change of ballast, she departed Newport on 23 September 1799 to take station at Cap Francois, San Domingo.

General Greene remained off San Domingo for the following six months. In company with USS Boston, on 1 December 1799 she assisted in the recaptured Danish brig "Flying Fish", captured by André Rigaud's barges, but with questionable crewing and other oddities (possibly French owned) [1] and retook the American schooner Weymouth, which had been captured by French privateer Hope. [2] Much of her time was spent watching over the rebellion against General Toussaint in Haiti. She blockaded the port of Jacmel to cut off supplies of the rebels, and gave direct gunfire support to General Toussaint's army in the capture of Jacmel on 27 February 1800. On 2 March, 1800 she detained Danish schooner "William and Mary" and allowed her capture by one of General Toussaint's barges later in the day. [3] On 11 March she captured an unknown French privateer schooner off Jackmel. [4] She remained at Jacmel as a possible haven for American citizens until 27 April, when she sailed with two representatives sent by General Toussaint for an audience with the President of the United States, John Adams. Stopping at New Orleans, she embarked General James Wilkinson and his family for transport home. General Greene then proceeded as escort for 12 merchantmen bound to Havana. She finally returned to Newport, arriving on 21 July 1800.

General Greene's crew was discharged and the frigate remained idle at Newport, until Captain Perry was retired under the Peace Establishment Act of 3 April 1801, after which she was laid up in ordinary at the Washington Navy Yard. She served as a floating sick bay for frigate Constellation in 1803, and was reduced to a sheer hulk in 1805.

The General Greene was destroyed by flames on 24 August 1814 when British troops captured Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812. [5]

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References

  1. ↑ "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.
  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. 423" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 27 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. 266-269" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  4. ↑ "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. 318" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  5. ↑ Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, ed. James L. Mooney, 5 vols., Washington, D.C., 1959–1981, 3:43–44
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