USS Independence (1814)

History
United States
Name	USS Independence
Namesake	Declaration of Independence
Builder	Boston Navy Yard
Launched	22 June 1814
Decommissioned	1822
Refit	Razeed, 1836
Recommissioned	26 March 1837
Decommissioned	3 November 1912
Stricken	3 September 1913
Fate	Scrapped 1915
General characteristics
Type	Ship of the line
Tonnage	2243
Length	190 ft 9 in (58.14 m)
Beam	54 ft 7 in (16.64 m)
Draft	21 ft 3 in (6.48 m)
Propulsion	Sail
Complement	790 officers and enlisted
Armament	90 × 32-pounder (15 kg) guns

USS Independence was a wooden-hulled, three-masted ship, originally a ship of the line and the first to be commissioned by the United States Navy. Originally a 90-gun ship, in 1836 she was cut down by one deck and re-rated as a 54-gun frigate.

Service history

Mediterranean Fleet, 1814–1822

Launched on 22 June 1814 in the

Peace had been enforced by a squadron under

Independence remained in ordinary at Boston until 1836 when she was razeed (cut down to one covered fighting deck with poop and forecastle). She was rated down to 54 guns as her configuration gave way to that of a very large frigate. She proved to be one of the fastest and most powerful "frigates" of the Navy.

Russia, South America, Home Squadron, 1837–1845

Independence recommissioned on 26 March 1837 and sailed from Boston on 20 May 1837 as flagship of Commodore

Having received marked social courtesies from the Russian government, Independence departed Kronstadt on 13 August 1837 for Rio de Janeiro, where she became flagship of the Brazil Squadron to guard American commerce along the eastern seaboard of South America. This duty continued into the spring of 1839 when Commodore Nicholson attempted mediation to end the war between France and Argentina. He reported 22 April 1839 that:

"I volunteered, as I conceived it a duty I owed to my Country, as well as to all Neutrals, to endeavor to get peace restored that commerce should be allowed to take its usual course. In accordance of the feelings of humanity at least, I hope my endeavors will be approved by the Department . . . I see no probable termination of this War and Blockade which is so injurious to the Commerce of all Neutrals ... "

Independence returned north to

She recommissioned on 4 August 1846, and the nation was already at war with Mexico as she departed Boston 29 August 1846 for the coast of California. She entered Monterey Bay on 22 January 1847 and became the flagship of Commodore William Shubrick, commanding the Pacific Squadron.

Independence assisted in the blockade of the Mexican coast, capturing Mexican ship Correo and a launch on 16 May 1847. She was present to support the capture of

Decommissioning and fate

Independence did not leave the Mare Island Navy Yard until 28 November 1914. Sold to

• Howard Chapelle
  , The History of the American Sailing Navy: the Ships and their Development (New York: Norton, 1949), plan 27 (Independence as a razee)
• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• USS Independence Collection (#1128), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University
• Copy of 1912 newspaper article about Independence