USS ''Congress'' was a three-masted heavy frigate, one of the first six ships of the newly created US Navy. Built by James Hackett at the

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS), often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard on Seavey's Island in Kittery, Maine, bordering Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The naval yard lies along the southern boundary of Maine on ...

, she was launched on 15 August 1799 and nominally rated as a 38-gun frigate (despite often carrying up to 48 guns). The name ''Congress'' was chosen from a list of ten names submitted to President

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

by Secretary of War

Timothy Pickering Timothy Pickering (July 17, 1745January 29, 1829) was the third United States Secretary of State, serving under Presidents George Washington and John Adams. He also represented Massachusetts in both houses of United States Congress, Congress as ...

in March 1795. As Joshua Humphreys intended for the frigates to serve as the young Navy's

capital ship The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they are generally the larger ships when compared to other warships in their respective fleet. A capital ship is generally a leading or a primary ship in a naval fleet. Strategic i ...

s, ''Congress'' and her

sister ship A sister ship is a ship of the same Ship class, class or of virtually identical design to another ship. Such vessels share a nearly identical hull and superstructure layout, similar size, and roughly comparable features and equipment. They o ...

s were larger and more heavily armed than the standard frigates of the period. Her first duties with the newly formed United States Navy were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the

Quasi War The Quasi-War was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in ...

with

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 ...

and to defeat the

Barbary pirates The Barbary corsairs, Barbary pirates, Ottoman corsairs, or naval mujahideen (in Muslim sources) were mainly Muslim corsairs and privateers who operated from the largely independent Barbary states. This area was known in Europe as the Barba ...

in the

First Barbary War The First Barbary War (1801–1805), also known as the Tripolitan War and the Barbary Coast War, was a conflict during the 1801–1815 Barbary Wars, in which the United States fought against Ottoman Tripolitania. Tripolitania had declared war ...

. 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 ...

, she made several extended length cruises in company with her

and captured or assisted in the capture of twenty British merchant ships. At the end of 1813, because repair materials were lacking, she was placed in reserve for the remainder of the war. In 1815, she returned to service for the

Second Barbary War The Second Barbary War, also known as the U.S.–Algerian War and the Algerine War, was a brief military conflict between the United States and the North African state of Algiers in 1815. Piracy had been rampant along the North African "Barb ...

and made patrols through 1816. In the 1820s, she helped suppress piracy in the West Indies, made several voyages to South America, and was the first U.S. warship to visit China. ''Congress'' spent her last ten years of service as a

receiving ship A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. 'Hulk' may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or a ship whose propulsion system is no longer maintained or has been r ...

until she was

broken up Ship breaking (also known as ship recycling, ship demolition, ship scrapping, ship dismantling, or ship cracking) is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships either as a source of Interchangeable parts, parts, which can be sol ...

in 1834.

Construction

In 1785,

, most notably from

Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...

, began to seize American

merchant vessel A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which a ...

s in the Mediterranean. In 1793 alone, eleven American ships were captured, and their crews and stores held for ransom. To combat this problem, proposals were made for warships to protect American shipping, resulting in the

Naval Act of 1794 The Act to Provide a Naval Armament (Sess. 1, ch. 12, ), also known as the Naval Act of 1794, or simply, the Naval Act, was passed by the 3rd United States Congress on March 27, 1794, and signed into law by President George Washington. The act ...

.Allen (1909), pp. 41–42.Beach (1986), pp. 26–27. The act provided funds to construct six frigates, but included a provision that if peace terms were agreed to with Algiers, the construction of the ships would be halted.Beach (1986), p. 29. Joshua Humphreys' design was unusual for the time, involving a diagonal

scantling Scantling is a measurement of prescribed size, dimensions, or cross sectional areas. When used in regard to timber, the scantling is (also "the scantlings are") the thickness and breadth, the sectional dimensions; in the case of stone it refers t ...

(rib) scheme intended to restrict hogging while giving the ships extremely heavy planking. This design gave the

hull Hull may refer to: Structures * The hull of an armored fighting vehicle, housing the chassis * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a sea-going craft * Submarine hull Ma ...

a greater strength than a more lightly built frigate. Humphreys' design was based on his realization that the fledgling United States of the period could not match the European states in the size of their navies. This being so, the frigates were designed to overpower other frigates with the ability to escape from a

ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactics in the Age of Sail, naval tactic known as the line of battl ...

.Toll (2006), pp. 49–53.Beach (1986), pp. 29–30, 33.Allen (1909), pp. 42–45. However, ''Congress'' was a scaled-down version of his more famous designs for ''Constitution'', ''United States'' and ''President'', being closer in size to the standard European frigates of the day, and mounting the usual armament of 18-pounder guns. ''Congress'' was given her name by President

after a principle of the United States Constitution.Toll (2006), p. 61. Her keel was laid down by 12 December 1795Allen (1909), p. 47. at a shipyard in Kittery, Maine (then a district of Massachusetts). James Hackett was charged with her construction, and Captain James Sever served as a superintendent. Her construction proceeded slowly and was completely suspended when, in March 1796, a peace treaty was signed with Algiers.''An Act to provide a Naval Armament''. (1794). Library of Congress. Retrieved 17 December 2010. ''Congress'' remained at the shipyard, incomplete, until relations with France deteriorated in 1798 with the start of the

Quasi-War The Quasi-War was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in ...

. At the request of then 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 ...

, funds were approved on 16 July to complete her construction.Allen (1909), p. 56.

Armament

The Naval Act of 1794 had specified 36-gun frigates. However, ''Congress'' and her sister-ship, the , were re-rated to 38s because of their large dimensions, being in length and in width.Chapelle (1949), p. 128.Beach (1986), p. 32. The "ratings" by number of guns were meant only as an approximation, and ''Congress'' often carried up to 48 guns.Roosevelt (1883), p. 53. Ships of this era had no permanent battery of guns such as modern Navy ships carry. The guns and cannons were designed to be completely portable and were often exchanged between ships as situations warranted. Each commanding officer outfitted armaments to their liking, taking into consideration factors such as the overall tonnage of cargo, complement of personnel aboard, and planned routes to be sailed. Consequently, the armaments on ships would change often during their careers, and records of the changes were not generally kept.Jennings (1966), pp. 17–19. During her first cruise in the Quasi-War against France, ''Congress'' was noted to be armed with a battery of forty guns consisting of twenty-eight and twelve . For her patrols during the War of 1812, she was armed with a battery of forty-four guns consisting of twenty-four 18-pounder long guns and twenty 32-pounder carronades.

Quasi-War

''Congress'' launched on 15 August 1799 under the command of Captain Sever. After

fitting-out Fitting out, or outfitting, is the process in shipbuilding that follows the float-out/launching of a vessel and precedes sea trials. It is the period when all the remaining construction of the ship is completed and readied for delivery to her o ...

in Rhode Island, she set off on her maiden voyage on 6 January 1800, sailing in company with the ''USS Essex'' to escort merchant ships to the

East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies) is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The ''Indies'' broadly referred to various lands in Eastern world, the East or the Eastern Hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainl ...

.Toll (2006), p. 136. Six days later, she lost all of her masts during a gale. Because her rigging had been set and tightened in a cold climate, it had slackened once she reached warmer temperatures.Cooper (1856), p. 133. Without the full support of the rigging, all the masts fell during a four-hour period, killing the ship's Fourth Lieutenant, who had been trying to repair the main mast. She was away from the convoy at the time ''Essex'' lost sight of her, probably because of the dismasting, and was located at .Allen (1909), pp. 151–152.Maclay and Smith (1898) Volume 1, p. 191. The crew rigged an emergency sail, accomplished by 22 January, and limped back to

Gosport Navy Yard The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a United States Navy, U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest ...

for repairs, arriving off Hampton Roads on 24 February.Allen (1909), p. 153. While there, some of Sever's junior officers announced that they had no confidence in his ability as a commanding officer. A Court of Inquiry was held on 26 April 1800 on board , and Captain Sever was cleared of any wrongdoing and remained in command of ''Congress'', though many of his crew soon transferred out to .Toll (2006), p. 139. Remaining in port for six months while her masts and rigging were repaired, she finally sailed again on 26 July for the

West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...

.Morris (1880), p. 120. ''Congress'' made routine patrols escorting American merchant ships and seeking out French ships to capture. On two occasions she almost ran aground; first while pursuing a French

privateer A privateer is a private person or vessel which engages in commerce raiding under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign o ...

, she ran into shallow water where large rocks were seen near the surface. Although their exact depth was not determined, Sever immediately abandoned pursuit of the privateer and changed course towards deeper waters.Morris (1880), p. 121. Her second close call occurred off the coast of the

Caicos Islands The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and nor ...

, when during the night she drifted close to the reefs. At daybreak her predicament was discovered by the lookouts.Morris (1880), pp. 121–122, On 29 August 1800, she recaptured the American merchant brig ''Experiment'' captured by privateer "Bayonnnese" on 26 August. On 2 October she spotted HMS Ticiphone with a brig following her, her prize under tow. Captain Sever decided to cut between the two ships and didn't notice there was a towline running between them until it was too late to avoid an accident. Sever sent an immediate letter of apology to Captain John Davie. A

peace treaty A peace treaty is an treaty, agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually country, countries or governments, which formally ends a declaration of war, state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an ag ...

with France was ratified on 3 February 1801 and ''Congress'' returned to Boston by 3 April.Allen (1909), p. 221. In accordance with an act of Congress passed on 3 March and signed by President

, thirteen frigates then currently in service were to be retained. Seven of those frigates, including ''Congress'', were to be placed in ordinary (mothballed).Allen (1909), p. 255. En route to the

Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is a ceremonial and administrative center for the United States Navy, located in the federal national capital city of Washington, D.C. (federal District of Columbia). It is the oldest shore establishment / base of ...

, she passed

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

on her way up the Potomac and Captain Sever ordered her sails lowered, flag at half mast, and a 13-gun salute fired to honor the recently deceased George Washington.Allen (1909), p. 258. ''Congress'' decommissioned at Washington along with and .

First Barbary War

During the United States' preoccupation with France during the Quasi-War, troubles with the

Barbary States The Barbary Coast (also Barbary, Berbery, or Berber Coast) were the coastal regions of central and western North Africa, more specifically, the Maghreb and the Ottoman borderlands consisting of the regencies in Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, a ...

were suppressed by the payment of a

tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of lands which the state con ...

to ensure that American merchant ships were not harassed and seized.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 1, pp. 215–216. In 1801,

Yusuf Karamanli Yusuf (ibn Ali) Karamanli, Caramanli or Qaramanli or al-Qaramanli (most commonly Yusuf Karamanli), (1766–1838) was the longest-reigning Pasha of the Karamanli dynasty of Ottoman Tripolitania (in present-day Libya). He is noted for his role in ...

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis (from , meaning "three cities") may refer to: Places Greece *Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in the Pelasgiotis district, Thessaly, near Larissa ...

, dissatisfied with the amount of tribute he was receiving in comparison to Algiers, demanded an immediate payment of $250,000.Allen (1905), pp. 88–90. In response,

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

sent a squadron of frigates to protect American merchant ships in the Mediterranean and to pursue peace with the Barbary States.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 1, p. 228.Allen (1905), p. 92. The first squadron, under the command of

Richard Dale Richard Dale (November 6, 1756 – February 26, 1826) was an American naval officer who fought in the Continental Navy under John Barry and was first lieutenant for John Paul Jones during the naval battle off of Flamborough Head, England again ...

in , was instructed to escort merchant ships through the Mediterranean and negotiate with leaders of the Barbary States. A second squadron was assembled under the command of

Richard Valentine Morris Richard Valentine Morris (March 8, 1768 – May 13, 1815) was a United States Navy officer and politician. Early life He was born on March 8, 1768, in Morrisania, then a town in Westchester County, which became in 1898 a neighborhood in the bo ...

in however, the performance of Morris's squadron was so poor that he was recalled and subsequently dismissed from the Navy in 1803.Toll (2006), p. 173. A third squadron was assembled under the command of

Edward Preble Edward Preble (August 15, 1761 – August 25, 1807) was an American naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the First Barbary War, leading attacks on Tripoli and forming the officer corps that would go on to command ...

in and by mid-1804 they had successfully fought the Battle of Tripoli Harbor.Allen (1905), p. 199. On 21 March 1804 the Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith ordered Lt.

John Cassin John Cassin (September 6, 1813 – January 10, 1869) was an American ornithology, ornithologist from Pennsylvania. He worked as curator and vice president at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and focused on the systemic classification ...

, supervisor of the Washington Navy Yard, to prepare the ship for sea. President Jefferson reinforced Preble's squadron in April and ordered four frigates to sail as soon as possible. ''President'', ''Congress'', ''Constellation'' and ''Essex'' were placed under the direction of Commodore Samuel Barron. She was recommissioned on 2 April. ''Congress'' was captained by John Rodgers and two months were spent preparing the squadron for the voyage. She sailed from the Washington Navy Yard on 21 May. She sailed from Alexandria, Virginia on 28 May, 1804. She arrived at Hampton Roads on 8 June. She left the capes on 5 July and arrived at

Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...

on 12 August. ''Congress'' and ''Essex'' were immediately sent to patrol off the coast of

Tangier Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...

and when they returned to Gibraltar two weeks later, ''Congress'' continued on to Tripoli.Toll (2006), p. 252.Allen (1905), pp. 219–220. ''Congress'', accompanied by ''Constellation'', assumed blockade duties of Tripoli. On 5 October, 1804 4 small costal boats attempted to run wheat through the blockade, 2 made it in, and 2 were forced ashore west of town. On 26 October captured a Turkish ''

xebec A xebec ( or ), also spelled zebec, was a Mediterranean sailing ship that originated in the barbary states (Algeria), it was used mostly for trading. Xebecs had a long overhanging bowsprit and aft-set mizzen mast. The term can also refer to a ...

'' that was without papers. before sailing for

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

on 25 October for repairs. On 9 November Rodgers assumed command of ''Constitution'' and in his place,

Stephen Decatur Commodore (United States), Commodore Stephen Decatur Jr. (; January 5, 1779 – March 22, 1820) was a United States Navy officer. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in Worcester County, Maryland, Worcester County. His father, Ste ...

assumed command of ''Congress''.Allen (1905), p. 220. The next recorded activity of ''Congress'' is in early July 1805 when she was sent in company with to blockade

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

. They were joined on the 23rd by additional U.S. Navy vessels.Allen (1905), p. 268. In early September, ''Congress'' carried the Tunisian ambassador back to Washington DC, sailing from Tangier Bay 22 September and arriving 13 November in Hampton Roads, was at the mouth of the Potomoc River 25 November and was aground at

Greenleaf's Point Buzzard Point, sometimes known as Greenleaf Point, is a peninsula and neighborhood of Washington, D.C., located in Southwest D.C., at the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia River. History 17th and 18th centuries The earliest documented na ...

on 29 November.Cooper (1856), pp. 221–222.Allen (1905), p. 269. Afterward, placed in ordinary at the Washington Navy Yard, she served as a classroom for midshipmen training through 1807.Toll (2006), p. 282.

War of 1812

In 1811 ''Congress'' required extensive repairs before recommissioning with Captain John Rogers in command. She performed routine patrols early in 1812 before war was declared on 18 June. Captain John Smith assumed command on 11 July 1812 and took her to join Rodgers' squadron, where she sailed in company with , , ''President'', and .Roosevelt (1883), pp. 72–73.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 1, p. 322. Almost immediately Rogers was informed by a passing American merchant ship of a fleet of British merchantmen en route to Britain from Jamaica. ''Congress'' sailed along in pursuit, but was interrupted when ''President'' began pursuing HMS ''Belvidera'' on 23 June.Cooper (1856), pp. 244–245.Roosevelt (1883), pp. 73–74. ''Congress'' trailed behind ''President'' during the chase and fired her bowchasers at the escaping ''Belvidera''.Roosevelt (1883), pp. 74, 76. Unable to capture ''Belvidera'', the squadron returned to the pursuit of the Jamaican fleet. On 1 July they began to follow a trail of coconut shells and orange peels the Jamaican fleet had left behind them.Roosevelt (1883), p. 77.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 1, p. 325. Sailing to within one

day's journey A day's journey in pre-modern literature, including the Bible and ancient geographers and ethnographers such as Herodotus, is a measurement of distance. In the Bible, it is not as precisely defined as other Biblical measurements of distance; the ...

of the English Channel, the squadron never sighted the convoy and Rodgers called off the pursuit on the 13th. During their return trip to Boston, ''Congress'' assisted in the capture of seven merchant ships, including the recapture of an American vessel.Roosevelt (1883), p. 78.Cooper (1856), p. 247. Making her second cruise against the British with ''President'', ''Congress'' sailed from Boston on 8 October. On the 31st of that month, both ships began to pursue , which was escorting two merchant ships. ''Galatea'' and her charges were chased for about three hours, during which ''Congress'' captured the merchant ship ''Argo''. In the meantime, ''President'' kept after ''Galatea'' but lost sight of her as darkness fell. ''Congress'' and ''President'' remained together during November but they did not find a single ship to capture. On their return to the United States they passed north of Bermuda, proceeded towards the

Virginia capes The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America. The importance of the Chesapeake Bay in American history has lo ...

, and arrived back in Boston on 31 December. During their entire time at sea, the two frigates captured nine

prizes A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people (such as sporting teams and organizations) to recognize and reward their actions and achievements.

.Roosevelt (1883), pp. 106–107.

''Congress'' and ''President'' were

blockade A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force. A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are ...

d in Boston by the Royal Navy until they slipped through the blockade on 30 April 1813 and put to sea for their third cruise of the war. On 2 May they pursued but she outran them both and escaped. ''Congress'' parted company with ''President'' on the 8th and patrolled off the

Cape Verde Islands Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...

and the coast of Brazil. She only captured four small British merchant ships during this period and returned to the

Portsmouth Navy Yard The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS), often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard on Seavey's Island in Kittery, Maine, bordering Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The naval yard lies along the southern boundary of Maine on ...

for repairs in late 1813. By this time of the war, materials and personnel were being diverted to the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...

, which created a shortage of resources necessary to repair her. Because of the amount of repairs she needed, it was decided instead to place her in ordinary, where she stayed for the remainder of the war.Toll (2006), pp. 419–420.Roosevelt (1883), pp. 174–175.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 1, p. 521. Louis F. Middlebrook in Vol. LXIII, October 1927 of Essex Institute Historical Collections listing following prizes taken by her under the command of Captain John Smith:

November 1, 1812, off Western Islands, the British
whaler A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales. Terminology The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Jap ...
, 10 guns and 26 men, with a cargo of oil and whalebone, bound for London, and ordered to the United States.

May 19, 1813, in Lat. 28 N., Long. 42 W., the British brig ''Jean'', 10 guns and 17 men, with a cargo of copper, hides, etc., bound to Greenock. After taking out the copper, the brig was burned.

May 22, 1813, in Lat. 24 N., Long. 40 W., the British brig ''Diana'', 10 guns and 14 men, with a cargo of copper and hides bound to London, and sent into Barbadoes with the prisoners, after throwing overboard her cargo.

October 25, 1813, in Lat. 19 N., Long. 40 W., the British ship ''Rose'', of 182 tons, crew of 12 men, with a cargo of wine and potatoes. Burned. All of her crew voluntarily enlisted in the service of the United States.

December 5, 1813, in the North Atlantic, the British brig ''Atlantic'', crew of 12 men and a cargo of sugar and cotton from the West Indies to Cork. This brig was sent into Boston.

Second Barbary War

Soon after the United States declared war against Britain in 1812,

took advantage of the United States' preoccupation with Britain and began intercepting American merchant ships in the Mediterranean.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 2, pp. 4–5. On 2 March 1815, at the request of President

James Madison James Madison (June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison was popularly acclaimed as the ...

, Congress declared war on Algiers. Work preparing two American squadrons promptly began—one at Boston under Commodore

William Bainbridge Commodore William Bainbridge (May 7, 1774July 27, 1833) was a United States Navy officer. During his long career in the young American navy he served under six presidents beginning with John Adams and is notable for his many victories at sea. ...

, and one at New York under Commodore Steven Decatur.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 2, p. 6.Allen (1905), p. 281. Captain

Charles Morris Charles or Charlie Morris may refer to: People Musicians * Chuck Morris (1974–2023) and son Charley Morris of Lotus (American band), died together in 2023 Soldiers * Charles Morris (surveyor general) (1711–1781), Canadian army officer, ...

assumed command of ''Congress'' and assigned to the squadron under Bainbridge. After repairs and refitting, she transported the Minister to Holland

William Eustis William Eustis (June 10, 1753 – February 6, 1825) was an early American physician, politician, and statesman from Massachusetts. Trained in medicine, he served as a military surgeon during the American Revolutionary War, notably at the Batt ...

to his new post. ''Congress'' departed in June and after a few weeks at Holland, sailed for the Mediterranean and arrived at

Cartagena, Spain Cartagena () is a Spanish city belonging to the Region of Murcia. As of January 2018, it has a population of 218,943 inhabitants. The city lies in a natural harbor of the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Cartage ...

in early August joining Bainbridge's squadron.Morris (1880), p. 181.Allen (1905), pp. 292–293. By the time of ''Congress''s arrival, however, Commodore Decatur had already secured a peace treaty with Algiers.Allen (1905), p. 293.Morris (1880), p. 182. ''Congress'', , and sailed in company with Bainbridge's

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

—the first commissioned

of the U.S. Navy—as a show of force off Algiers. The squadron subsequently made appearances off Tripoli and Tunis and arrived at Gibraltar in early October.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 2, p. 20. From there, ''Congress'' and many other ships were ordered back to the United States. She arrived at Newport, Rhode Island, remained there shortly, and proceeded to Boston where she decommissioned in December and assigned to ordinary.Allen (1905), p. 294.Morris (1880), pp. 182–183.

Later career

In June 1816 Charles Morris again commanded ''Congress'' and began preparations for a cruise to the Pacific Coast of the United States. His objective was taking possession of

Fort Astoria Fort Astoria (also named Fort George) was the primary Fur trade, fur trading post of John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company (PFC). A maritime contingent of PFC staff was sent on board the ''Tonquin (1807 ship), Tonquin'', while another party tra ...

from the British and conducting inquiries at various ports along the coast to further improve commercial trade.Cooper (1856), p. 446.Morris (1880), pp. 183–184.Scholefield and Howay (1914), p. 432. These plans were canceled, however, when a U.S. Navy ship collided with a Spanish Navy vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. Consequently, Morris commanded a squadron of ships in the Gulf to ensure that American merchant commerce in the area would continue unmolested.Morris (1880), p. 184. ''Congress'' arrived in the Gulf of Mexico in December 1816 and made patrols through July 1817 performing duties that Morris described as "tedious and uninteresting". From there she sailed for Haiti where Morris and an agent of the United States negotiated a settlement with

Henri Christophe Henri Christophe (; 6 October 1767 – 8 October 1820) was a key leader in the Haitian Revolution and the only monarch of the Kingdom of Haiti. Born in the British West Indies, British Caribbean, Christophe was possibly of Senegambian descent ...

over the case of a captured vessel. Afterward, ''Congress'' sailed for Venezuela to observe and gather information regarding the ongoing

Venezuelan War of Independence The Venezuelan War of Independence (, 1810–1823) was one of the Spanish American wars of independence of the early nineteenth century, when independence movements in South America fought a civil war for secession and against unity of the S ...

. She arrived about 21 August and visited the Venezuelan city of

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

soon after.Morris (1880), pp. 185–190. Upon return to the Norfolk Navy Yard later the same year, Morris requested relief as commander because his health was failing;

Arthur Sinclair Commodore Arthur Sinclair (28 February 1780 – 7 February 1831) was a United States Navy officer who served in during the Quasi-War, the First Barbary War and the War of 1812. His three sons also served in the Navy; they resigned in 1861, ...

assumed command.Morris (1880), pp. 190–191. Sinclair began preparing for a return voyage to South America carrying a diplomatic contingent to assure various South American countries of the United States' intention to remain neutral in their conflicts with Spain for independence.Brackenridge (1820), pp. 77–78. The diplomats included

Caesar A. Rodney Caesar Augustus Rodney (January 4, 1772 – June 10, 1824) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, ...

, John Graham, Theodorick Bland,

Henry Brackenridge Henry Marie Brackenridge (May 11, 1786 – January 18, 1871) was an American writer, lawyer, judge, superintendent, and U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania. Born in Pittsburgh in 1786, he was educated by his father, the writer and judge Hugh ...

, William Reed, and Thomas Rodney.Brackenridge (1820), p. 78. ''Congress'' departed on 4 December and returned to Norfolk in July 1818.Brackenridge (1820), p. 79.Read (1870), pp. 238, 241. Early in 1819 ''Congress'' made a voyage under the command of Captain John D. Henley to China, becoming the first U.S. warship to visit that country. She returned to the United States in May 1821.Raymond (1851), p. 47. Shortly afterward, pirates in the West Indies began seizing American merchant ships and in early 1822, she served as the

of Commodore

James Biddle James Biddle (February 18, 1783 – October 1, 1848), of the Biddle family, brother of financier Nicholas Biddle and nephew of Capt. Nicholas Biddle, was an American commodore. His flagship was . Education and early career Biddle was born in Ph ...

. She is recorded as collecting prisoners from the captured pirate ship ''Bandara D'Sangare'' on 24 July of that year.Cooper (1856), p. 448.Maclay and Smith (1898), Volume 2, p. 28. Her next recorded activity is returning to Norfolk in April 1823 where Biddle immediately prepared for a voyage to Spain and Argentina to deliver the newly appointed Ministers,

Hugh Nelson Hugh Nelson may refer to: *Hugh Nelson (Australian politician) (1833–1906), Premier of Queensland, Australia *Hugh Nelson (Virginia politician) (1768–1836), American politician *Hugh Nelson (Canadian politician) (1830–1893), Canadian politicia ...

and

Caesar Augustus Rodney Caesar Augustus Rodney (January 4, 1772 – June 10, 1824) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly ...

respectively.Wainwright (1951), p. 171.Read (1870), p. 241. Extensive modifications were required to the

berth deck A deck is a permanent covering over a Compartment (ship), compartment or a hull (watercraft), hull of a ship. On a boat or ship, the primary or upper deck is the horizontal structure that forms the "roof" of the hull, strengthening it and serv ...

of ''Congress'' to accommodate Rodney's wife and eleven children.Wainwright (1951), p. 180. Additionally, Rodney's household goods and furniture, described by Biddle as "enough to fill a large merchant ship," were loaded into her hold that required much of the ships stores to be relocated.Wainwright (1951), pp. 179–180. She departed from

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...

, on 8 June and arrived at

where Hugh Nelson disembarked for Spain. On 18 September ''Congress'' arrived at

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

, Brazil, where Rodney hired his own merchant ship to carry his family the rest of the distance to

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

.Wainwright (1951), p. 182. ''Congress'' subsequently returned to Norfolk on 17 December.Wainwright (1951), p. 183. After her return, ''Congress'' served as a

; being moved between the Norfolk and Washington Navy Yards under tow as needed. She remained on this duty for the next ten years until a survey of her condition was performed in 1834, and found unfit for repair, she was broken up the same year.Toll (2006), p. 474.

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

Guide to the Journal of the USS ''Congress'', 1816–1817 MS 22
held by Special Collection & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy
Guide to the Remarks Made on Board the United States Frigate ''Congress'', 1817 MS 23
held by Special Collection & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy
Guide to the Journal of the USS ''Congress'', ''the Citizen'', and the ''Canton'', 1816–1820 MS 24
held by Special Collection & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy {{DEFAULTSORT:Congress (1799) Sailing frigates of the United States Navy Ships built in Kittery, Maine 1799 ships Quasi-War ships of the United States War of 1812 ships of the United States Barbary Wars American ships Heavy frigates of the United States Navy