USS Delaware (1798)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Delaware.
History
United States
NameUSS Delaware
NamesakeDelaware
BuilderPhiladelphia Naval Shipyard
Laid down1794
Acquiredby purchase, May 5, 1798
FateSold, June 1801
General characteristics
Tons burthen321 (bm)
Length94 ft 9 in (28.88 m)
Beam28 feet[1]
Draft14 ft (4.3 m)
Complement180 officers and enlisted
Armament
  • 16 × 9-pounder guns
  • 4 × 6-pounder guns

The second USS Delaware was a ship which served in the United States Navy during Quasi-War with France.

The USS Delaware was designed by naval architect William Doughty and built in the Philadelphia Naval Yard in 1794 as the merchant ship Hamburgh Packet. The Navy purchased her on May 5, 1798. Captain Stephen Decatur, Sr., was appointed to command and outfit her for sea.

During the Quasi-War with France, Delaware cruised to protect American merchant shipping from French privateers. She guarded convoys during their approach to Philadelphia and New York, patrolled the West Indies, and escorted convoys into Havana.

Her first prize, the privateer La Croyable, was taken off Great Egg Harbor July 7, 1798. Lloyd's List (LL) reported on 17 August that the American sloop-of-war Delaware had captured a French privateer of the American coast. The privateer had captured the merchantman Liberty, Vredenburg, master, which had been sailing from Philadelphia to Liverpool. Liberty had since been recaptured.[2]

From 14 July to 23 September, she cruised in the West Indies, often in company with the frigate United States, and together the ships took two privateers prize. During her second cruise in the West Indies, between December 15, 1798 and May 20, 1799, she took another prize, privateer "Marsouin" on 5 March 1799 off Havana[3] and won the thanks of the merchants of Havana for the protection she had given merchantmen sailing to that port. She headed home and was off Fort Mifflin by 23 May, 1799.[4]

Between cruises Capt. Thomas Baker became her captain & a new crew was recruited.[5]

Delaware's return to the West Indies from July 1799 to July 1800 found her joining the Revenue Cutter Eagle in taking a privateer sloop. Sometime in October she and USS Pickering recaptured brig "Henrich".[6] She took privateer brig "Ocean" on October 29, 1799, off Curaçao[7] after a 7-hour chase, rescuing 30 Americans held prisoner in the privateer. Due to Capt. Baker's health, he was replaced at the end of July 1800 by Master Commander J. A. Spotswood.[8] She made a final cruise off Cuba in the late fall and winter of 1800-1801, then returned to Baltimore. In a letter dated 20 February 1801 to Josiah Parker, Chaiman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, Navy Secretary Stoddert recommended selling her.[9] She was sold at Baltimore for $23,799.28 early in June 1801.[10]

  1. ^ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VII Part 1 of 4: Naval Operations December 1800-December 1801, December 1800-March 1801. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 366. Retrieved 29 September 2024 – via Ibiblio.
  2. ^ LL 17 August 1798, №3024.
  3. ^ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume 2 Part 3 of 3 Naval Operations November 1798 to March 1799" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume 2 Part 2 of 4 Naval Operations April 1799 to July 1799 May Pg. 239" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume 2 Part 3 of 4 Naval Operations April 1799 to July 1799 June Pg. 403" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 3 of 4 Naval Operations January to May, 1800, April 1800-May 1800 Pg. 563" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France Volume Part 2 of 3 Naval Operations August 1799 to December 1799, October to November Pg. 337" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  8. ^ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VI Part 2 of 4: Naval Operations June to November 1800, July-August 1800. U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 201–202. Retrieved 20 August 2024 – via Ibiblio.
  9. ^ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VII Part 1 of 4: Naval Operations December 1800-December 1801, December 1800-March 1801. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 126. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via Ibiblio.
  10. ^ Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War Between the United States and France (PDF). Vol. VII Part 1 of 4: Naval Operations December 1800-December 1801, December 1800-March 1801. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 307. Retrieved 29 September 2024 – via Ibiblio.