USS George Washington (1798)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Cost | $69,024 |
| Launched | 1793 |
| Acquired | 12 October 1798 |
| Fate | Sold, May 1802 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 624 |
| Length | 108 ft (33 m) keel |
| Beam | 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m) |
| Draught | 14 ft (4.3 m) |
| Complement | 220 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | 24x9-pdrs 8x6-pdrs |
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.
George Washington was built as a merchant vessel at Providence, R.I., in 1793; purchased by the Congress at Providence 12 October 1798 from John Brown and John Francis for $10,400 in cash and $30,000 in 6 percent navy stock, for use in the developing undeclared naval war (the so-called Quasi-War) with France, and converted to a warship under the supervision of Captain Silas Talbot with Captain Patrick Fletcher in command.[1][2][3]
Service
George Washington proceeded in early December to
She departed the Caribbean in mid-1799, arriving Newport, Rhode Island, 12 June 1799, and after a short stay sailed again 2 July. Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert considered her a dull sailer[7] so she wasn't sent back to the Caribbean immediately, instead on this cruise, she searched the coast for French privateers as far south as Charleston, S.C., and then took station off Santo Domingo protecting American commerce. The George Washington returned to the United States, in October 1799, for extensive repairs.[8][9]
She was taken to
The ship underwent repairs and was again fitted to carry stores and timber to Algiers. Manned with only a partial crew, she sailed 20 July 1801 and arrived in Algiers via Málaga, Spain, on 5 October 1801. After calling at Italian and French ports, she returned to Philadelphia about 15 April 1802.[11] George Washington was sold in May 1802 by the Navy agent in Philadelphia, George Harrison.
See also
- List of sloops of war of the United States Navy
- Bibliography of early American naval history
References
- ^ Ignatius, 1938 pp.369
- ^ U.S.Navy, DANFS, USS George Washington, page article, 3rd prgh
- ^ Leiner, Frederick (2000). Millions for Defense: The Subscription Warships of 1799. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. p. 124.
- ^ "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. 116-117" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ Ignatius, 1938 p.373
- ^ U.S.Navy, DANFS, USS George Washington, page article, 4th prgh
- ^ "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, June, 1799 Pg. 361-362" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ Ignatius, 1938 pp.368–369
- ^ U.S.Navy, DANFS, USS George Washington, page article, 5th prgh
- ^ Harris, 1837 pp.43–46
- ^ Allen, 1905, pp.84–85
Bibliography
- Allen, Gardner Weld (1905). Our Navy and the Barbary Corsairs.
Houghton Mifflin & Co., Boston, New York and Chicago. p. 354. - Harris, Gardner W. (1837). The Life and Services of Commodore William Bainbridge, United States navy.
Carey Lea & Blanchard, Philadelphia. p. 254. - Ignatius, Martin; Griffin, Joseph (1903). Commodore John Barry: "the father of the American navy".
Published by the Author, Philadelphia. p. 424. E'Book - Dept U.S.Navy. "USS George Washington".
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY – NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER. Retrieved 1 November 2011.