She set sail in the fall of that year for the Caribbean, but was recalled because of the peace treaty signed with France. She returned to New York in April 1800 and was laid up for some time to repair damages she undertook battling a severe storm in the Bay of Biscay. On 2 November, United States sailed for France, with commissioners appointed by President John Adams, to negotiate a settlement between the two countries. Sometime during the voyage, the ships were separated, so United States anchored off Newport, Rhode Island, awaiting further instructions. After receiving a new bowsprit, the frigate was underway about three weeks later in company with Insurgent. She anchored off Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 22 July for repairs. east coast, but an unexpected storm damaged the ship. On 19 April, Barry turned over command of the squadron to Truxtun and made way back to American waters arriving in New Castle, Delaware, on 10 May.Īfter nearly two months in home waters, United States was underway down the U.S. On 26 March, United States took French privateer schooner La Tartueffe and its prize American sloop Vermont southeast of Antigua. Navy ships began arriving in the Caribbean, and by mid-March, Barry’s squadron consisted of two frigates, three ships, and four revenue cutters. After putting a prize crew on Cicero, United States resumed pursuit of Democrat, but the enemy vessel escaped into the darkness of night. On 26 February, the crew of United States sighted two unknown vessels east of Marie Galente and made chase overtaking one-the 430-ton Cicero that had been seized by French privateer Democrat. Six days later, under a flag of truce, Barry successfully arranged the exchange of an equal number of American Sailors, who were also being held as prisoners. About two weeks later, United States arrived in enemy waters to negotiate a prisoner exchange, but were met by shore batteries. United States rescued the sinking ship’s 58 survivors and took them prisoner. After nearly five hours of pursuit, United States opened fire on the fleeing vessel sending a round that went through L'Amour de la Patrie, a six-gun privateer, from stern to stem. On the morning of 3 February 1799, United States spotted a foreign sail near Martinique and gave chase. After more than a month, she set sail again for the West Indies where Barry was to command the American Squadron. The ship made way back to Delaware at the end of October needing significant repairs. She returned to American waters when she entered the Delaware on 18 September.Īfter nearly a month in port, United States was ordered to cruise between the New England and New Jersey coasts, but heavy seas during the voyage forced the ship south off North Carolina. Over the course of the voyage, the frigate hunted French vessels making quarry of the 10-gun privateer Sans Pareil and taking eight-gun privateer Jalouse as a prize. naval presence in the Caribbean was too great for him to wait, so United States and Delaware departed Boston on 26 July headed for Barbados. The two ships set course for Boston, where they were to be joined by 20-gun ship Herald and the cutter Pickering, but the ships would not be ready to set sail for several weeks. Upon fitting, United States was ordered to sea in the spring of 1798 in company with Delaware, a former merchant ship that had been reconfigured for U.S. United States-designed by architect Joshua Humphreys and Captain Thomas Truxtun-was the first to be launched of her sister ships, Constellation, Constitution, Congress, President, and Chesapeake. The ship was one of six frigates authorized by Congress with passage of the Naval Act of 1794. Frigate United States was commissioned on 11 July 1797 with American Revolution hero Captain John Barry in command.
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