USS ''General Greene'' was a 30-gun frigate of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. Named after
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
major general
Nathanael Greene
Major general (United States), Major General Nathanael Greene (August 7, 1742 – June 19, 1786) was an American military officer and planter who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War. He emerge ...
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.yellow fever. More than 20 died and the frigate returned to
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...
, 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‑Français, Saint-Domingue.
''General Greene'' remained off San Domingo for the following six months. In company with USS , 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) and retook the American schooner ''Weymouth'', which had been captured by French privateer ''Hope''. Much of her time was spent watching over the rebellion against General Toussaint in
Haiti
Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
. 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.
On 11 March she captured an unknown French privateer schooner off Jackmel. Some time before 4 April she captured 2 prizes. One of the prizes was schooner "General Toussaint", which Captain Silas Talbot ordered released. 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
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
,
John Adams
John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...
. Stopping at
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, she embarked General James Wilkinson and his family for transport home. ''General Greene'' then proceeded as escort for 12 merchantmen bound to Havana, arriving there 22 June. She departed Havana 26 June escorting a convoy of 12 merchantmen. 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. Capt. Richard Derby was ordered to take command in a letter written 2 September, 1800, repealed 8 September. A Court of Enquiry was held on various lapses in obeying Orders and other conduct during the last deployment. Following the enquiry President
John Adams
John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...
ordered Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddart to suspend Perry from the Service for 3 months without pay. Capt. Hugh G. Campbell was ordered to assume command in a letter dated 28 November. after which she was laid up in ordinary at the Washington Navy Yard.
On July 21, 1801, Lieutenant Isaac Chauncey was ordered to take command of ''General Greene'' for an anticipated deployment to the Mediterranean as part of the First Barbary War. However, on August 13 the order was rescinded and her crew transferred to USS ''New York''. On November 19, 1802, Midshipman George S. Hackley was ordered to take command of her as
sailing master
The master, or sailing master, is a historical rank for a naval Officer (armed forces), officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing ship, sailing vessel.
In the Royal Navy, the master was originally a warrant officer who ...
. On March 16, 1803, she was ordered to serve as a hospital ship for the frigate . On November 14, orders were issued to put her in complete repair. She was reduced to a sheer hulk in 1805, and ''General Greene'' was scuttled by burning on August 24, 1814 when British troops occupied Washington during the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
.''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'', ed. James L. Mooney, 5 vols., Washington, D.C., 1959–1981, 3:43–44