Construction and commissioning
''Franklin'' was Keel-laying, laid down at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, Kittery, Maine, in 1854, and built in part of materials salvaged from the previous , a ship-of-the-line scrapped in 1852. Prior to her launching, Woodbury Gerrish was commissioned to build a Figurehead (object), figurehead for her. For a time housed over, ''Franklin'' was Ship naming and launching, launched on 17 September 1864 and Ship commissioning, commissioned on 3 June 1867 at Boston, Massachusetts.Service history
On 28 June 1867, ''Franklin'' departed New York City as flagship of Admiral (United States), Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, who assumed command of the European Squadron. Relieved by the sloop-of-war , she arrived back in New York on 10 November 1868. ''Franklin''s second tour in the European Squadron, beginning on 28 January 1869, was as flagship for Rear Admiral (United States), Rear Admiral William Radford. She served with the Squadron (naval), squadron until 30 September 1871 when she sailed for the United States. On 13 November 1871 she was Ship decommissioning, decommissioned at Boston. Recommissioned on 15 December 1873, ''Franklin'' operated in the North Atlantic Squadron. On 11 April 1874, she stood out to sea to join the European Squadron as flagship until 14 September 1876. On 9 January 1876, while ''Franklin'' was at Lisbon, Portugal, Ordinary Seaman Edward Maddin and Seaman (rank), Seaman John Handran jumped overboard and rescued a shipmate from drowning, for which they were later awarded the Medal of Honor. In the aftermath of the Salonika Incident in May 1876, the U.S. Ambassador, Horace Maynard, requested that ''Franklin'' steam to the Aegean Sea to protect U.S. interests and citizens. Later that year, ''Franklin'' transported the corrupt politician William M. Tweed, William M. "Boss" Tweed — arrested in Spain after escaping from Ludlow Street Jail in New York City — from Spain to New York City, where she arrived on 23 November 1876. ''Franklin'' was placed out of commission at Norfolk, Virginia, Norfolk, Virginia, on 2 March 1877 and recommissioned the same day as receiving ship for Naval Station Norfolk. On 21 October 1907 her Cutter (boat), cutter, ''Cutter No. 2'', with a Launch (boat), launch lashed to its Port and starboard, starboard side, was in a collision with a barge under tow by the tow steamer ''Pioneer'' at Norfolk resulting in the Capsize, capsizing of the cutter and launch. The cutter sank and one occupant of the launch drowned. ''Franklin'' remained in service as a receiving ship at Norfolk until 14 October 1915, which marked her final decommissioning. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 26 October 1915 and sold.Commemoration
Following ''Franklin''′s decommissioning, her figurehead was donated to the Philadelphia Naval Asylum, U.S. Naval Home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1930. The Naval Home then passed it on in 1938 to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, where it is on display.See also
* List of steam frigates of the United States Navy * Bibliography of early American naval history#American Civil War, Bibliography of American Civil War naval history * Union Navy * Confederate States NavyReferences
*External links