VA 
 
 70 
 
 .P8 
 
 F3 
 
 1876 
 
775- i«75' 
 
 CSei\tei|i\ikl Si^tofy 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Mt% Auu imi 
 
 AT 
 
 PORTSMOUTH, N. H. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY PERMISSION OF THE BUREAU OF YARDS AND 
 DOCKS, NAVY DEPARTMENT, 
 
 BY 
 
 AA/ALTER E. H. FENTRESS, 
 
 LATE AN OFFICER IN THE VOL. NAVY. 
 
 PORTSMOUTH: 
 
 O. M. KNIGHT, PUBLISHER. 
 
 1876. 
 
/&'^ 
 
 DEDICATED 
 
 TO 
 
 COMMODORE JOHN C. HOWELL, U. S. N. 
 
 CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF YARDS AND DOCKS, 
 
 JYavy DepartiYient- 
 
 W^A. SlillSTG-TOIN, ~n . C. 
 
 BOSTON COLLEGE 
 
 Entered aecordino^ to Act of Congress, in the office of the 
 Librarian at Washington, April 10, 1876. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Having been engaged during the past year in collecting material 
 preparatory to a history of the Navy Yard at Portsmouth, for the use 
 of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, and having been successful be- 
 yond my most sanguine expectations in procuring much, which was 
 thought buried beyond recovery, I asked and received permission to 
 use the same matter, in publishing this little pamphlet for circulation 
 in this vicinity. 
 
 I do not claim any originality in its compilation, for I have culled 
 from every authentic source, particularly from the records of the Com- 
 mandants Office, which date back seventy-tive years; and from the 
 State Papers of one hundred years ago. Among the authorities con- 
 sulted, and quoted, are : Adams Annals, Champlain Papers, Records 
 of York County, state documents of 'New Hampshire, James' History 
 of the British Navy, Abbot's Maine, Life of Admiral Lord Exmouth, 
 Royal Naval Chronicle 1794, Goldborough's Hist, of the Navy, Coop- 
 er's Naval History, Sherburne's life of Paul Jones, Emmon's Vessels 
 of the Navy, etc., etc. 
 
 In thus collecting and arranging records, anecdotes, statistics, etc., 
 I have endeavored to bring up some old incidents which in these days 
 of Centennial rejoicings may be received with pleasure. 
 
 The prominent part taken by this port, in the early Naval History 
 of our country, adds much to the interest felt in the perusal of these 
 pages. 
 
 I am deeply indebted to Mr. B. F. Chandler, Civil Eng. U. S. N., for 
 many incidents connected with the Yards and Buildings, and also to 
 the Hon. Mark Dennett of Kittery for much valuable information, 
 which his long life of 92 years in this vicinity has rendered him pre-em- 
 inently able to give. 
 
 To other gentlemen who have kindly alForded me assistance hy 
 allowing the perusal of old family papers, etc., I return sincere thanks. 
 
 W. E. H. FENTRESS. 
 
ol^l^k^ik^t^ of tl\e Y^ti. 
 
 Captain 
 
 [ Isaac Hull. 
 
 1812, 
 
 a 
 
 Thomas Macdonough. 
 
 1815. 
 
 i 
 
 
 Chaeles Moekis. 
 
 1818, 
 
 i 
 
 
 W. M. Crane. 
 
 1823. 
 
 i 
 
 
 C.^G. RiDGELEY. 
 
 1825. 
 
 i 
 
 
 J. 0. Creighton. 
 
 1826, 
 
 6 
 
 
 J. D. Henley. 
 
 1828. 
 
 i 
 
 
 W. M. Crane. 
 
 1832. 
 
 a 
 
 
 Jno. D. Sloat. 
 
 1840. 
 
 i 
 
 
 Geo. W. Storer. 
 
 1843, 
 
 i 
 
 
 Dan'l Turner. 
 
 1846. 
 
 t 
 
 
 Thos. W. Wymak. 
 
 1849, 
 
 n 
 
 
 Jos. Smoot. 
 
 1852. 
 
 "* 
 
 
 John T- Newton. 
 
 1855, 
 
 a 
 
 John Pope. 
 
 1857. 
 
 Commo 
 
 . G. F. Pearson. - 
 
 1860, 
 
 a 
 
 T. Bailey. 
 
 1864. 
 
 i 
 
 
 Jos. Lanman. 
 
 1867. 
 
 n 
 
 
 Jno. a. Winslow, 
 
 1869. 
 
 a 
 
 
 A. M. Pennock. 
 
 1870. 
 
 i 
 
 
 J. C. Howell. - - - 
 
 1872. 
 
 a 
 
 
 A. Bryson. 
 
 1874. 
 
CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 
 
 <^^K) Hundred years had passed since the discovery of 
 ^^li.^ Am erica, and yet the noble river Piscataqua was 
 t^T^ undiscovered by the white man, and bore upon its 
 waters only the rude craft of the savage tribes whose 
 homes were upon its banks. 
 
 Passing by the Mythical history of the discoveries made 
 by the Northmen, of which we know nothing, we find the 
 first visitor to this river in the person of Martin Pring, 
 who in the spring of the year 1603 entered its waters 
 with two vessels of small size, the ''Speedwell" a ship 
 of one hundred tons and thirty men, and the bark ""Dis- 
 coverer" of fifty tons and twenty men. 
 
 This small fleet was fitted out by the Mayor, Alder- 
 men and Merchants of the opulent city of Bristol in 
 England, for the purpose of "extending the discovery of 
 the northern portions of Virginia, in the contrie of 
 America". After discovering Penobscot Bay and River, 
 and York River, he continued his voyage along the coast 
 westward until he arrived at the Piscataqua River, which 
 he calls the "Westernmost river," and after anchoring 
 the "Speedwell" in the lower harbor, he made an excur- 
 sion with the "Discoverer" some twelve or fourteen miles 
 inland, and as the time of year, (it being June,) was well 
 calculated to impress the voyagers with an exalted idea 
 of the country, we are not surprised when we read in his 
 report of this trip, the following: "Tha river Pishcata- 
 qua, which is the westernmost river, and the one which 
 pierceth farthest inland ; it is a noble sheet of water, and 
 
of great depth, with beautiful ishmds and heavy forests 
 along its banks."' 
 
 There is no doubt that the description of this expedi- 
 tion, upon its return to England, had its weight in induc- 
 ing the emigration which followed, some years later. 
 
 In 1605 Sam'l DeChamplain sailed from Havre de 
 Grasse in France, on a voyage of discovery to New Eng- 
 land, or as it was then called Northern Virginia. On the 
 15th of July 1605, he discovered the ''Isle of Shoals," 
 and "Cape of the Isles" as he named the point of land 
 now known as Odiorne's Point, and where soon after- 
 wards, a settlement was to be made by the English Com- 
 pany. After sailing up the river several miles, and find- 
 ing no natives, he altered his course to the southward, 
 and on the 17th inst. discovered ''a grate and wide river" 
 which he named the ''Riviere du Gas," probably the Mer- 
 rimack. 
 
 There does not appear to have been any other visit 
 made to the Piscataqua until 1614 when Captain John 
 Smith, who was engaged with a small fleet at Manhagan 
 in fishing, taking a party in his boats, explored the coast 
 from Penobscot to Cape Cod ; entering the various bays 
 and rivers, and making surveys of the harbors. The 
 Isles of Shoals he discovered, and called Smith's Islands, 
 and sailed up the Piscataqua River some twenty miles 
 from its mouth. His report shows that he was very fa- 
 vorably impressed with what he saw of the river and its 
 surroundings. 
 
 Upon his return to England he presented a chart of 
 the coast to Prince Charles and requested that the coun- 
 try should be called New England. This chart of the 
 coast of New England was the first made and is said to 
 be very correct. 
 
 In 1621 Captain John Mason was among the first who 
 entered zealously into the scheme of making a fortune by 
 
means of trading T^dth New England and forming a per- 
 manent settlement there. He was a merchant of London 
 and afterwards engaged in the fisheries at Newfoundland, 
 of which place he was Governor. 
 
 On his return to England he was appointed Governor 
 of Portsmouth in Hpcmpshire; he was also elected a mem- 
 ber of the council established at Plymouth in the county 
 of Devon by a royal charter "for the planting, ruling, or- 
 dering and governing of New England in America," and 
 not long after was chosen their Secretary. 
 
 On the tOth dav of Au^-ust 1622, the council oTanted to 
 Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges jointly, "All the land 
 situated between the rivers Merrimack and Sagadehock, 
 ^tending back to the great lakes and the river of Cana- 
 da," by the name of Laconia. Several merchants of Lon- 
 don were admitted as associates with them. Thej^ styled' 
 themselves "The Compau}^ of Laconia." 
 
 Arriving at the Piscataqua, they erected upon the pen- 
 insula now known as Odiorne's Point, the first houso 
 built in New Hampshire, which they named Mason Hall. 
 
 This house was built under the direction of David 
 Thompson, was no doubt a garrison house or strongly for- 
 tified post of the company. The month in which they 
 arrived is supposed to have been May. 
 
 A few rods southwest of the fort at Odiorne's Point' 
 they erected their fishflakes, which gave the name of 
 Flake Hill to the knoll, which is still retained. 
 
 During the first few years of the existence of the colo- 
 ny, the people suffered every hardship ; and not being ac- 
 climated, many of them were carried off by disease, A 
 number of graves are still to be seen a few rods north of 
 the site of the fort, and it is v/orthy of remark that the 
 moss-covered cobble stones at the head and foot of the 
 graves still remain as placed by mourners two hundred 
 and fifty-two j^ears ago ; while a walnut and a pear tree^ 
 
(each of immense size, and probably of equal age with 
 the State,) stand like sturdy sentinels extending their an- 
 cient arms over the sleepers below. 
 
 In the year 1631, Humphrey Chadborn built a house 
 near the bank of the river, and about three miles from its 
 mouth. The site of this house is what is now known as 
 the southeast corner of Court and Water streets. This 
 house was also a part of Mason's property, and was the 
 second house built in New Hampshire. It may also be 
 called the commencement of Portsmouth. 
 
 The two islands which are to claim our particular at- 
 tention in this history, were at this time occupied by John 
 Puddington as a place for drying fish, and were known as 
 Puddington's Islands. We find in the Records of York 
 County, a copy of the Grant upon which Sir Ferdinando 
 Gorges held these islands, an extract of which is given, 
 to wit : 
 
 Charles, King of England &c., &c., to Sir Ferdinando 
 Gorges of "a parte and portion of ye countrie of America 
 nowe commonly called or known by ye name of New 
 England. Ye portion of ye maine land and premises 
 aforesayd shall forever hereafter bee called and named ye 
 province or countrie of Maine. Also, all woods, trees, 
 lakes and rivers and islands within the said province of 
 Maine". 
 
 Dated April third in the fifteenth year of our reign, 1639 A. D. 
 
 In the same book we find a commission from Sir Ferdi- 
 nando Gorges appointing Thomas Jocelyn, Richard Vines, 
 Francis Champernon, and others as Councillors of the 
 Province, naming Richard Vines as his Steward General, 
 Dated September 2d, 1639. 
 
 In the records of Deeds, Book i, page 16, is recorded 
 the following grant : 
 
 ^'Richard Vines, Steward General of the Province of 
 
9 
 
 Maine, in behalf of Sir Ferdinando Gorges to Thomas 
 Fernald of Kittery, of two islands lying and being on 
 the Northeast side of Fischataqua river, commonly called 
 or known by the name of Puddington's Islands. The 
 said Thomas Fernald of Kittery, to pay to the Lord pro- 
 prietors of the land, the sum of Two shillings and sixpence 
 yearly, if demanded."* 
 
 The British Government had caused surv^eys of the har- 
 bor to be made, and attracted by the fine timber lands in 
 the immediate vicinit}^, selected this port for a place to 
 bmld ships for the Royal Navy. As early as 1G50 we find 
 rcQprds of timber for masts being selected and marked 
 with the. King's ''Broad Arrow," as the property of the 
 Crown. The first ship that we have any authentic record 
 of having been built here for the Royal Navy, is the Frig- 
 ate Falkland of fifty-four guns, built in the year 1690, by 
 Mr. John Taylor, and as no account could be found here 
 of this ship beyond the bare mention of her name, and 
 that, only in Adams' Annals of Portsmouth, I have under- 
 taken to add to the interest of this book, by giving some 
 description and history even of these ancient specimens 
 of an early attempt at naval architecture on the Piscata- 
 qua. With this view I addressed a letter to B. F. Stevens? 
 Esq., U. S. Despatch Agent at London, Eng., requesting 
 him to employ some person in the record office of the 
 B<)ard of Admiralty, to furnish me with the necessary 
 data of the vessels built in Portsmouth, N. H., and the 
 following are copies of two letters from him on the subject: 
 
 '^Witli regard to the ships that you requested me to 
 hunt up, I have to say that the following discription of 
 these vesseks is all that we have been able to find up to 
 this time, but will continue the search as far as possible- 
 I find in a MMS. volume, the following : 
 
 ♦Dated May .Sd, 1645. 
 
10 , 
 
 ^A list of ships, yachts and vessels of each Rate and 
 Sort which have been added to the Royall Navy from the 
 nth November, 16S8, Avith their Rates, Burthens, whether 
 Built, Bought or taken as Prizt^s, Time of addition and 
 Establishment^jf Mens & Guns. 
 
 Falkland, 4th Rate, built in New England by Mr. Tay- 
 h)r, added to the Navy 2d March, 1695. 687 tons. Estab„ 
 lishment, — War, 226 men, 54 guns at home, 115 men 
 abroad. Peace, 149 men, 42 guns at home. 
 
 3edford, 5th Rate, built at New England by xMr. John 
 Taylor, 372 tons, added to the Navy, 3d May, 1697. 
 Establishment, — War, 135 men, 34 guns at home, 115 men 
 abroad. Peace, 90 men, 28 guns. Bedford, 5th Riifte, 
 converted from this rate to ffiresliip by order of the Admi- 
 ralty, 19 February, 1716.' I hope shortly to be able to 
 give some hours in searching other volumes of Records in 
 the same office, and in the meantime shall be glad to learn 
 from you what sum I am to expend in this matter, and 
 what is the limit to which vou will authorize me to oo." 
 
 I am Dear Sir, Yours faithfully, 
 
 B. F. S TEVENS. 
 
 London, Eng., Nov. 14th, 1875. 
 "Sir: 
 
 I am glad to be able at last to furnish jou with 
 some additional information relating to the old ships built 
 at vour town for the Roval Navy. The information altho' 
 meagre, will enable you to know something of their final 
 disposition. In a Mss. volume I find under the following 
 head, 'Shippes, frigats, yachts, vessells of the Royall Navy, 
 lost, captured, or put to other uses, or sold from 1696 to 
 1730:' — 'Falklaiid, 34 culverins, 10 sakers, lost on the 
 coast of Ireland, May, 1699;' and in another volume dated 
 1799, this entry: 'America, 60, condemned, and made into 
 
11 
 
 a masting liiilk at Portsmouth Dock Yard, Marcli, 1799. 
 
 Impetiieux,'Tl, captured June 1794. In use as a store 
 ship at ]>ahia, May, 18;>3.' This Last is from the Royal 
 Navy Register of 1833," 
 
 i^dgned) Charles Cotgrave. 
 
 Thus the two old ships, Falkland and Bedford, are 
 traced, until we find them recorded as yessels of the Royal 
 Nav}- . As it may be of interest to some, to know the fate 
 of these early ships, I liave inserted these letters from my 
 London correspondents relative to them. In 1749, the Frig- 
 ate America of 54 guns, was built here by order of the 
 British Government, under the supervision of Col. Nath- 
 aniel Meserve. This ship is mentioned several times in 
 the Naval History of Great Britain, but no mention is 
 made of any celebrated action in which she took a part? 
 until 1796. We find her commanded b}^ Captain John 
 Blankett, and one of the ships in the fleet of Yice Admiral 
 Sir George Keith Elphinstone, at the surrender of the 
 •Dutch fleet under Rear Admiral Engelburtus Lucas, con- 
 sisting of two ^Q gun ships, one 54 gun ship, five frigates 
 and sloops, and one store ship.* 
 
 lx\ 1775 the 74 gun ship Scarborough, Captain Barclay, 
 was at anchor in the harbor, and remained until, the fort 
 at the entrance was seized by the colonists, wdien she left 
 the harbor and remained between the Isles of Shoals and 
 the mainland. The Scarborough liad been undergoing 
 some repairs to her rigging and sails, but the threatening 
 appearance of affairs l.)etween the Mother Country and 
 the C(jlonies, caused the commanding officer to leave the 
 harljor before v^^ar was actually declared. AVhen it becailae 
 apparent that a w|r with England was unavoidable, and 
 that it was necessary to .buihl a navy to protect our sea- 
 board from the incursions of the enemy, the natural pdsi- 
 
 *JaniL'.s* N;iv:il History. Vol. i. 
 
tion of this port for the purpose 6f a naval station, becam.3 
 obvious, and measures were at once taken to establish a 
 building Yard here. 
 
 The island now* known as Badger's Island, was then 
 the property of the Hon. John Langdon, and with that 
 spirit of patriotism, whi'ch was so conspicuous in him, he 
 tendered its use to the Continental Congress. It was 
 accepted and almost immediately the keel of a frigate was 
 laid. On the 21sfc day of March, 1TT5, work was begun 
 upon the Frigate Raleigh," 32 guns. This ship was built 
 by Messrs. Hackett, Hill & Paul, master builders, under 
 the inspection of Thomas Thompson, Esq. of Portsmouth, 
 who was to command her. So rapidly had her construc- 
 tion been carried on, that on the 21st of May she was 
 launched, having been completed in just sixty days from 
 the laying of her keel. 
 
 I have dated the origin of our Navy Yard from this j^ear, 
 as indeed it should be, for the island from 1775 to 1800, 
 (the time of purchase of the present Yard,) was used 
 exclusive^ by the Government for naval purposes, — and it 
 cannot fail to interest every American, in thas viewing, 
 from our present stand-point, the early resources of our 
 then infant navy. 
 
 As the intention is to make this little work as interest- 
 ing as possible, we will follow as far as we can, the history 
 of each ship built here and her ultimate fate, when it can 
 be obtained. The Raleigh was built under the Act of 
 Congress, passed Dec. 13th, 1775, authorizing the building 
 of thirteen sail of cruisers, three to carry 24 guns, five to 
 carr}' 28, and five 32 guns. She carried a battery of 32 
 twelve pounders, and sailed from Portsmouth under com- 
 mand of Captain Thompson, in Aug. 3^775, in company 
 with the Alfred, 24 guns, Captain Hinman, bound for 
 France, where military stores were in wating to be trans- 
 
13 
 
 parted to America. 
 
 The following account is taken from Cooper's Naval 
 History, Vol. I, page 82: 
 
 ''The Raleigh and Alfred had a good run off the coast, 
 and they made several prizes of little value during the 
 few days ot" their passage. On the 2d of September, they 
 overtook .and captured a Snow called the Nancy which 
 had been left by the outward bound Windward Island fleet 
 the previous day. Ascertaining from his prisoners the 
 position of the West Indiaman, Captain Thompson made 
 sail in chase. The fleet was under convoy of the Camel, 
 Druid, Weasel and Grasshopper, the first of which is said 
 to have had an armament of twelve pounders. The fol- 
 lowing day, Sept. 3d, the Raleigh sighted the convoy from 
 her mast-heads, and by sunset was near enough to ascer- 
 tain that there were sixty sail, also the positions of the 
 men-of-war. Captain Thompson had got the signals of 
 the fleet from his prize, and he now signalled the Alfred' 
 as if belonging to the convoy. After dark he spoke his 
 consort, and directed her commander to keep near him, 
 it being his intention to run in among the enemy and to 
 lay the commodore aboard. At this time the two Ameri- 
 can ships were to windward, but nearly astern. In the 
 course of the nisfht the wind shifted to the iK)rthwarcl, 
 and the convoy hauled by the wind, bringing the Ameri- 
 can ships to leeward. At daylight the wind had fresh- 
 ened, and it became necessary to carr}^ more sail than the 
 Alfred, (a tender-sided ship,) coidd bear. I fere occurred 
 one of those instances of the unfortunate consequences 
 which must ahvays follow the employment of vessels of 
 unequal qualities in the same squadron, or the em|)loyment 
 of officers not trained in the same high school. The 
 Alfred would not bear her canvass, and while the Raleigh 
 fetched handsomely into the fleet under double-reefed top_ 
 
» 
 
 sails, the former fell to leeward more tlian a league. Cap- 
 tain Thom.pson did not dare to shorten sail, lest his char- 
 acter might be sn^ected, and despairing of being sup- 
 ported by the Alfred, he stood boldly in among the Brit- 
 ish ships alone, and hove-to his ship in order to permit the 
 merchantmen astern to draw ahead of him. When his 
 plan was laid Captain Thompson filled away and stood 
 directly through the convoy, luffing up towards the ves- 
 sel of war that was most to windward. In doing this he 
 spoke several of the merchantmen, giving them orders 
 how to steer as if belonging himself to the iieet, and 
 repeating all the commodore's signals. Uj) to this moment 
 the Ealeigh appears to have escaped detection, nor had 
 she had any signs of preparation about her, as her guns 
 were housed and her ports lowered. Having obtained 
 a weatheiiy position, the Ealeigh now ran alongside of 
 the vessel of war, and when within pistol shot, she hauled 
 up her courses, run out her guns, set her ensign, and com- 
 manded the enemy to srike. So completely was this ves- 
 sel taken by surprise that the order threw^ her into great 
 confusion, and even her sails got aback; The Raleigh 
 seized this favourable moment to pour in a broadside, 
 which was feebly returjied. The enemy were soon driven 
 from their guns, and the Raleigh fired twelve broadsides 
 into the English ship in twenty minutes, scarcely receiv- 
 ing a shot in return. A heavy swell rendered the aim 
 uncertain, but it was evident that the British vessel suf- 
 fered severely, and this the more so, as she was of inferior 
 force. A squall had come on, and at first it shut in the 
 two ships engaged. When it cleared away, the convoy 
 was seen steering in all directions in the utmost confusion, 
 but the vessels of war, with several heavy, well armed 
 W^est Indiamen, tacked and hauled up for the Raleigh, 
 leavino' no doubt of their intention to eneacre. The frio^- 
 
15 
 
 ate lay by Her adversaiy until the other vessels were so 
 near, that it became absolutely necessary to quit her, and 
 then she ran to leeward and joined the Alfred. Here she 
 shortened sail, and waited for the enemy to come down, 
 but it being dark, the British commodore tacked and 
 li-auled in amonof his convoy a^rain. The Ralei<?h and 
 Alfred kept near this fleet for several days, but no provo- 
 cation could induce the vessels of war to come out of it, 
 and it was finally abandoned. The ship engaged by the 
 Baleigh, proved to be the Druid, 20, Captain Carteret. 
 She was much cut up, and the official report of her com- 
 mander, made her loss six killed and twenty-six v/ounded-; 
 of the latter, five died soon after the action, and among 
 the wounded was her commander. The Druid was una- 
 ble to pursue her voyage and returned to England. The 
 Raleigh had three men killed and wounded in the ensfao'e- 
 ment but otherwise sustained little injury. 
 
 The Raleigh and Alfred, after taking in milita^ry stores 
 in France sailed for America, making a circuit to the 
 southward, as was then quite usual with cruisers thus 
 employed, in order to avoid the enemy's vessels of force, 
 and to pick up a few prizes by the way. They sailed from 
 rOrient, in February 1778, and on the 9th of March, 
 were chased by the British ships Ariadne and Ceres, 
 which succeeded in getting alongside of the Alfred and 
 ens^aoino' her while the Raleis^h was at a distance. Belie v- 
 ing a contest fruitless, after a few broadsides, the Alfred 
 struck, but the Raleigh though hard pressed, in the chase 
 that succeeded, made her escape." 
 
 In consequence of the investigation connected with the 
 Alfred. Captain Thompson was relieved from the com- 
 mand of the Raleigh, and that ship given to Captain 
 Barry. Under the orders of this new commander, the 
 Raleigh saliled from Boston on the 23th day of September, 
 
16 
 
 at six ill the morning having a brig and a sloop under cou- 
 voy. The wind was fresh at N. W. and the frigate run 
 off N. E. At noon two strange sail were seen to the k-^e- 
 v^'ard, distant fifteen or sixteen miles. Orders were civen 
 to the convoy to haul nearer to the wind and to crowd all 
 sail it V ould carry, the strangers in chase.. After dark, 
 the Raleigh lost sight of the enemy, — as by this time the 
 two ships were ascertained to be ; — and the wind became 
 light and variable. The Raleigh now cleared for Section 
 and kept her people at quarters all night, having tacked 
 towards the land. In the morning it proved to be hazy, 
 and the strangers were not to be seen. The Raleigh was 
 still standing towards the land, svhich she soon after made 
 ahead and quite near. About noon, the haze clearing 
 away, the enemy were seen in the southern board and to 
 windward, crowding all sail in chase. The weather 
 became thick again and the Raleigh lost sight of her pur- 
 suers, when she hauled to the eastward. No more was 
 seen of the enemy that night, and at daylight Captain 
 Barry took in everything, with a view to conceal the posi- 
 tion of the shij), which was permitted to sail under barQ 
 poles. Finding nothing visible at 6 A. M., the Raleigh 
 crowded sail once more, and stood S. E. by E. But at 
 9.30 the two ships were again discovered astern, and in 
 chase. The Raleigh now hauled close upon the wind, 
 heading N. W. with her larboard tacks aboard. The 
 enemy also came to the wind, all three vessels carrying 
 hard with a staggering breeze. The Raleigh now fairly 
 outsailed the strangers, running 11 knots 2 fathom on a 
 dragged bowline. Unfortunely at noon the wind modera- 
 ted, when the leading vessel of the enemy overhauled the 
 Raleigh quite fast, and even the ship astern held way 
 with her. At 4 P. M. the Raleigh tacked to the west- 
 ward, with a view to discover the force of the leading 
 
17 
 
 vessel of the enem}-, and about the same time she made 
 several low islands, the names of which were not known. 
 At 5 P. M. the leading vessel of the enemy having nearly 
 closed, the Raleigh eds^ed awav and crossed her forefoot, 
 brailing her mizzen and taking in her staysails. The 
 enemv showed a batterv of 14 <j,iins on a side, inclndino- 
 looth decks, and set St. George's ensign. In passing, the 
 Raleigh delivered her broadside, which was returned, 
 when the stranger came up under the lee quarter of the 
 Amerioan ship, and tlie action became steady and general. 
 At the second fire, the Raleigh unfortunately lost her fore- 
 top-mast and mizzen-top-gallant-mast, which gave the 
 enemv a vast advantaoe in manoeuvrino' throusfhout the 
 remainder of the affair. Finding th3 broadsides of the 
 Raleigh were getting too hot for him, the eneni}'^ soon shot 
 ahead, and, for a sliort time, — while the people of the for- 
 mer ship were clearing the wreck, — he engaged to wind- 
 ward at long range. Ere long, however, the English ves- 
 sel edged away and attempted to rake the RaltBigh, when 
 Captain Barry bore up, and bringing the ships alongside 
 each other, he endeavored to board, a step that the other, 
 favored by all his canvass, and his superiority of sailing 
 in a light breeze, easily avoided. By this time the second 
 ship had got so near as to render it certain she would very 
 soon close, and, escape by flight being out of the question 
 in the crippled condition of the ship, Captain Barry called 
 a council of his officers. It was determined to make an 
 attempt to run the frigate ashore, the land being then 
 within a few miles. The Raleigh accordingly wore around 
 and stood for the islands already mentioned, her antago- 
 nist sticking to her in the most gallant manner, each ship 
 continuing the action with spirit. About midnight, how- 
 ever, the enemy hauled off and left the Raleigh to pursue 
 her course towards land. The engagement had lasted 
 
18 
 
 seven hoars, much of the time in close action, and both 
 vessels had feufferecl materially^ the Raleigh in particular^ 
 in her spars, rigging and sails. The darkness, soon after« 
 concealing his ship. Captain Barry had some hopes of get- 
 ting off among the islands, and was in the act of bending 
 new sails for that purpose, when the enemy's vessels agaii> 
 came in sight, closing fast. The Raleigh immediately 
 opened a brisk fire from her stern guns, and every human 
 effort was made to force the, ship towards the land. The 
 enemy^ however, easily closed again and opened a heavy 
 fire, which was returned by the Raleigh until she grounded, 
 when the largest of the enemy's ships immediately hauled 
 off, to avoid a similar calamity, and gaining a safe distance 
 both vessels continued their fire from positions they had 
 taken on the Raleigh's quarter. Captain Barry finding 
 the islands were rocky and might be defended, deter- 
 mined to land and burn his ship; a project which was ren- 
 dered practicable as the enemy had ceased firing, and 
 anchored about a mile distant. A large party of men 
 landed, and the boats were about to return for the remain- 
 der, when it was discovered, that by the treachery of a 
 petty officer, the ship had surrendered. The officers and 
 men on the island escaped, but the ship was got off and 
 placed in the British Navy under the same name. 
 
 The two ships which took the Raleigh were the Experi- 
 ment, 50 guns, Captain Wallace, and the Unicorn, 28 
 guns. The latter was the ship which engaged the Raleigh 
 so closely, long and obstinately. The American loss was 
 25 killed and wounded. The island on which the crew 
 landed is called ''\yoGden Ball," and lies twenty miles 
 from the Penobscot river. 
 
 I have followed thus closely the history of this ship, as 
 she was the first American man-of-war built at this port, 
 aud as such, must possess a greater interest than others 
 
19 
 
 I)iiilt later. The next ship which was built here for the 
 Colonial Navy was the ship Ranger a sloop of war of 18 
 guns, six pounders, and a crew of one hundred and fifty 
 men. She was huiit on the same blocks as was the Ra- 
 leigh, upon what is now known as Badger's island, and 
 was launched in May 1777. On the 18th of June, 1777, 
 oJohn Paul Jones, Captain, Colonial Navy, was ordered to 
 take command of her. The following letter will give 
 more fully the intentions of Congress, with regard to this 
 Ship. 
 
 (The designation of the Flag and appointment of Cap- 
 tain Jones to the command of the Rani'-er on the same 
 day would seem to imply some connexion between the tv/o 
 circumstances. The Ranger was probably the first ship 
 that bore the national Flag to Europe.) 
 
 Philadelphia, June 18th, 1777, 
 In Marine Committee. 
 
 ''John Paul Jones,Esq., 
 
 Sir:— Your letter of the 26th of 
 May to the secret committee was laid before Congress, 
 and in consequence thereof, the design of fitting the Mel- 
 lish is laid aside, and you are appointed to command the 
 Ranger, ship of war lately built at Portsmouth. Col. 
 Whipple the bearer of this, earries with him the resolves 
 of Congress, appointing you to this command and author- 
 izing him. Cob Langdon, and y:ou to appoint the other 
 commissioned as well as the warrant officers necessary for 
 this Ship, and he has with him blank commissions and 
 warrants for this purpose. It is our desire that you get 
 the Ranger equipped, officered and manned as well, and 
 as soon as possible, and probably we may send you other 
 instructions, l)efore you are ready to sail. However the 
 design of the present is to prevent your waiting for such 
 
zu 
 
 after yoii are ready for service in eveiT other respect, ancl 
 if that happens before the receipt of farther orders from 
 us, you must proceed on a cruise against the enemies of 
 these United States, conforming to the orders and regula- 
 tions of Congress made for the Government of the Navy; 
 and in conformity thereto, take, sink, burn, or destroy all 
 such of the enemy's ships, vessels, goods and effects as 
 you may be able. We will not limit you to any particu- 
 lar cruising station, but leave you at large to search for 
 yourself where the greatest chance of success presents. 
 
 Your prizes you will send into such safe ports in these 
 United States as they can reach. Your prisoners mj.ist 
 also be sent in, and we recommend them to kind treat- 
 ment. Any useful intelligence that comes to your knowl- 
 edge must be communicated to us whenever you have 
 opportunity. You are to preserve good order and disci- 
 pline, but use your people well. The ship, her materials* 
 and stores must be taken good care of, and every officer 
 to ansAver to any embezzlements that happen in his depart- 
 ment. You are to make monthly returns of your officers, 
 men etc., to the Naval Board, you are to be exceedingly 
 attentive to the cleanliness of your ship and preservation 
 of the people's health. You are- to afford assistance and 
 protection to the American commerce whenever in your 
 power ; and on your return from this cruise, lay copies of 
 your journal and log-book before the Naval Board, and 
 
 inform us of the events of the voyage. 
 We are, Sir, 
 
 Your friends and servants," 
 (^sigjiecT) John Hancock, 
 Robert Morris, 
 Philip Livingston, 
 Ben J. Harrison, 
 
 A. MiDDLETON, 
 
 . Nicholas Van Dyke, 
 George Waldron. 
 
. 21 
 
 The resolutions referred to are as follows ; 
 
 In Congress, June 14th, 1777. 
 
 Resolved: That the flag of the thirteen United States, be 
 thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the 
 Union be thirteen stars, white, in a blue field, repre- 
 senting a new constellation. 
 
 Resolved: That Captain John Paul Jones be appointed 
 to command the Ranger, ship of war. 
 
 Resolved : That William Whipple, Esq., member of Con- 
 gress, and of the Marine Committee, John Langdon, 
 Esq., continental agent, and the said John Paul Jones, 
 be authorized to appoint lieutenants and other com- 
 missioned officers, and warrant officers, necessary for 
 the said ship ; and that blank commissions and war- 
 rants be sent them, to be filled up with the names of 
 the persons they ap})oint, returns whereof to be made 
 to the Naval Board in the Eastern department. 
 
 This vessel, which is described a*s havin^x been both 
 crank and slow, was not thought by the Marine Commit- 
 tee worthy of so good an officer as Captain Jones had 
 proved himself to be, and he was promised a better ship; 
 })ut the exigencies of the service did not admit of the 
 fulfilment of this engagement, and Capt. Jones, after a 
 long delay, had been induced to take this command, in 
 preference to remaining idle. It is said, however, that he 
 came from Europe with the hope of obtaining the Indien, 
 but that vessel had been presented to the King of France 
 previous to his arrival. 
 
 He sailed from Portsmouth, Dec. 2d, 1777i bound for 
 France, and after refibting, sailed with the Ranger on the 
 10th of April, 1778, on a cruise in the Irish Channel. As 
 the Ranger passed along the coast she made several prizes ^ 
 and getting as high as W^hite Haven, Captain Jones de- 
 cided on the 17th to make an attempt to burn the Colliers 
 
qO 
 
 that were crowded io to that narrow port. Tlie weather, 
 however, prevented the execution of this projecfc, and tho 
 ship proceeded as, liigh as Glentine Bay, on the coast of 
 Scotland, where she chased a revenue vessel without suc- 
 cess. Quitting the Scottish coast, the Ranger next crossed 
 to Ireland, and arriving off Carrackfergus, they were 
 boarded by some fishermen. From these Captain Jones 
 ascertained that a ship which lay anchored in the roads? 
 was the sloop of war, Drake, Captain Burden, a vessel in 
 force about equal to the Ranger, and he immediately con- 
 ceived a plan to run in and take her. It blew fresh in the 
 night, but when the proper hour arrived, the Ranger stood 
 for the roads, having accurately obtained the bearings of 
 the enemy. The orders of Captain Jones were to overlay 
 the cable of the Drake, and to bring up on her bows, 
 where he intended to secure his own ship, and abide the 
 result. By some mistake, the anchor was not let go in 
 season, and instead 'of fetching up in the desired position, 
 the Ranger could not be checked, until she had drifted on 
 the quarter of the Drake, at a distance of half a cablets 
 length. Perceiving that his object was defeated,- Captain 
 Jones ordered the cable cut, when the ship drifted astern, 
 and, making sail, she hauled by the wind as soon as pos- 
 sible. The gale increasing, it was with great difficulty 
 that the Ranorer weathered the land and reorained the 
 channel. After cruising in the channel and making an 
 unsuccessful attempt to burn the shipping at Whitehaven, 
 he again encountered the Drake, and after an action which 
 lasted an hour and a half, the Drake struck her flag and 
 called for quarter, being much cut up both in hull and 
 aloft ; her loss was computed at about forty men. Cap- 
 tain Burdea and the First Lieutenant of the Drake were 
 mortally wounded and died shortly after the engagement. 
 The Ranger suffered less, having Lieutenant Wallingford 
 
and one man killed, and six wounded. The Drake was 
 not only a heavier ship, but she had a much stronger crew 
 than her antagonist. She had also two more guns. After 
 being repeatedly chased, she arrived safely with her prize 
 at Brest on the 8tli of May. 
 
 Captain Jones being transferred to the command of an- 
 other vessel, the First Lieutenant, Mr. Simpson, was or- 
 dered to take command of the Ranger, and return to the 
 United States: he arrived at Portsmouth on the 29th of 
 July, 1778. 
 
 The Ranger, Captain Simpson, was captured at Charles- 
 ton in 1780 by the British under Sir Henry Clinton, as 
 also were the Providence, 28 guns, Captain Whipple; 
 Queen of France, 28 guns, Captain Rathbone ; Boston, 24 
 guns, Captain Tucker; all of which fell into the hands of 
 the enemy. 
 
 On the 9th of November, 1776, Congress ordered "the 
 building or purchase of three ships o^ seventy-four guns^ 
 five of thirty-six, one of eighteen and one packet'* 
 
 Under this order the keel of the America was laid soon 
 after at Badger's Island, which at that time, was the prop- 
 erty of the Hon. John Langdon, and sometimes called 
 Governor's Island. Mr. Langdon was Continental Agent 
 and had the entire charge of building vessels for the colo- 
 nial service and furnishing the material. The America 
 was, in her time, the heaviest ship that had ever been laid 
 down on the continent for which she was named, and she 
 was also the first ship of her class ever built by the Con- 
 federated Colonies after their rupture with the mother 
 country; and, moreover, the only one huilt, or even begun^ 
 of the three seventy-fours authorized. A year and a half 
 after she was authorized, on the 29th of May, 1778, the 
 Marine Committee reported in favor of making her a two- 
 decker, carrying twenty-eight twenty-four pounders on 
 
the lower battery, and twenty-eight eighteen pounders on 
 the "upper deck , — in the whole fifty-six guns. This sug- 
 gestion appears, however, not to have been adopted; and 
 we learn nothing more about the ship until the 23d of 
 June, 17T9, when it was resolved in Congress, " that Rob- 
 ert Morris should be authorized to take measures for speed- 
 ily launching and equipping for sea, the America, then on 
 the stocks at Portsmouth, N. H. ;" and on the 2(3th, John 
 Paul Jones was unanimously selected to command her. 
 
 Captain Jones proceeded to Portsmouth about the last 
 of August, and found the America, instead of being ready 
 to be launched, as he had supposed, not yet half built? 
 and there was neither timber iron, nor any other material 
 for finishing her. Money would have procured the neces" 
 sary articles of equipment and men, before wintet:; but 
 money was w^ anting. The Navy Board at Boston had 
 otherwise applied the funds Avhich the Minister of Finance 
 had destined for the America, and he found it impossible 
 to make the necessary advances. The business was, how- 
 ever, commenced immediately, and some progress made in 
 her construction before winter. 
 
 As soon as the enemy had advice that there was a pros- 
 pect of the America being finished, various schemes were 
 suggested for her destruction, intelligence of which was 
 sent in cypher to Portsmouth by the Minister of Marine. 
 Captain Jones applied to the Government of New Hamp- 
 shire for a guard to protect the vessel, and the Assembly 
 voted to comply with his demand. None was furnished 
 however, and on the second alarm sent by Genera?. Wash- 
 ington, the master builder, Mr; Hackett, and his associ- 
 ate were prevailed upon to mount guard with a party of 
 carpenters by night. For some time Captain Jones paid 
 this guard himself, and took command of it in turn with 
 the master builders. Large whale boats, filled with the 
 
25 
 
 enemy, pulled into the river with muffled oars night after 
 night, passing and repassing the America, but not daring 
 to risk landing. 
 
 The dimensions of the America were : 
 
 182 feet 6 in, on upper gun deck ^ 
 
 174 '' 4 - - lower - '' > ri 
 
 ( Ions, 
 
 56 '* 6 '' extreme breadth of beam J 
 
 At the close of the summer of 1782 the Magnifique a 
 seventy-four gun ship belonging to the French Squadron, 
 under the Marquis de Vaudreuil, was lost by accident in 
 the harbor of Boston. Policy, and perhaps equity, ren- 
 dered it expedient for Congress to present to France this, 
 its solitary ship-of-the-line, and a resolution to that effect 
 was passed on the 3d of September, 
 
 In Congress, September 3d, 1782. 
 
 Whereas the ''Magnifique," a 74 gun ship belonging to 
 the fleet of His Most Christian Majesty, commanded by 
 the Marquis de Vandreuil, has been lately lost by accident 
 in the Harbor of Boston, and Congress are desirous of tes- 
 tifying on this occasion to his Majesty, the sense they en- 
 tertain of his generous exertions in the behalf of the Uni- 
 ted States, 
 
 Resolved That the Agent of Marine be, and he hereby 
 is instructed to present the "America" 74 gun ship, in the 
 name of the United States to the Chevalier de la Luzerne 
 for the service of His Most Christian Majest}^ 
 
 Marine Office, Sept. 4th, 1782. 
 
 Chevalier John Paul Jones, 
 
 Dear Sir : — The enclosed res- 
 olution will shew you the destination of the ship "Amer- 
 ica." Nothing could be more pleasing to me than this 
 disposition, excepting so far as you are affected by it. I 
 
26 
 
 know yoit so well as to be convinced, that it must give 
 great pain, and I sincerely sympathize with you; but, al- 
 though you will undergo much concern at being deprived 
 of this opportunity to reap laurels on your favorite field, 
 yet your regard for France will, in some measure, alleviate 
 it, and to this your good sense will naturally add the de- 
 lays which must have happened in fitting this ship for sea, 
 I must entreat of you to continue your inspection until she 
 is launched and to urge forward the business. When that 
 is done if you will come hither, I will explain to you the 
 reasons which led to tliis measure, and my views for em- 
 ploying you in the service of your country. You will on 
 3^our route, have an opportunity of conferring vfith the 
 General, on the place you mentioned to me in one of your 
 letters, 
 
 I pray you to believe me, 
 
 Your Affectionate friend &c., 
 
 Robert Morris. 
 
 Captain Jones, notwithstanding his disappointment, con- 
 tinued to urge forward the launch of this ship with the 
 uthiost energy. The difficulties were great, as Langdon's 
 Island was small, and between the stern and the opposite 
 shore. Church Hill, which was a continued rock, the dis- 
 tance did not exceed one hundred fathoms. From a few 
 feet above the stern, a ledge of rocks projected far into 
 the river, making an angle of twenty degrees with the 
 keel ; and from a small bay on the opposite shore, the flood 
 tide continued to run with rapidity directly over this ledge 
 for more than an hour after it was high water by the shore. 
 It was necessary to launch the ship exactly at high water, 
 and to give her such a motion as would make her pass 
 around the point of ledges without touching the opposite- 
 shore, then a difficult matter. When everything was pre- 
 
27 
 
 pareci, Captain Jones stood on the highest part of tlie bow 
 a position wliere he could see her motion, and determine 
 by a signal the instant when it w^as proper to let go one 
 or botii of the anchors that hung at the bows, and slip the 
 oal)le that depended on the anchor fixed in the ground on 
 the island. The operation succeeded perfectly to liis wish 
 and to the admiration of a large assembly of spectators. 
 
 Thus w^as the America launched with the flags of allied 
 France and America displayed from the poop. After see- 
 ing her safely moored. Captain Jones, the same day (Nov. 
 5th, 1782,) delivered her to the Chevalier de Martique, 
 who had commanded the Magnifiqua. 
 
 Major Hackett, the master builder who dvevr her plans 
 had never seen a ship of tlie line ; and he never had more 
 than twenty carpenters at work at any time while her con- 
 struction was in progress, and it is due to him to say that 
 this ship is reported as one of the finest ships afloat. 
 
 After various adventures and cruising in the French 
 Navy, she was captured by the British fleet under Lord 
 Hood, 1st June 1794 at Toulon,* and her name changed to 
 Impetueux, as there was in the Royal Navy at the time, a 
 sixty-four gun ship named America, the same built here 
 in 1749. The Impetueux, under her new name, held the 
 highest possible reputation, and was sometime the flag 
 ship of Sir Edward Pellew. 
 
 In the Life of Sir Edward Pellew (Admiral Lord Ex- 
 mouth) is the following : 
 
 ''In 1798 he was complimented with the command of 
 
 * At thecnptnre of Toulon, the foUowino- uamfed ships were taken by 
 the British : Suns-Pariel 100 guns. luste 100 o'uns, America 74 gun.Sv 
 Impetueux 74 ouns, Noi-thumberhuid 74 o:uns. Achilli 60 o-uns. 
 
 Tiie Impetueux was almost an exact model of the America and very 
 nearly the same size. Upon her arrival at Portsmouth Doclvyard in 
 Eni^.. she took tire and was destroyed; her close resemblance to the 
 America was probably the reason that her name was retained by the 
 latter named ship. 
 
28 
 
 the 'Impetueiix/ the most beautiful, and probably the fin- 
 est ship of her class." This fact as well as. a note in the 
 Naval Chronicle of 1799, which speaks of her model as 
 being '■'so fine, that several ships of the Royal Navy were 
 built from her moulds," induced me to identify, without 
 the shadow of a doubt the Impetueux, as our America 9 
 and to claim for Major Hackett the credit of furnishing' so 
 fine a model to the Royal Navy. 
 
 I was led to make this inquiry, from the fact that some 
 grave doubts existed as to whether the America, captured 
 at Toulon was the same ship that was built at this port? 
 as James, in his History of the British Navy, vol. I page 
 178, says: ''The Vengeur, Impetueux aud America had 
 only been launched the preceding year ; and the two lat- 
 ter were considered as the finest 74s that had ever been 
 seen in a British port." 
 
 I addressed a letter to the Navy authorities at Toulon 
 through our Consular agent at that port, requesting infor- 
 mation relative to that ship, the reply to which letter I 
 here give ; 
 
 Toulon, France, Nov. 2d, 1875. 
 Mr. W, E. H. Fektress, 
 
 U. S, Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H., 
 U. S. of America, 
 
 Dear Sir : — In reply to 
 3^our letter of the 4th inst. requesting information relative 
 to the Ship America, I have the pleasure of sending you 
 the. enclosed note (with its translation into English,) re- 
 ceived from the clerk of records at the Naval Depot at 
 this place. 
 
 Hoping it may give you the information required, 
 
 I am Sir, Your Serv't., 
 
 I. Georges Plattner. 
 
29 
 
 The following is taken iTom the records of the Naval 
 station at Toulon : 
 
 "List of ships, vessels and boats captured at Toulon on 
 
 the 1st of June 1794." 
 
 Name. Tons. Where built. No. Guns. Men. Killed. Wounded. 
 
 America, ~ji U. S. 
 
 Capt. Louis V18S4 of 74 720 134 110 
 
 L'Heritur. } America 
 Impetueux ^ 
 
 Capt. Bertram V 1878 llochfort 74 713 100 75 
 Douville ) 
 
 Upon the arrival of these ships at Portsmouth, Eng., the 
 Impetueux was accidentally bunied; and there being al- 
 ready a 54 gun ship in the Royal Navy named the Amer- 
 ica, (the same that was built at this port in 1749,) the 
 name of the captured seventy-four, was changed to Impe- 
 tueux. These can be now no doubt that the Impetueux 
 spoken of in such glowing terms by the Naval Authorities 
 of that period, was our own Piscataqua ship. I regret to 
 record here, that on board of this beautiful ship, when 
 commanded by Sir Edward Pellew, (afterwards Admi- 
 ral Lord Exmouth,) was planned one of the most terri- 
 ble general mutinies that ever disgraced a flag, but by the 
 coolness of that very superior officer, it was frustrated on 
 board his ship and the ringleaders hung at her yard arms 
 in Bantry Bay. 
 
 From 1783 to 1798 nothing was done here in building 
 or repairing, in connection with the Navy ; that branch of 
 the service having been allowed to fall into decay, and dis- 
 appear ; the only naval force which appears during these 
 years, is a few armed vessels belonging to the States, as in- 
 dividuals. The result of this measure can be seen at once, 
 we quote from Cooper's Naval History : 
 
 *'In the mean time, the Dey of Algiers, discovering that 
 a new country had started into existence, which possessed 
 
30 
 
 merchant vessels and no cruisers, as a matter of course 
 beofan to prey on its commerce." 
 
 Many vessels were captured by these Algerine pirates 
 during these years , and their crews sold into slavery. 
 
 On the 9th of July 1790, or a year after the orgfinization 
 of the Federal government, there still remained in captiv- 
 ity, fourteen of the unfortunate persons who had been 
 thus seized. Of course five bitter years had passed in 
 slavery, because at the period named, the United States of 
 America, the country to which they belonged did not pos- 
 sess sufficient naval force to compel the petty tyrant at 
 the head of the Algerine government to do justice I 
 
 In looking back at events like these, we feel it difficult 
 to persuade ourselves that the nation was really so power- 
 less, and cannot but suspect that in the strife of parties, 
 the struggles of opinion, and the pursuit of gain, the suf- 
 ferings of the distant captives were overlooked or forgot- 
 ten. One of the first advantages of the new system, was 
 connected with the measures taken by the administration 
 of Washington to relieve these unfortunate persons. 
 
 Peace having been proclaimed between Portugal and 
 Algiers, and the fleet of the former, having been removed 
 from the Straits of Gibralter, a free passage to the Atlan- 
 tic was opened to these Corsairs, and their depredations 
 now reached a pass that further submission became impssoi- 
 ble, and in March 179-1 an act of Congress was passed, au- 
 thorizing the construction, or the purchase of six frigates, 
 or of such other Naval force, that should not be inferior 
 to that of the six frigates named, as the President might 
 see fit to order, providing no vessel should mount less than 
 32 guns. All these preparations, however, were sudden- 
 ly suspended by the signing of a treaty with Algiers in 
 Nov. 1795, one of the articles of which, was the presenta- 
 tion by the U. S, of a frigate of 32 guns to the Dey. 
 
31 
 
 On the 18tli January 1798, the frigate Crescent, mount- 
 ing 32 guns sailed from this port for the Mediterranean. 
 She was built for the Government by Col. James Hackett, 
 upon the blocks of the America 74, on Badger's Island, 
 and was intended as a present to the Dey of Algiers. 
 Cooper says, "the peace obtained from the Dey of Algiers 
 cost the government of the Unted States near a million 
 dollars, a sum quite sufficient to have kept the barbarian's 
 port hermetically blockaded until he should have humbly 
 sued for permission to send a craft to sea." 
 
 The following article taken from a daily paper of the 
 day, will give the reader some idea of the spirit which 
 may prevail in a nation, when it does not possess, or neg- 
 lects to use, the means of causing its rights and character 
 to be respected. 
 
 ''Crescent Frigate. 
 
 Portsmouth, N. H., Jan. 20th 
 On Thursday morning about sunrise, a gun was dis- 
 charged from the 'Crescent' frigate, as a signal for getting 
 under way; and at 10 A. M. she cleared the harbour with 
 a fine leading breeze. Our best wishes follow Captain 
 Newman, his officers and men. May they arrive in safety 
 at the place of their destination, and present to the Dey 
 of Algiers one of the finest specimens of elegant naval 
 architecture which was ever borne oh the Piscataqua's 
 waters. 
 
 'Blow till ye winds that fill the prosperous sail, 
 And hushed in peace be every adverse gale.' 
 The Crescent is a present from the United States to the 
 Dey, as compensation for delay in not fulfilling our treat}^ 
 stipulations in proper time. Richard O'Brien, Esqr., who 
 was ten years a prisoner at Algiers, took passage in the 
 above frigate, and is to reside at Algiers as Consul Gener- 
 al of the United States to all the Bar'bary States. 
 
32 
 
 The Crescent has many valuable presents on board for 
 the Dey, and when she sailed, was supposed to be worth 
 three hundred thou?.and dollars, Tw^enty-six barrels of dol- 
 lars constituted a part of her cargo. 
 
 It is worthy of remark, that the captain, Chief of the 
 Officers and many of the privates of the Crescent, have 
 been prisoners at Algiers." 
 
 A new act was passed without delay, ordering the com- 
 pletion antl equipment of two of the forty-four frigates, 
 and three of the thirty-eights, and in 1797 as soon as the 
 Crescent was launched, the Sloop of War Portsmouth, 24 
 guns, w*as laid down, and in Feb'y 1798 she sailed for the 
 West Indies under Capt. H. McNeill, where she cruised 
 during 1798-9, and in 1800 she was sent to France for our 
 minister, and upon her return in 1801 i^he was sold at Bal- 
 timore for f 34,366. 
 
 The Scammel, 14 guns, (schooner,) was next built, and 
 was launched in 36 days from the laying of her keel, and 
 sailed for the West Indies under the command of Lieuten- 
 ant J. Adams, where she served in the squadron of Com- 
 modores Barry, Truxton and Decatur, against the Bucca- 
 neers and French privateers. 
 
 The keel of the Congress, 36 guns, was laid as soon as 
 the sloop Portsmouth was launched, a.nd was so far ad- 
 vanced that in Aug;"ust 1799 she was launched. She was 
 built by Col. James Hackett of Portsmouth, N. H. 
 
 In December 1799 the Congress 38, Captain Sever, and 
 Essex 32, Captain Preble, sailed from Portsmouth with 
 orders to convoy vessels as far as Batavia, war having been 
 declared between the United States and France. The 
 former vessel having, by her rigging slacking, lost her 
 three masts and bowsprit, in a gale encountered a few days 
 out, was compelled to return to port under jury masts; 
 the Essex continued her cruise to the East Indies. The 
 
S'^ 
 
 o 
 
 Congress did not rejoin her consort until 1801. x\fter 
 ending her cruise, she again sailed from this port under 
 the command of Captain John Rodgers, bound for the 
 Mediterranean in 1804, cruising there until 1806, being 
 ' — during this cruise— conimauded also by Captain Stephen 
 Decatur, In 1806 she bronsrht home the first Embas- 
 sador from the Barbary powers. During the last war 
 with great Britain she made several captures under Cap- 
 tain J. Smith. Soon after peace was ratified, she sailed > 
 for Europe and the Mediterranean under Captain Charles 
 Morris, returning to the U. S. the same jea^T. In 1816 
 and 1317 she cruised on the coast and in the West Indies, 
 under the same commander. In 1818 to 1821 we find her 
 in the East Indies under command of J. D. Henley. The 
 cost of the Congress was 1197,246, and after an honorable 
 service of 37 years, she was broken up at Norfolk Va. in 
 1836, 
 
 The Yard of the Hon. John Langdon appears to have 
 been used up to 1800, by the Government for Naval pur- 
 poses and a quantity of timber, anchors etc., had been 
 collected at that island. The necessity of having Navy 
 Yards owned by the Government, became more and more 
 apparent, and although there was no express authority to 
 purchase these yards, yet it became a measure of necessi- 
 ty. An appropriation of one million dollars had been 
 made by Act of Congress, approved 25th Februar/, 1799 , 
 for the building of six seventy-four gun ships, and from 
 this sum, it was proposed to purchase land for the use of 
 this branch of the Government service. 
 
 On the 25th April, 1800, in the State Papers on Naval 
 Affairs there is recorded the following : 
 
•*'Tfie Hon. Seexetary of the Navy, recommends- ifie 
 purchase of tlie island in PortsMontli Iiarbour called Den- 
 nett's Island^ for the site of a* Na^vy Yard/^ 
 
 In 11M Mr. William Dennett of Kittery Me., believ- 
 ing that one of the Islands in the .harbor would, at some 
 not far distant period, be selected by the Government 
 for the purpose of establishing a perm^anest depot for Na- 
 val stores etc^, prc^posfed ta Samuel Sheaf e, Esq.y of Ports- 
 mouth, the purchase of the island^ now the Navy Yard. 
 Mr. Sheaf immediately arranged the terms of purchase^ 
 with the heirs of Thomas Fernald, and in June paid the 
 sum of 650 dollars, having the deed made out in his name. 
 In September he sold the island to Wm. Dennett for 1700 
 dollars, thus realizing the hanelsome profit of 1050 dollars 
 In three months. 
 
 In the State Papers, Naval Affairs^ we find recorded 
 the following -^ 
 
 No. 21. 
 
 ^th Congress, | 
 
 2d Session. \ Naval Establishment and its expenses. 
 
 Navy Department, Jan'y 12th, 1801, 
 
 Ground purchased in Portsmouth for a Navy Yard. 
 
 Harkisok GiiEY Oti-s, 
 
 chairman of Committee on Naval Affairs, 
 
 October 1st, 1800, 
 
 Portsmouth, N. H. For purchase of Land f 5,500 
 
 Improvements 26,304 
 Pifty-^Eight Acres. — 
 
 131,804 
 
 Thus Mr. William Dennett after holding his purchase 
 five years, realized the snug little profit of f 3,800. 
 
I will liere give a brief description of tlie g'eneral ap- 
 pearance of the Island at the time of its purchase by the 
 'Government, as receiyed from the Hon, Mark Dennett, a 
 brother of the former owner of the Island now ninety-two 
 years old, perfectly well and in the possession of GYery 
 faculty, who sajs : 
 
 ''The Island as I remember it when a boy was hilly and 
 €overed with a dense undergrowth ; there was only one 
 tree on the island worthy of the name, and that is now in 
 the grounds of the Commodore, and known as the '*01d 
 Elm.' Ill 1798, I remember it lost some of it branches in 
 a gale, but there is very little difference in its general ap- 
 pearance between then and now. From the tree^ a small 
 stream, or sw~amp, extended to what is now the Dry Dock 
 Basin. In the centre of the island was a high ledge of 
 rocks covered with undergrowth. My brother built a 
 house of two stories near where the Commodore's house 
 is noAv located ; it was the only house on the island ex- 
 cepting a small fish house near where the shiphouse No. 5 
 now stands." 
 
 As soon as" Government took possession of the island, 
 work commenced at once in repairing a building for the 
 use of the Superintendent of the Yard, removing the ma- 
 terial from the adjoining island, building a shed for timber 
 and a w^et dock for seasoning the same. 
 
 The following report made by Mr. J. Humphries, the 
 Naval Constructor, may be of interest and I insert it in 
 full. 
 
 Report of Me. Humphries. 
 
 "November 25th, 1800. 
 
 Great quantity of stone is in this Island, I think suffi- 
 cient to erect all the buildings that would be wanting for 
 
the iise of a ship-yard, and I believe enoiigli to build f?- 
 
 dock except the steps, which, I am told, can be dressed at 
 
 half a dollar per cubic foot at this place. 
 
 Seavey's I&land, which is- called JenkiD&', or Trefethen'& 
 
 Island in the draught, is fortified on its heights, tha.t is- 
 
 rough w^orks thrown up last war ; this Island should be 
 
 fortified at Henderson's Point also. 
 
 The Island opposite Seavey's is called Pierce's Island 
 
 and is only about one quarter of a mile distant. Workj> 
 
 have been thrown up on this Island. These islands Avell 
 
 fortified will effectually protect the harbor. 
 
 Between these tw^o islands there is an amazing rapid 
 
 current, and which i& the only ship channel. The fort on 
 Pierce's Island is called Fort Washington, that on Seavey's 
 Island is called Fort Sullivan. 
 
 The principal part of the workmen reside on the oppo- 
 site shore from the town and are as handy to work on 
 
 Dennett's I&land as at Langdon's or in the town of Ports- 
 montli. 
 
 This island has several places that will do for docking 
 timber. I cannot consider the harbor of Portsmouth 
 above the islands, mentioned before, sufficient for a large 
 fleet, and the harbor below the islands as afore mentioned 
 and fortified, cannot be a secure one. Ships passing in 
 rapid currents are always in danger unless they have plen- 
 ty of room wdiich they have not in this port. From all 
 information I can obtain, this place is never troubled with 
 ice; that vessels may pass up and dow^n at any time in the 
 
 season. This port is troubled with fogs in the months of 
 August and September. 
 
 On Lang^don's Island there is belonging to the Govern- 
 : ment the following property : 
 
 1 Anclior, 3.500 lbs., belono-ino- to 'Crescent' frio'ate. 
 
 2 '• 4.500 •• e-.icli bouii-ht for "Coiio-ress.' 
 1 Wooden House, one story, stone, 42 by 16 feet. 
 1 '• Shed. I'ouiih boards. 
 
 1 House, wooden (addition to Mr. Langdon's stores.) 
 17,687 cubic feet of Live Oak." 
 
37 
 
 III 1801 a shed for tiinber was finished and the timber 
 from Langdon's Island removed and stored ; a wet dock 
 was finished and a large quantity of live oak was placed 
 in it. Mr. Jacob Sheafe had charge of the depot as Navy 
 Agent, a superintendent or master carpenter being em- 
 ployed on the island. In 1803 a house was erected for a 
 dwelling, barracks for marines, and a bell tower built. 
 An octagon fort, of earth and heavy timber, with embra- 
 sures for eight heavy guns also platforms for the same, 
 was built upon the hill ; and a flag staff erected. 
 
 Nothing more was done on the Yard, except to collect 
 timber for building purposes, until 1806, when a first lieu- 
 tenant of marines, Mr. J. M. Gamble, with one sergeant, 
 two corporals, fifteen soldiers and two musicians were or- 
 dered by the Navy department to this Station as a garri- 
 son to protect Government property on the island. A 
 small gunboat called the Bee was ordered for the protec- 
 tion of the harbor, and to act as guard ship. No work 
 other than the clearing of the island and erection of sheds, 
 smith shop, saw pits and the building of a few small boats 
 for the use of the Yard, was done until the year 1812, 
 when the Government changed their former policy in the 
 government of the Navy Yards, and placed them under 
 the command of a naval officer as Commandant. 
 
 In March 1812, the Wasp sloop of v\^ar. Rattlesnake 
 schooner, and Enterprise brig, were reported as being at 
 the yard, and received some slight repairs. Several gun- 
 boat, (four or five,) were also ordered to do duty here. 
 
 On the 4th of October, Captain Isaac Hull took com- 
 mand of the Navy Yard as Commandant. Sailing Master 
 Nathaniel Stoodley was ordered to the command of the 
 gun-boats at the Yard. 
 
 On the night of the 22d of December, 1813, a fire broke 
 out in Portsmouth which in eight hours destroyed 180 
 
dwelling: Iiouses and 188 stores. Captain John Smith of 
 the Congress at the alarm, sent his fire apparatus on shore 
 with half of his crew, placing himself at their head ; and 
 by his exertions, and the exertions of the officers and 
 crew much property was saved from destruction and the 
 fire arrested by the use of powder. 
 
 During the year 1814, it was almost impossible to leave 
 or enter the harbor without capture, so vigilant were the 
 enemy ; a quantity of oak knees for the 74 gun-ship then 
 building, had been landed at Gloucester by a vessel from 
 the South, and now awaited transportation to the Yard. 
 As some time would be required to team it from that 
 place and the knees being needed, Capt. Hull resolved to 
 transport them by water to the Yard in spite of the block- 
 ade. Captain Henry Trefethen, an old and experienced 
 fisherman, proposed to the Commandant to bring those 
 knees in his smack, and being satisfied that the veteran 
 seaman Avould accomplish his object he employed him. 
 The smack Yankee made several trips in safety, bringing 
 a good load of the knees each time ; the last load w^as at- 
 tended with some interruption and very nearly cost the 
 old Sea Dog his craft, as well as his liberty. After leaA^- 
 ing the harbor he made all sail with a stiff breeze from the 
 S. S. W. and thick hazy weather which soon became a 
 dense fog. At about one o'clock P. M., he came sudden- 
 ly upon a ship at anchor ; the wind had decreased and the 
 smack was moving at about four or five, knots. A hail 
 came from the ship; soon afterwards a broadside was fired 
 in the direction that she was last seen, which cut the Yan- 
 kee's sails so badly as to almost render them useless; but 
 the brave old captain kept on, though altering his course ; 
 when the fog lifted he found himself off Rye, and a sloop 
 of war about two miles distant to leeward. He crowded 
 on all sail, and succeeded in reaching the harbor in safety 
 
39 
 
 without the loss of a stick of timber; his foresail was 
 riddled by the broadside of the enemy, his jib much cut 
 and a shot had hit his main-l)oom. Upon relating the cir- 
 cumstances to Commodore Hull he was rewarded with ^ 
 complete set of sails and a new main-boom in addition to 
 his pay for services. 
 
 In 1814 the port was closely blockaded by the British 
 vessels of war ; the Bulwark 71 ; Poictiers 74 ; Endymion 
 32 ; Vulture 24, and at times the Tenedos 74, were ill 
 plain sight between the mainland and the Isles of Shoals 
 cruising, and an attack was daily expected from the fTeet. 
 The Congress, after being put out of commission was 
 towed up the river some four miles and anchored in a safe 
 place. 
 
 List of Officers at Portsmouth Navy Yard 
 Jan. 1st, 1814. 
 
 Pay per month. 
 Isaac Hull, Capt. Commandant. flOO.OO 
 
 Tunis Craven, Store Keeper. 83.33 
 
 Joseph Watson, Com'd't's Clerk, 25.00 
 
 Adam Hill, Cockswain. 19.00 
 
 List of Buildings etc., on the Navy Yard 
 
 Jan. 1st, 1814. 
 Dwelling House (originally built). 
 Barracks. Large Timber Dock. 
 
 Small House. Small "■ 
 
 Store. Bellhouse. 
 
 Covered Saw-Pit. Flag House and Staff. 
 
 Saw-Pit. Ways for 74 gun ship. 
 
 Two timber Sheds. Smith Shop. 
 
 Boat House. 
 
 In March 1814, the keel of ths 74 gun ship Washington, 
 was laid, two sheds having been removed to make room 
 
40 
 
 for the ways. Work progressed upon this sjiip very rap- 
 idly and by the following September she was well ad- 
 vanced, and a house built over her, (now Ship-house No. 
 5,) she was not launched until January of the year fol- 
 lowing. During the year that the Washington was build- 
 ing, much anxiety was felt lest the enemy should send a 
 party by night in boats and burn her, and precautions 
 were taken to prevent it. Mark Dennett, Esqr., of Kit- 
 tery, who has kindly assisted me in preparing incidents of 
 that time from his memory, gives the following: 
 
 ''In the Fall of 1814, the British fleet could be seen 
 plainly outside the harbor bioci^ading the porr, and it 
 being the impression of Commodore Hull that an attempt 
 would be made by them to burn the Wasliington, then al- 
 most ready to launch, he requested the officers of the 
 local militia to meet at the Yard, and agree upon some 
 plan of co-operation should any attack be made. It be- 
 ing agreed that in case of an alarm at the Yard, three 
 guns should be the signal for the assembling of the troops. 
 1 was then about 29 years old, and an officer in a company 
 of minute men at Kittery. One cold night the heavy re- 
 port of three cannon came booming over the water, and 
 in a few minutes, our men could be seen hurrying to the 
 rendezvous in numbers. When I arrived, I found about 
 sixty assembled and we took up our line of march to the 
 Yard by way of Kittery. One old gentleman, who has 
 passed away long since, was eager for a fight, and wished 
 to drink British blood before night, but his patriotism was 
 allowed to cool, for before taking boats for the island, an 
 officer sent by the Commodore met us and reported the 
 alarm as caused by some fishing vessels sailing in, which 
 were mistaken for the enemy's boats." 
 
 Many were the false alarms, caused by various circum- 
 stances during this year, the prevailing idea being that a 
 
41 
 
 destruction of the sevonty-four had been ordered l)y the 
 officer in command of the enemy's ships outside, and that 
 the opportunity was only wanting for its consummation. 
 When the Washington was nearly ready for launching, 
 Commodore I. Chauncey was sent by the Department to 
 superintend her equipment, as she was to be his Flag ship 
 when ready for sea. The Washington was launched July 
 1815, peace with England having been declared the Feb- 
 ruary previous. 
 
 The launching of so large a ship as a seventy-four, 
 v/as an event of uncommon occurrence in this vicinity, 
 and thousands of persons were attracted hither by it. On 
 the day of the launch, the weather was fine, and the 
 shores lined with an enthusiastic niultitude; as the great 
 mass began to move slowly out of the ship-house, the 
 cheers were deafening ; the band played a national air, 
 while the roar of the cannon from the surrounding forts 
 added to the din. Commodore Chauncey stood upon the 
 bows, and with him a youth of about fifteen years, who is 
 now an old and very prominent citizen of Portsmouth. 
 
 At the time of launching, a joung gentleman in undress 
 uniform, was arrested as being an English Naval officer, 
 but he proved to be a brother of Commodore Chauncey; 
 this incident has given rise to a story that a British spy 
 was arrested on the Yard at that time. 
 
 The Washington was fitted out immediately, as the 
 flag ship of Commodore I. Chauncey, commanding the 
 Mediterranean squadron. In August there was a strike 
 among the workmen employed in equiping the ship and 
 some difficulty was experienced in getting men to work, 
 owing to the depreciation of Treasury notes. The follow- 
 ing extract of a letter from the Hon. B. W. Crowning- 
 shield, Secretary of the Navy, will explain more fully the 
 state of affairs at the Yard at this time : 
 
42 
 
 August 21, 1815. 
 
 *^If the work of tlie sliip is suspended in consequence^ 
 measures will be taken to ecjuip the ship^ in order to pro-- 
 eeed to New York, where the payments in Treasury notes- 
 are equal to those in gold and silver. This will eventually 
 drive all the Naval operations and equipment, from the 
 Northern to the Middle and Southern States. You will 
 be pleased to report to me the present state of the ship 
 and the time necessary to fit her for »ea, so a& to proceed, 
 to New York." 
 
 The Washington sailed in October for Europe^ where 
 she remained as flag ship of the squadron until 1818, Oo 
 her return she became receiving ship at New York, and 
 was broken up in 1843. Thus passed away the third ship 
 of the line built in the United States, this port having the 
 honor of building two out of the three* The Washing- 
 ton was built by contract by Messrs. Badger & Magraw, 
 and cost §235,801. 
 
 On the 1st of July 1815, Captain Hull was relieved 
 
 from command of the Yard by Captain Thomas Macdon- 
 
 ough. The following is a list of officers ordered to the 
 
 Yard and who reported at the same time as did the Com- 
 mandant : 
 
 Henry Wells, First Lieutenant. 
 
 Joseph Smith, Second Lieutenant. 
 
 Walter A. Monteatb, Third Lieutenant. 
 
 Wm. M. Robins, Fourth Lieutenant. 
 
 Bobert L. Thorn, Surgeon. 
 
 Nath. Lyde, Purser. 
 
 Joel Abbot, Midshipman. 
 
 Samuel P. Chamberlain, Sailing Master. 
 
 James. H. Furguson, " " 
 
 Nath. Stoodley, 
 
 Antonia Corrcia Gunner. 
 Marines. 
 
 Archibald Henderson, Brvt. Major Commanding. 
 
 Samuel E. Watson, Second Lieutenant. 
 

 The Tarcl now began to assume the appearance of a 
 
 Naval Station. A Lodge was erected for the Orclinaiy 
 
 ^Tien, and that force increased. A store house was erected 
 
 with one story for a rigging ioft, and a new wharf was 
 
 also built. 
 
 The Kouse %vhicli luid been fitted for the Commandant 
 
 from the old dwelling originally on the island, was re- 
 modelled and rebuilt, and the grounds were also enclosed. 
 The six gunboats were sold at public auction, and one 
 was kept for a time, as a tender to the Yard. From 1815 
 to 1818, there was no work done on vessels at the Yard, 
 the entire force being employed in laying out walks and 
 making preparations to erect buildings. Quite a number 
 -of negro seamen were employed at the Yard in the ordina" 
 ry force, but orders from the Department caused their 
 discharge and none were allowed to be employed except- 
 ing as servants to officers. 
 
 In February 1817, orders were received to lengthen the 
 ship-house (now No. 5) twelve feet, and to build a ship-of- 
 the-line to measure nine feet more in leno'th than the 
 Washington ; accordingly on the 15th of April the keel 
 of the Alabama, seventy-four, was lail in the lengthened 
 ship house. 
 
 In July 1818, Commodore Macdonough was relieved as 
 Commandant, by Captain Charles Morris. This yeai* saw 
 the regular establishment of the Yard increased by the 
 addition of the following list : 
 One Boatswain, 
 
 " Gunner, 
 - '' Carpenter, 
 " Boatswain's Mate, 
 " Carpenter's Mate, 
 '^ Steward, 
 Twelve Seamen, Twelve Ordinary Seamen. 
 
 The pay-roll of workmen on the Yard at this time did 
 
44 
 
 not number more than fifty mechanics, and they were 
 required under appropriation ''Improvement." A wharf 
 was built to the West of the ship-house, and the founda- 
 tion of the building, now the Naval Store, was made. 
 
 In September 1818 the order regulating the size and de- 
 scription of the flag to be used in the Navy of the United 
 States was received, and as there is sometimes a question 
 among persons on shore as to what is the flag of the 
 United States, I will here insert the order that was re- 
 ceived : 
 
 ''That from and after the 4th day of July 1818, the flag 
 of the Uriited States be thirteen horizontal stripes, alter- 
 nate red and white; that the union have twenty stars, 
 white in a blue field, and that in making all flags for the 
 Navy the following rules will be observed. The "union" 
 will occupy one fourth of the flag, and will rest on a white 
 bar or stripe ; the stars to be placed in parallel lines." 
 
 The .first portion of wall, at this Yard was laid west of 
 the ship-house, in March 1819, and the earth filled in; the 
 wall was extended some five or six hundred feet to the 
 West. The force on the Yard was largely increased, as a 
 new ship-house was building (now No 4) to the West of 
 the old one, and the ship was being hurried along. 
 
 The old custom of firing the morning and evening gun 
 was dispensed wi1h, and the remains of the old octagon 
 fort w^ere removed to make room for the improvements 
 which were daily being added. In 1820, the ship-house 
 (4) was finished and the "slip" begun. Captain E. Wat- 
 son, U. S. M. corps, received permission to erect a barracks 
 for the Marine Guard of the Yard, using an old house, 
 which is now on the island, in addition to the small one 
 now occupied by them. The work was almost entirely 
 done by the Guard and the expense of the new barracks 
 
¥5 
 
 "wa^B trifling ; it stodd where the Gun and Shot Park now 
 stands. 
 
 The un&,ettled state of afeirs, internal revolution, fee- 
 ble governments^ a low state of morality in surrounding 
 communities and the debasing influence of war, had con- 
 spired to foster a system of piratical enterprises in the 
 West Indies. In the Fall of 1820 the accounts of these 
 piracies were received in the United States, and the Gov- 
 ernment immediately ordered the building of several small 
 vessels of lioht draught and heavy armament for the pur- 
 pose of exterminating the outlaws. 
 
 The schooner Porpoise was begun in Sept, 1820, and 
 launched on the 26th day of November following ; she 
 was built at the slip near the ''Landing." Her cost, when 
 ready for sea, was $25,529 ; her tonnage about 178 ; and 
 battery ten 6 pounders and one long 18 pounder. Her 
 first cruise was made under Lieut. Ramage, and after 
 making five cruises was lost in the West Indies in 1833 
 in command of Lieut. Wm. Taylor ; her crew were all 
 saved. 
 
 In 1821 112,000 were appropriated for improvements on 
 the Yard. The store house and offices was commenced 
 this year ; this building (now No. 1) was the first brick 
 one erected on the Yard. The keel of a 44 gun frigate 
 was laid in the new ship-house, to be named the Santee, 
 and the present fine timber dock with its sea wall etc., 
 was finished this year. 
 
 In May 1821, application was made to the State of 
 Maine, "for the cession of the jurisdiction of the Island, 
 on which the Navy Yard at Portsmouth is situated," and 
 in the month following it was granted ; the State reserv- 
 ing the right to serve processes on the Yard and to arrest 
 criminals. 
 
 Wooden buildings for officers' quarters were erected 
 
46 
 
 upon the site now occupied by those elegant structures of 
 brick. In May 1828, Captain Wm. M. Crane relieved 
 Captain Morris as commandant. 
 
 The store house had advanced so far towards comple- 
 tion, that the. offices were removed into it on the 1st of 
 January, 1821, together with the Naval stores. The cost 
 of this building was $1,000. In 182T the addition was 
 made to this building, (which may be noticed by the roof 
 being higher,) and it is now the stores of Steam Engineer- 
 ing, Equipment, Navigation and Sail-loft, the cost of which 
 was $15,000. The old wooden building which had been 
 used as offices was removed to the rear of the Marine bar- 
 racks, and used as a cook house for the Marines and Men 
 of the Oixlinary. Tiie stone wall from the ship-house (5) 
 to the blacksmith shop, w*as finished in 1821; it Avas 687 
 feet long, 10 feet high and 2 1-2 feet wide. 
 
 Nothing more was done to improve the Yard, excepting 
 to finish the Mast and Spar House (now No. 7) until 1826. 
 
 Captain Crane was relieved by Captain Chas. G. Riclge- 
 ley in March 1825. The following is a list of officers at- 
 tached to the Yard 1823-25; 
 
 W. M. Crane, Captain Commandant; 
 
 John Porter, Master " 
 
 Thos. W. Wyman, Lieutenant, 
 
 Wm. Berry, " 
 
 Robert L. Thorne, Surgeon. 
 
 Nath. Lyde, Purser. 
 
 Nath. Stoodley, Master. 
 
 Nath. Prentiss, '* 
 
 In the year 1825, the bridge leading to Kittery was 
 built and the Commandant made propositions to the own- 
 ers of the land adjoining the bridge to cut a road leading 
 to the main high-way of Kittery; the owners of the land 
 
47 
 
 objected to such a road, although the Governmeut o:ffered 
 to purchase their laud for this purpose. Finding that 
 nothing could be affected by negotiation, application was 
 made to the Selectmen of Kittery, with the assurance that 
 the damages would be paid by the Government. The 
 road was then laid out by them according to the Laws of 
 State and became a Town way. The damages were paid 
 by the United States, and ^communication by road opened 
 with Portsmouth in the summer of this year. 
 
 In 1826 fictivity was resumed and much work in the 
 way of improvement done. Orders were received to se- 
 lect a proper site for the building of suitable barracks on 
 the Island. All wooden buildings and sheds were demol- 
 ished and removed, especially those in the vicinity of the 
 ship-houses. The upper story of the Mast House was fin- 
 ished for a Rigging-loft and the Blacksmith shop enlarged 
 by two additions being built to it. Work was being for- 
 w^arded also on the seventy-four gun ship and the frigate 
 in the ship-houses. 
 
 In November 1826, Captain J. O. Creighton relieved 
 Captain Ridgeley as commandant. In the Spring of 1827 
 the foundation of four brick buildings for officers' quar- 
 ters was commenced and in the Autumn following they 
 were finished. In the Summer of the same year a brick 
 block was built for the accommodation of the Warrant 
 Officers, Petty Officers and seamen. Three Timber sheds 
 were also built, 200 feet long, Q5 feet wide andl5 feet to 
 the eaves, the roofs were slated and supported by stone 
 pillars ten feet apart; they are Nos. 45, 46 and 48. The 
 cost of these sheds was $9,250 each. In March 1827 the 
 keel of the sloop-of-war Concord was laid at the little slip 
 where the Porpoise was built. The levelling for the pur- 
 pose of building the Barracks was completed and the 
 foundation laid ; the spot selected for the Barracks was 
 
48 
 
 the extreme N. E. point of the island. In August 1828, 
 Captain J. D. Henley relieved Captain Creighton in com- 
 mand. 
 
 The following is a list of the Officers of the Yard 1829 
 to 1833: 
 
 John D. Henley, Commandant. 
 
 Geo. W. S.torer, Master Com'd't. 
 
 John C. Long, Lieutenant. 
 
 Chas. Chase, Surgeon. 
 
 Jos. H. Terry, Purser. 
 
 R. S. Tatem, Master. 
 
 John Floyd, Nav. Constr. 
 
 S. E. Watson, Capt. U. S. M. C. 
 
 Wm. W. Dulanv, 1st Lieutenant. 
 
 Cons't Smith, 2d 
 
 On the 21:th day of September 1828, the sloop-of-war 
 Concord was launched, the day was ver}^ tine and quite a 
 crowd assembled to witness her baptism, at noon the order 
 came, and the crash of top-mauls told the anxious crowd 
 that the time was drawing near. At a little past 12 M. 
 she glided beautifully into her destined element, and was 
 christened Concord by a beautiful lady of Portsmouth. 
 The cost of the Concord was $115,325. She sailed from 
 Norfolk, Va. in 1830, with John Randolph of Roanoke, 
 Minister to the Court of St. Petersburg, and after a 
 cruise of three years in the Mediterranean under Master 
 Commandant M. C. Perry, and two cruises in the West 
 Indies under Commodores Mix and Fitzhugh ; she was 
 lost Oct. 2d, 1843, on the east coast of Africa. Her Com- 
 mander, William Boerum, and Purser, Mr. Hart, with one 
 man were lost with her. The First Lieutenant J. M. Gar- 
 diner chartered a brig to bring home the remaining officers 
 iind crew, and in the following year the brig Chipola was 
 sent out to recover her guns etc. 
 
4^J 
 
 The In-ick buildiiTg for the Oi-clii^ary men of the Yard 
 was finished ^nd was iai'ge enough to accommodate two 
 hundred men : the gro«.nds were levelled and fenced, and 
 ■as soon as convenient >a draft of men was sent for txD equip 
 the Concord, the riomno- and mastino- heingr done entitelv 
 by the «e-a.men wlw were to sail in the ship. Oct. 1830 
 «aw a draft of one hundred fine seamen sent to this Yard 
 from the independence and the}' were quartered in the 
 mew building, which (po-ssessing so many agi:'eeahle feat- 
 ures over the Receiving ship Independence,") they named 
 the Sailors' Snug Harbor, this name it retained until 
 •converted into quarters for Warrant Officers, and in n^aiiy 
 papers from the Department, this Sohriquet was mentioned 
 in connection W"ith the building. 
 
 On the 21st of November, 1828, the Yard was visited 
 with one of the most severe gales of wind, ever expe* 
 nenced in this vicinity, and great damage was done 
 to the siate roofs of the building'^s ; the timber dock also 
 suffered much damage, and a lai^'e portion of the ^*01d 
 Elm Tree" in the Commandant's grounds Was torn away* 
 An instance occurred at this time which will serve to il- 
 lustrate how justice was administered by the I^aval court's 
 martial of that day. Elias W. Chase, an ordinary seaman 
 belonging to the Ordinary force of the Yard, deserted, 
 and after a time was discovered and arrested in Ports- 
 mouth. He was brought to the Yard, tried by a Na- 
 val Court and sentenced ''to be flogged with thirty-nine 
 lashes of the cat-o'-nine-tails on his back and be discharged 
 from the service," which sentence was carried out at the 
 Yard on the Green before the men's quarters* 
 
 During the years 1829-3-1 nothing of importance was 
 done in improving the Yard, except the building of a tim- 
 ber shed of the same description as the former ones, at a 
 cost of '$9,500, (No. 43), no appropriations having been 
 made for improvements and rejDairs 
 
50 
 
 in August 1882 tlie sloop-of-war Vincennes arnvecl from 
 a cruise in the West Indies, under command of E. R. Shu- 
 brick ; this was the first ship that had arrived at th'e Yard 
 to be paid oW, since the late war with Great Britain. In 
 Dec. of the same year the Concord arrived, was paid off, 
 and both ships were then phxced in Ordinary. 
 
 In September, 1832, Captain Henley was detached from 
 the Yard, and Daniel Turner, Master Commandant — the 
 Executive Officer-— took temporary command of the Yard 
 until the 9th of October following, when Captain W. M, 
 Crane Was again appointed Commandant. 
 
 The Winter of 1832-33 was one of unusual severity, 
 and all work out of doors was in a great measure sus- 
 pended until the month of April, when in compliance 
 with orders received from the Department, a brick dwel- 
 ling was commenced, adjoining the Quarters recently built. 
 It was the original intention of the Department to build 
 two dwellings in uniformity with those already built, but 
 it was afterwards decided to build a lars^e dwellino^ for 
 one family. The building (now Quarters B) was finished 
 in December of 1833, and cost fl5,000. 
 
 In the year 1834, orders were received from the Depart- 
 ment to build a third ship-house on th e Yard, and after 
 some delay in selecting a site, the present one was chosen 
 for it, and work begun at once on the foundation and slip. 
 The Vincennes sloop-of-war had been fitted out, and 
 sailed the year previous, leaving only one ship, the 
 Concord, at the Yard, and she was being rapidly equipped 
 for a cruise- — when the sloop-of-war Lexington, Captain 
 McKeever, arrived from a cruise and put out of commis- 
 sion. During this year many .improvements were made 
 on the Yard ; extensive repairs being made to the bridge 
 leading to Kittery, which had fallen into decay during the 
 past nine years ; the Timber dock was enlarged. to accom- 
 
51 
 
 modate tlie amount of iini'^jer which was required year- 
 ly for building and repairing vessels. 
 
 The Quarters were now completed and occupied by the 
 officers, and the old Vmilding which had been occupied by 
 the Lieutenant of the Yard, was fitted up at small expense 
 as a temporary hospital for the Station. 
 
 Lieut. Joseph Cutts, attached to the Yard, had for s^.ome 
 time showed signs of mental aberration, and in Septem- 
 ber of this year he shot himself through the head ; his 
 death cast a gloom over tlie Yard, as he was much respect- 
 ed by ail who knew him. 
 
 In 1815, the ship-house had advanced so rapidly towards 
 completion that preparations were made to build a ship 
 in it. In 1838, this magnificent structure was entirely 
 finished; the total cost being -171,000. [ do not think 
 that a more elegant ship-house exists than this ; certainly 
 not in any Dock yard of England, France, or Spain, 
 have I seen a building more adapted to the purpose for 
 which this was designed, and in the Yards of the United 
 States it is uneciualled. The Lexington and Concord were 
 both fitted for sea, and sailed from the Yard in 1837. 
 
 The barracks of the Ordinary were raised one story, and 
 made into dwellings for the Warrant Officers at a cost of 
 14000, 
 
 In 1836, the entire Marine force of the Yard, was or- 
 dered to duty, with the Army in Florida, against the 
 Creek Indians, thus leaving the Yard without a Marine 
 guard; although a force of watchmen were employed in 
 their stead, at a monthly pay of $28. 
 
 On the 14th of April, 1838, Mr. John Floyd, Naval 
 Constructor stationed at this Yard for several years, died 
 very suddenly of fever, he having contracted a severe 
 cold in laying the keel and setting up the frame of a sloop- 
 of-war in the new ship-house. He was succeeded by Mr. 
 
I.) i-l 
 
 Samtiel M. Pook who repotted in Kovember of the ^-SLTBe- 
 year. The Dew ship-house was now finished and a small 
 sloop was being built therein. On the 14tli of June, 1839.^ 
 the sloop-of-war Preble ■^rets launched, having been com-- 
 pleted m thirteen months from the laying of the keel^ and 
 "wheB ready for sea her ec^t was fI12,T82. Ob the 2d of 
 June 1840, the glox)p Preble, Comd'r. Bres'se sailed from 
 tliis Station bound fox the coast of Lgibrador, and after 
 making six cruises upon different stations, she was con- 
 verted into a Practice Ship for Midshipmen and afterwards 
 
 For some time past a wharf was being binlt from the 
 old ship-house to the eastward. The manner of bmlding 
 was by cob-woik of timber filled in with stone as a fonn- 
 dation. On the 1st of Aiio^ust, the entire fabric s^ave 
 away with a loud noise, aacl was precipitated into the 
 deep water. The following account of the accident is- 
 talsen from the Portsmouth^ K. H,, Journal of that date t 
 
 ''On Thursday afternoon, August l&t, at about low water 
 a portion of the sea wall, of the new stone wharf now- 
 building at the Kavy Yard, separated from the main body 
 and fell into the river^ carrying with it a worthy laborer 
 by the name of' Mugridge belonging to Kittery, and slight- 
 1}' injuring another. No satisfactory cause for this acci- 
 dent has yet been discovered, altho' it i& supposed to be 
 owing to the gi"Ving way of the cob work foundation on 
 which the upper portion was erected. Fears had for some 
 time been entertained with regard to the ea&tern wall, but 
 it was not until the morning of the accident that suspi- 
 cions were had of the front section, at which time how- 
 ever, a cracking of the stone being heard by the work- 
 men, and the premises above water being examined by 
 Commodore Crane himself, while those below were in- 
 spected by means of the diving bell , it was found that 
 
fourteen stones, each ten feet by eiohteen inches, had bro- 
 ken in two altho' the nnder layers of all had not, as some 
 have supposed, slipped from the rock bottom on which 
 the south-eastern comer of a part of the front is located." 
 
 About 100 feet of sea wall was destroyed by this acci- 
 dent, and the Department at once decided that the ser- 
 vices of a Civil Engineer were required at the Yard, to 
 % obviate any future accident of this nature, consequently 
 Mr. Calvin Brown was employed as Engineer and Draughts- 
 man at a pay of three dollars a da}', and from this date 
 the services of a Civil Engineer have never been dispensed 
 with at this Yard. 
 
 As soon as the Preble sloop-of-war had been launched 
 from the new ship-house, preparations were made to im- 
 mediately build a frigate of the largest class, and in Au- 
 gust, 1839, the keel of the Congress was laid, and on the 
 16th of, August, 1841, she was launched; the Army and 
 Navy Chronicle of Aug., 1841, gives the following account 
 of the event: 
 
 "The frigate Congress was launched at Portsmouth, N. 
 H., on Monday Aug. 16 about fifteen minutes past eleven, 
 amidst a salute of thirteen guns and the cheers of a large 
 number of citizens from the wharves and surrounding 
 hills. She is a beautiful ship of 1867 tons and carrying 
 fifty guns. The day was fine and there were many per- 
 sons collected to see the sight. There were several steam- 
 boats in attendance." 
 
 The Old Congress was launched from the adjoining is- 
 land at noon, August 15th, 1799, just 76 years ago. She 
 was 190 feet long on the spar deck, 50 feet beam and 1700 
 tons burden. The cost of the old Congress was 1197,246, 
 and that of the new $399,088, over twice the cost of the 
 former. This fri-i^aet had a fine record, and as she was 
 
54 
 
 one of the early victims of the rebellion we will pass hur- 
 riedly over her history. 
 
 First cruise was made to the Mediterranean 1842-3, 
 under Captain P. F. Voorhees; second to Brazil, 1844-5, 
 under the same commander ; third to the Pacific, 1846-7, 
 under Comd'r. S. F. Dupont ; fourth to Brazil, 1850-1, 
 under Capt. I. Mcintosh; fifth to the Mediterranean, 
 1853-5, under Capt. Long; sixth., MeditejTanean Squad- 
 ron, 1857-9, Comd'r. Thos. F. Craven. Burned in Hamp- 
 ton Roads, Va., in action with the Rebel iron clad Mer- 
 rimac, 8th of March, 1862, while under command of Jo- 
 seph B. Smith, her First Lieutenant, her commander being 
 absent on duty. The description given by Boynton in 
 his admirable work, will serve to paint the distruction of 
 the noble ship. 
 
 ''At a little past 2 P. M., the huge mailed frigate had 
 approached the Congress within grape shot distance; and 
 then every man in his place, the guns trained to the pro- 
 per elevation, the lanyards in the gunner's hand, scarcely 
 a sound was heard throughout the devoted ship "while they 
 awaited the attack of the dreaded foe. A puff of smoke 
 from one of her bow guns, and every breath stopped an 
 instant, till a storm of grape swept over the deck and rat- 
 tled on her sides. A long breath of relief that it ^as no 
 worse. Keeping on her course, she* was passing the Con- 
 gress at less than one fourth of a mile distant, heading 
 for the Cumberland. At that distance the Congress de- 
 livered her broadside. Her heaviest shot glanced harm- 
 less from the side of the mailed monster, and all felt that 
 the battle was already decided, and that nothing remained 
 but to surrender or to be destroyed with their ship. The 
 return fire of the Merrimac only confirmed their worst 
 fears. Her shells came crashing through the sides of their 
 ship, spreading death and ruin on every side. They knew 
 
55 
 
 that success was hopeless, escape impossible and resistance 
 ruin. Yet an American fifty gun ship could not he sur- 
 rendered thus, so the strong hearted martyrs stood by 
 their flag and to their guns. But it was not the intention 
 of the rebel commander to finish his work then. Passing 
 the Congress at a distance of about three hundred yards, 
 he ran direct for the Cumberland." 
 
 The reader of these pages can imagine for himself the 
 feelings of the officers and crew of the Congress as they 
 gazed in silence at the sinking of the Cumberland, and 
 perfectly helpless, awaited their doom. As soon as the 
 fate of the Cumberland was seen, the jib and top-sails 
 of the Congress were set, and with the aid of a tug 
 the ship was run ashore under the heavy fire of the small- 
 er steamers, whose guns being rifled did fearful execution* 
 The ship had been set on fire in many places by the hot 
 shot from the Merrimac and no hopes were entertained of 
 saving her. Manning such boats as remained, the wound 
 ed and crew were removed, and in a short time the 
 flames reached the magazine, and the fragments of the 
 shattered and bloody ship, were scattered over the waves ^ 
 the commanding officer of the Congress was killed and ai 
 large number of the officers and crew. Thus perished th© 
 first frigate built upon the new Yard. 
 
 Captain Crane was relieved from the command of the 
 Yard in October, 1840, by Captain John D. Sloat. 
 
 The following is a list of the Officers of the Yard ia 
 
 1840: 
 
 J. D. Sloat Capt. Commandant. 
 
 T. W. Wyman» Commander. 
 
 Geo. F. Pierson, Lieutenant. 
 
 Chas. Chase, Surgeon. 
 
 Thos. Breeze, Purser. 
 
 Jacob Mull, Master. 
 
 Lawrence Gallai^her. Boatswain. 
 
 Wm. Black, 
 
 Jno. Green, Carpenter. 
 
50 
 
 The former practice of masting vessels by erecting 
 sheers on board, being tedious and expensiA^e, Capt. Sloat 
 received permission to bnild a pair of permanent sheers, 
 which he did, using the lower masts of the 74 Alabama 
 for that purpose ; Avhen erected they cost $2,240. The 
 masts of the Congress frigate were the first put in with 
 the new sheers. 
 
 A ^diving Bell was purchased for the use of the Yard 
 and work immediately began by removing the debris of 
 the fallen sea wall, under the supeiintendence of the Civil 
 Engineer of the Yard. 
 
 Orders were received to build a first class sloop at the 
 Yard, and as soon as the frigate Congress had been 
 launched, work began upon the Saratoga and continued 
 without interruption until July, 1842, when she was com- 
 pleted, and upon the 26th of that month was launched. 
 
 On the i5th the Congress sailed for the Mediterranean. 
 Work was continued this year upon the Sea Wall, and 
 bridges were built over the slips of the ship-houses. The 
 work of levelling tKe hills was being carried on, and fiU- 
 ing m to the Sea Wall. 
 
 In October of 1842, the old system of a Board of Com- 
 missioners for the Navy was superseded b/ the Bureau 
 System, and the organization was as follows : 
 
 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Commodore L. Warrin- 
 ton. Chief. 
 *' " Ordinance and Hydrography Commodore 
 
 Wm. Crane, Chief. 
 " ■ "• Construction, Repair and Equipment, Cap- 
 tain David Conner, Chief. 
 '' , " Provision and Clothing, C. W. Goldsbor- 
 
 ough, Chief. 
 " " Medicine and Surgery, Dr. W. P. C. Bar- 
 ton, Chief. 
 
57 
 
 The weather during the winter of this year was unusu- 
 ally severe, and work- out of doors was a matter of impos- 
 sibility ; the force was reduced to the lowest possible num- 
 ber that was necessary to the efficiency of the Yard. On 
 the 15tli of February, 1843, a tribute of respect of thir- 
 teen guns was paid to the memory of Commodore Isaac 
 Hull, the first Commandant of this Yard, who died at his 
 residence on the ioth inst. 
 
 On the afternoon of the 16th of March, 1843, the sloop 
 of war Saratoo^a sailed from the Yard under command of 
 Commander J. Tatnall : the weather was threatening, but 
 it was thought that she could obtain an offing and clear 
 the coast before the weather would prove too stormy. 
 Before night a strong N. E. gale accompanied with a blind- 
 ing snow-storm, compelled her to return, and the thick- 
 ness of the snow and darkness of the night rendered it 
 impossible to see any light or landmark, and the lead alone 
 was her guide : the gale increasing with such violence, 
 all control of the ship was lost, and every anchor let go, 
 backed with some of her heaviest guns; and to prevent 
 her drifting on shore all three of her masts were cut away 
 and she was left a mere hull ; this saved the ship and she 
 rode out the gale in safety ; when it moderated she was 
 discovered about two cable lengths from the shore at Rye 
 Beach — had she driven but a short distance farther she 
 would, in all probability, have gone to pieces, and but few 
 would have been left to tell the tale, for only a short dis- 
 tance from her stern a reef of rocks of the most danger- 
 ous chartacter, lay between the ship and the shore. As 
 soon as the gale abated, a small steamer was sent and the 
 ship towed back to the Yard, where she was refitted. 
 
 The appropriation for improvement of the Yard for this 
 year (1843) was $41,000, which allowed some work to be 
 done on the walls and buildings. The sloop of war Ports- 
 
58 
 
 mouth was built and launched, this year; she was an exact 
 counterpart of the Saratoga, and built in the ship-house 
 recently vacated by that vessel. 
 
 On the 2d of November, Captain Sloat was relieved by 
 Captain George W. Storer as Commandant of the Yard. 
 
 The Boat house and landing stage was built in 1844, at 
 a cost of $1221.50, and work commenced in blasting aAvay 
 the ledge in the middle of the island, with this exception 
 no other improvements were made on the Yard until 1846, 
 
 The Portsmouth sloop of war sailed in December, 1844, 
 having been fitted for sea during the Fall of that year. 
 
 Nov. 1846, Commodore Daniel Turner relieved Capt. 
 Storer in command. 
 
 The attention of the Department had been attracted to 
 the subject of a Dry Dock at this Yard, and a board of 
 Civil Engineers, under Mr. Sanger, were ordered to exam- 
 ine the island for the purpose of locating the site. The 
 subject was discussed in all its points, and the Board final- 
 ly decided that a floating dock would be n^ch cheaper 
 and better suited to the requirements of this Yard than a 
 stone Dock, and reported their views to the Bureau. A 
 controversy then arose between the two inventors of 
 Floating Docks. Messrs. Gilbert & Secor, the inventors 
 of the Floating Balance Dock, claiming for their inven- 
 tion a superiority over that of the Sectional Dock of 
 Messrs. Moody & Dakin ; the Bureau was much embar- 
 rassed by these conflicting claims, and finally settled the 
 controversy by building two of each at the different Yards. 
 Cisterns were built in different parts of the Yard at a cost 
 of $31,528. 
 
 In May of 1847, the keel of the U. S. Steamer Saranac 
 was laid in the new ship-house, and work commenced in 
 earnest. Mr. Parris reported as Civil Engineer of the 
 Yard, retaining Mr. Brown as his assistant. In 1848, 
 
59 
 
 work again resumed in earnest on the Yard, and 
 under the directions of the Civil Engineer, Mr. Par- 
 ris, the work of levelling was carried on with vigor. The 
 Smitheiy was enlarged and rebuilt, and the Sea Wall fin- 
 ished to the Knee Dock. In November, 1848, the side 
 wheel steam frigate Saranac was launched. As this ship 
 was the first steamer built at the Yard we will trace her 
 history until we find her sinking in the blue water of the 
 Pacific, 
 
 Her first cruise was made in the Home Squadron, 1850- 
 1, under Captain J. Tattnall; second cruise, Brazil, 1852, 
 Captain Pendergast ; third cruise, Mediterranean, 1854-6, 
 Captain J. C. Long. During the war she was variously 
 employed, afterwards cruised in the Pacific and finally 
 was lost June 1st, 18T5, at Seymore Pass, near Vancou- 
 ver's Island, under command of Captain Wm. Queen. 
 The following account is taken fri)m the Army and Navy 
 Journal of the 26th of June, 1875 : 
 
 "The United States Steamer Saranac, having on board 
 as passengers, Lieut. Washburn Maynard, U. S. N., and 
 Dr. Emil Bessels of the Smithsonian Institute, left this 
 port (San Francisco) June 8th for Sitka and Behring 
 Straits, on a scientific expedition and to mal^e a collection 
 for the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition." On her way 
 north she took -the inside channel between Vancouver's 
 Island and the mainland, called at Nanaimo, and at a quar- 
 ter of 9 A. M., on Friday the 18th inst., struck the famous 
 mid-channel rock in Seymour Narrows. This is the rock 
 so much talked of in connection with the proposed bridge 
 at the Narrows for the Canadian Overland Railroad. 
 
 The 'Saranac' was going fourteen knots, with a seven 
 knot current, at the time of striking. After striking she 
 hung for a few minutes and then swung off. Her bow 
 was immediately run into the Vancouver shore and made 
 
60 
 
 fast with a hawser to a tree. An hour afterwards she had 
 sunk completely out of sight, not even her mastheads 
 being visible, But little of the stores or personal effects 
 of the officers and crew were saved. The ship's company 
 were encamped on the beach, with no shelter and little 
 provisions. Lieut. Comdr. Sander with the pilot and thir- 
 teen men, made their way on foot to Victoria, V. I., where 
 they arrived last night. The steamer 'Otter' left this 
 morning for the wreck. No lives were lost. Rear Admi- 
 ral Cochrane with H. B M. iron clad 'Repulse,' has left 
 for the scene of the disaster." 
 
 The Powder Magazine which had been commenced the 
 year previous, was finished in 1849. The Decatur sloop- 
 of-war arrived in Nov., and after being ]3ut out of commis- 
 sion was placed in Ordinary. Captain Thos. W. Wyman 
 relieved Commodore Turner as Commandant on the 2d of 
 November, 1849. 
 
 The following is a list of the Officers of the Yard Jan. 
 
 1st, 1850 : 
 
 Captain T. W. Wyman, Com'd't. Boats' n. Wm. Black, 
 
 Comd'r. J. E. Jarvis, Gunner, R. F. Dunn, 
 
 Lieut. S. Hazard, Carp't. W. D. Jenkins, 
 
 •' H. Erench, Sailmaker J. G. Gallagher. 
 
 Surgeon, C. Chase, Purser, H. Bridge, 
 Master, John Kobinson, Marines. 
 
 Benj. Delano, ISTaval Constructor. Capt. Ward Marston, 
 Alex. Parris, Civil Engineer. '' A. Brevoort. 
 
 The principal object of interest and most important fea- 
 ture of this establishment, is the Floating Balance Dock, 
 without this, the Navy Yard would be deficient in the 
 most important element of a Naval establishment. In a 
 publication of this nature, a description in detail can hard- 
 ly be expected ; still, without citing some of the more im- 
 portant facts connected with the Dock, this little history 
 would not be complete. 
 
61 
 
 In 1851, a contract was entered inta with Messrs, John 
 S. Gilbert and Zeno Secor of New York, to construct, 
 with all the necessary machinery and appendages, a Float- 
 ing Balance Dock and Railway to the satisfaction of the 
 Superintending Engineer. The test was made in Juna, 
 1852, and the works accepted. 
 
 Mr. Parris, the Civil Engineer, having died after a long 
 sickness, B. F. Chandler, Esq., was appointed to fill the 
 vacancy, and commenced at once upon his duties. The 
 site having been selected, a coffer dam was constructed, 
 within which the excavations were to be made for the 
 foundations, floors and walls of the Dock Basin. The 
 whole was to rest on pile foundation, three thousand of 
 which were driven through the earth to solid rock. They 
 were driven three feet from centre to centre and the inter- 
 stices filled with clay ; they were then cut off twelve feet 
 below high water mark, capped with timber, and the en- 
 tire surface covered with five inch plank. Five courses 
 of hammered granite in the direction of the length of the 
 Dock were laid, of one foot rise, and a bed of concrete six 
 inches thick, between the stone bearings. The Basin com- 
 pleted is three hundred and sixty feet in length and one 
 hundred and twenty-five feet in width, with granite walls 
 fourteen feet high of large stone, hammered beds, builds, 
 joints and face and laid in cement; at the outer end of. 
 the walls of the Basin, and across the bottom in the stone 
 work, is a groove cut two inches wide and six inches deep, 
 to receive the keel and stems of a boat gate, which when 
 in place, encloses the dock within the stone basin. The 
 Dock was constructed on the island opposite the Navy 
 Yard, called Pierce's Island, and when completed, was 
 floated across the river. The length of the Floating 
 Dock is three hundred and fifty feet; breadth outside, one 
 hundred and five feet, four inches, and walls thirt^^-eight 
 
62 
 
 feet high. The walls or chambers on each side are seven 
 feet, eight inches wide, the entire length of the Dock. On 
 these walls and amidship of the dock is the machinery for 
 working it while docking or undocking vessels. On each 
 wall is an engine and boiler of fifty horse pov^er geared 
 and connected with twelve pumps. These pumps are each 
 two feet square and four feet stroke, and when in opera- 
 tion, will raise seventeen thousand, four hundred and eigh- 
 teen tons of water per hour. There are fifty-two gates in 
 the Dock, by which, with proper manipulation in connec- 
 tion with pumps, the Dock is raised or depressed with fa- 
 cility and perfectly balanced ; it is capable of raising a ship 
 of five thousand tons weight. When a ship requires ex- 
 tensive repairs, she is docked on a frame called a ^'cradle," 
 and while resting on this cradle supported by a railway of 
 three lines of timber, she is drawn out of the Dock upon 
 the land, on an elevation of one inch in eight feet. She 
 is then shored and repaired. The Dock is now at liberty 
 and may be used for docking another ship should occasion 
 require it. 
 
 The apparatus by which a ship is drawn upon the rail- 
 way on the land, is an exceedingly ingenious and complica- 
 ted piece of machanism. It is an hydraulic engine opera- 
 ted by steam ; the weight of the cylinder alone, is eleven 
 tons and the piston nearly two tons. In returning the 
 ship to the water the operation of hauling up and docking 
 is simply reversed. The hauling power of the hydraulic 
 engine is five thousand tons up the railway or inclined 
 plane, before mentioned. The rate at which the ship is 
 moved is generally one foot in one minute. 
 
 The necessity of excavating a basin with a depth of 32 
 feet at high water became obvious. In this the Dock is 
 sunk, in order to receive the ship — pr-eparatory to pump- 
 ing out the Dock — thereby raising the ship entirely out of 
 
63 
 
 the water with the Dock, in readiness to enter the stone 
 basin. Soundings were made in the Piscataqua, in front 
 of the basin and the bottom was found to be uneven, con- 
 sisting of gravel, sand, clay and large masses of ledge ; a 
 dredging machine being procured, thousands of cubic 
 yards of sediment were removed and deposited on the 
 *Yard for filling low grounds and grading. By these means 
 the ledges were laid bare and submarine blasting com- 
 menced, to remove the rock formation to the depth re- 
 quired. The extremely uneven surface and hardness of 
 the material was a formidable obstacle. A Diving Bell 
 was necessary, and an organized force was selected from 
 inexperienced workmen. The work was staked out be- 
 neath the tide, entirely by the Civil Engineer and under 
 his sole control. For two seasons this work was in prog- 
 ress, and during that time the Engineer descended daily to 
 inspect the work and direct the workmen. The large 
 excavations were made by blasting with Gove's battery ; 
 and before the task was accomplished more than ten thou- 
 sand cubic yards were detached, removed and deposited in 
 deep pockets, within or outside the limits selected for this 
 deep basin. This excavation was continued in this man- 
 ner^until a' level floor was secured, (and no sharp project- 
 ing rocks could injure the coppering of the Dock,) upon 
 which the Dock could rest thirty-two feet below high water 
 mark. For the security of the Dock, and safety of both 
 Dock and ship, three stone mooring piers were erected 
 twenty-two feet square at the base and battering on three 
 sides to twelve feet square at low water. These piers were 
 raised twelve feet square, above high water, Avith a stone 
 mooring post in the centre. They were composed of 
 large blocks got out to exact dimensions, V3ed, builds and 
 joints hammered, and the blocks above low water mark se- 
 cured together with copper bolts. This work also was laid 
 with the Diving Bell to low water mark. 
 
64 
 
 The Floating Dock has been in successful operation from 
 the day, of its acceptance, and more than one hundred 
 ships have been docked without accident or damage. Dur- 
 ing the twenty-three years in use no very extensive re- 
 pairs have been made, and the machinery and Dock are 
 now in almost as good condition as wlien the Department 
 accepted them of the Contractors. The de3p basin was^ 
 excavated in the shortest possible time without the slight- 
 est accident, and to the entire satisfaction of the Depart- 
 ment. As an evidence of absence of floating sediment in 
 the waters of the Piscataqua River, the deep basin has 
 been examined with the Diving Bell, and the marks of the 
 tools left by the workmen years before have not been ob- 
 literated. The entire cost of this extensive addition to 
 the Yard, with the repabs of twenty-three years added 
 etc., has fallen short of a million dollars, and a more effec- 
 tive Dock is not to be found on this side of the Atlantic. 
 The fine granite building now known as the Head House 
 was finished in 1853. It was formerly of onl}^ one story, 
 and was intended for the engine house connected with the 
 Dry Dock; but in the year following, it was remodelled by 
 Mr. C. and another story and a half added, together with 
 an addition for. the boiler and engines. This building is 
 one of the finest on the Yard, being built of undressed 
 granite with hammered granite coignes, dormer windows 
 and slate roof. In October, 1852, the Bureau tested the 
 power of the Dry Dock by taking the old Line-of-Battle- 
 Ship Franklin into it, and hauling her out upon the 
 railway. This old 74 was very heavy, and was considered 
 as a complete test of the powers of the new Dock ; she 
 was taken successfully from the Dock by means of the Hy- 
 draulic, and left in a position to be taken to pieces, which 
 was done at once. 
 
 On the first day of November, 1852, Captain Wyman 
 
65 
 
 was relieved In^ Captain Joseph Smoot. During this win- 
 ter but little was done on the Yard in the way of improve- 
 ments. The weather being severe, out of door work w^as 
 entirely suspended. 
 
 During the year 1853, the sloop Decatur,. frigate Prince- 
 ton, frigate Fulton and sloop (^yane arrived at this Yard, 
 the squadron in corhmand of Commo. W. B. Shubrick. 
 
 The new ship-house w^as lengthened fifty feet, and the 
 keel of the frigate Franklin-laid therein, the old ship being 
 under process of demolition upon the railway. In 'the 
 month of February, 1855, the frigate Santee was launched 
 from the ship-house in which she had remained under 
 process of construction since the 3^ear 1820. This ship 
 was built upon the old plan and was 1726 tons burden, 
 mounting eight 8 inch guns and forty-tw^o 32 pounders' 
 making a total of 50 guns. The keel of a Light-Ship 
 was laid in the ship-house soon after the launching 
 Santee, and in the summer of the same year she was 
 launched. This ship was built for the Light House Board 
 and intended for Nantucket Shoals, where soon afterwards 
 she was taken; it is bufc just to remark in this connec- 
 tion, that she was pronounced as the "most excellent Light- 
 Vessel in service.' ' 
 
 In June of this year the frigate Constitution, (famil- 
 iarly termed "The Old Ironsides''^ arrived at this Yard 
 from Key West, wearing the Broad Pennant of Commo- 
 dore Mayo ; she had made the passage from Key West 
 in nine days, and was put out of commission and placed 
 in Ordinary soon after her arrival. The appropriation for 
 the Yard this year being $59,000, some improvements 
 were made. A Cooper shop was'erected, and Watchmen's 
 quarters built. The Shell house was finished and work 
 on the Dock Basin continued. Sewers were built and the 
 main sewer finished, to carry the drainage from the Offi- 
 cers' Quarters to the river. 
 
66 
 
 Commodore John T. Newton relieved Captain Smoot as 
 Commandant of the Yard in October of 1855, and the re- 
 mainder of this year was devoted to finishing up the work al- 
 ready begun, and in hurrying to completion the frigate 
 Franklin, now well under way. 
 
 In April, 1856, permission having been obtained from 
 the Navy Department by the inhabitants of Seavey's Is- 
 land, a bridge was built from the Navy Yard across the 
 narrow stream which separated it from that island ; this 
 bridge was of course to be subject to the discipline of the 
 Yard, but as may be readily seen, was the occasion of 
 much annoyance to the Yard authorities, as well as dis- 
 comfort to the inhabitants of the island. In order to avoid 
 theft from the Government, persons carting private mate- 
 rial through the Yard were compelled to submit their loads 
 to the inspection of the Watchmen ; and at night, even 
 packages carried by persons were subjected to examina- 
 tions ; the continued vexations attending this privilege of 
 passing through the Yard, ultimately led to the purchase 
 of the adjoining island by the Government. 
 
 The sloop Vandalia arrived at the Yard in October of 
 185G, from the East Indies, put out of commission ; and 
 her officers and crew were detached and paid off and the 
 ship placed in Ordinary. 
 
 In July of 1857, Commodore J. T. Newton, while on a 
 leave of absence, was smitten with paralysis, and after a 
 few hours of great suffering, expired, surrounded by his 
 family and relatives. During the twenty months that 
 Commodore Newton had been in command of this Station, 
 he had, by his many acts of kindness, won the esteem of 
 all classes, and the entire community was much shocked 
 by his sudden death. Commander Chas. W. Pickering, 
 being senior officer present, assumed the command of the 
 Station until relieved by Captain John Pope on the 11th 
 
67 
 
 day of August. During this year the fine building for 
 OfHces and Muster-room, was finished and occupied, the 
 entire cost of which was $28,633. The appropriation 
 made in 1357 for this Yard was 8104,422, which admitte<- 
 of many improvenients being made that were much need- 
 ed. The Head house was raised one story and a half, and 
 fitted with machinery ; the Magazine buildings finished, a 
 Lodge built for the Ordinary men of the Yard at a cost of 
 ^4845, and iron fences substituted for the wooden ones 
 around the quarters. The Dry Dock was in use the great- 
 er part of the year; the Vandalia, Constitution and sloop 
 Falmouth having received repairs upon it; and during the 
 year following, the sloops Portsmouth and Jamestown hav- 
 ing arrived from a cruise, were both docked and extensive- 
 ly repaired. • 
 
 In June, the Turkish Minister, M. Said Saleman Effen- 
 di, visited the Yard in company with the Turkish Vice 
 Admiral Mehmed Pasha and suite; and, were received 
 with all the lionors due their exalted rank. The ship- 
 house, wliich, since the launching of the Light-vessel, had 
 been vacant, was now made ready to receive the keel of a 
 new steam sloop, which had been ordered to be built at 
 this Yard, and in July the steam sloop of war Mohican 
 was begun. The Gun Park, Shot Park, Anchor Parks 
 and small Park, in front of the Commandant's house, were 
 made, and the present Flagstaff erected in place of the 
 old one. 
 
 In 185^, the large screw steam ship North America, be- 
 longing to the Portland and European Line, arrived in 
 port disabled, having had a collision with floating ice, upon 
 lier passage across the ocean ; there being no facilities here 
 for taking so large a ship out of the water, application was 
 made to the Department for permission to repair her in 
 the Dry Dock, at the request of the Company, which per- 
 
68 
 
 rniysion was granted. On the 15th day of February, fs 
 second steamer was launched from the Yard, the sloop of 
 war Mohican ; this ship was the first screw steamer built 
 at this Yard, and proved in every way to be an excellent 
 and efficient vessel. During the year, the sloops Ports- 
 mouth and Mohican were fitted out and sailed from the 
 Yard, and repairs on the sloop of war Dale were hurried 
 to completion. The Cumberland sloop of war arrived 
 with the flag of the Home Squadron and was paid off and 
 put out of commission. The Magazine building was fin- 
 ished and the drains completed during this year. 
 
 -1860 opened with poor prospects for the Yard, the ap- 
 propriations were exhausted, and no work of any impor- 
 tance could be accomplished. The saluting Battery upon 
 the wall near the timber dock was built and the guns 
 mounted. On the 1st of October,* Captain John Pope was 
 relieved as Commandant by Captain G. F. Pierson. 
 
 Orders were received to send the frigate Constitution to 
 Annapolis to be used as a school ship for midshipmen, and 
 Lieut. David D. Porter was ordered to command her. Her 
 crew having arrived from Boston, she sailed on the 6th of 
 August with a light breeze from the North. The Mace- 
 donian and Marion sloops of war arrived at the Yard and 
 were ordered out of commission, and after being disman- 
 tled were placed in Ordinary. In Dec. the Cumberland 
 fitted for sea and sailed for New York under command of 
 Capt. John Marston. 
 
 The very threatening aspects which the political affairs 
 of the country had assumed, caused the Commandant to 
 request permission to fortify the defences of the harbor, 
 early in 1861. In April, the news of the attack upon Fort 
 Sumter by the Confederate troops, brought affairs to a cri- 
 sis there, and the strong arm of the Government was 
 brought to bear upon treason wherever it appeared. Loud 
 
69 
 
 threats were made to burn the government works at this 
 Yard, and precautions were taken to double the guard ; 
 efficient and trusty men were also added to the watchmen 
 of the Yard. 
 
 On the 27th of April the Commandant of the Station, 
 received orders, to put the Yard on a war footing ; fortify 
 the earth work on Seavey's Island with eight inch guns ; 
 open a rendezvous in Portsmouth for recruiting men both 
 for the Navy and Marine corps. He was also empowered 
 to examine and appoint officers, subject to the approval of' 
 the Department. The Santee frigate, Marion and Dale 
 sloops, of war and Sabine frigate were fitted out and sailed 
 on a cruise. War was now considered as declared with 
 the Southern States that had seceded. All officers in com- 
 mand of ships of war were instructed to capture, sink, 
 burn or destroy vessels on tl^e high seas, hostile to the U. 
 S. Government, or having on board articles contraband of 
 war. The keels of two steam sloops of war w^ere laid, the 
 Kearsarge and Ossipee. The latter was launched in No- 
 vember and the former in December. The Kearsarge hav~ 
 ing made for herself such a brilliant history in the destruc- 
 tion of the Confederate cruiser Alabama, we will devote a 
 
 little space in this brief work to that vessel. 
 
 On the 5th of February 1862, the steam sloop Kearsarge 
 
 sailed from this Yard under command of Com'd'r. C. W. 
 Pickering ; after a year spent in the Mediterranean and 
 among the Western Islands in fruitless search of the Con- 
 federate steamer Alabama, the command was transferred 
 to Captain J. A. AVinslow late in 1863. After many 
 months search, the rebel vessel was discovered and block- 
 aded in the port of Cherbourg, France, in June, 1864. 
 On the 16th of June, 1864, the Commander of the Alaba- 
 ma sent a challenge to Captain Winslow to meet him upon 
 the sea beyond the limits of jurisdiction — the challenge 
 was at once accepted. 
 
70 
 
 On Sunday morning, June 19th, 1864, the Alabama, 
 having made all possible preparations to insure success, 
 steamed out of Cherbourg harbor accompanied by the 
 French iron-clad frigate Couronne. The morning was a 
 line one, the sea was calm, and a light hazQ spread like a 
 transparent veil over the water, adding beauty to the 
 scene, without obscuring the movements of either ship. 
 The French frigate accompanied the Alabama only so 
 far as to make it certain that she would not be attacked 
 until beyond the line of French jurisdiction. A small 
 steamer bearing the flag of the royal yacht squadron of 
 England also came out of Cherbourg; but this attracted 
 no attention at the time. The Alabama was discovered 
 by the Kearsarge at just 20 minutes past 10 o'clock, and 
 immediately the Kearsarge w^s cleared for action and her 
 head put seaward with the double intention of avoiding 
 all question about jurisdiction, and of drawing the enemy 
 so far from shof^ that, in the event of her being disabled, 
 she could not escape by running into French waters. Hav- 
 ing reached a point seven miles from shore, the Kearsarge 
 was put about and steered directly for her antagonist with 
 guns pivoted to starboard. The moment the Kearsarge 
 came around, the Alabama sheered, presented her star- 
 board battery and slowed her engines. When at the dis- 
 tance of a mile the Alabama opened her broadside hoping 
 to cripple her antagonist, biit, except cutting some of her 
 rigging no damage was done. The Kearsarge was now 
 given more speed although no shot had yet been fired. A 
 second and third broadside were fired by the Alabama, but 
 did no great execution. The two ships were now distant 
 aboiit seven hundred yards, and Captain Winslow did not 
 deem . it prudent to expose his ship to another raking broad- 
 side fire, and accordingly the order was given to fire. The 
 ships were now broadside to broadside, and to prevent the 
 
71 
 
 Alabama from making for the shore, the Kearsarge was 
 kept at full speed with the design of running under the 
 stern of the Alabama so as to secure a position for raking. 
 To avoid this the Alabama, being also under a full head 
 of steam, was sheered so as to keep her broadside exposed 
 to that of her antagonist ; thus both vessels were forced 
 into a circuhir movement, steaming in opposite directions 
 around a common centre, tiiis centre shifting with each 
 revolution, on account of a current setting westward at 
 the rate of three miles per hour. Had the action been 
 fought in parallel lines with the Alabama heading in shore , 
 she would have reached the line of jurisdiction and thus 
 escaped; but by being compelled to steam in circles she 
 was five miles from the shore at the close of the action. 
 
 * The action lasted for one hour, the heavy shot of the 
 Kearsarge telling fearfully against the sides of the Alaba- 
 ma, It became apparent to Capt. Winslow that the in-, 
 tention of Capt. Semmes was now to escape, and the 
 quickened fire of the Kearsarge told the fate of the Rebel 
 was sealed ; she was discovered to be sinking, her flag was 
 struck and in a few minutes, throwing her bow high in air, 
 she sank stern first below the waters of the channel. 
 
 It is not the design of the writer to make comments on 
 the results of battles etc., that being out of his province, 
 so he leaves the reader to search history, should he wish 
 to know the perfidious part taken after this action by the 
 yacht Deerhound in stealing the prisoners from their cap- 
 tors. It is enough for us to trace our little ship to victory. 
 
 The steam sloops Sebago, Mahaska, Sacramento, Sono- 
 ma and Connemaugh were commenced this year ; tht; two 
 former were finished during the Autumn but the two last 
 not until the Spring of 1862. The Yard now being 
 worked to its fullest capacity, over two thousand work- 
 men were employed. Additions were built to the Ord- 
 
1:L 
 
 nance building, and the Inspection building of provisions 
 and clothing also built, at a cost of $12,580. 
 
 During the years 1862-3, the following ships and gun- 
 boats were built, launched and fitted for sea at this Yard : 
 — Sebago, Sonoma, Sacramento, Connemaugh, Mahaska, 
 Ossipee and Sassacus. The Constellation, Colorado and 
 Minnesota were also repaired and fitted for sea, and work 
 during these two 3'ears had progressed upon the steam frig- 
 ate Franklin so as to insure her completion in a sliort time 
 should she be needed. Several temporary sheds were erec- 
 ted about the Yard to accomodate the different depart- 
 ments, which were now being crowded to their utmost ex- 
 tent with work. 
 
 During the year 1863, the following named steam sloops 
 and gunboats were built, launched and fitted for sea — Pa- 
 tuxet, Nipsic, Shawmut and the frigate St. Lawrence ; the 
 bark Fernan^ina, steam sloops Alabama, Decota and Aga- 
 w^am were repaired and fitted for sea, in addition to those 
 already mentioned. On the 18th of Nov. the keel of the 
 iron-clad Passaconaway was laid in ship-house No. 4. On 
 the 4th of February the Porter's Lodge took fire and was 
 entirely consumed in a short time, a heavy wind blowing 
 from the N. W. and the mercury being 13 degrees below 
 zero renderedall assistance impossible. 
 
 A temporary barracks was erected upon Seavey's Island 
 for the colored soldiers who were ordered from Hamp- 
 ton Roads to the fort on that island ; these troops were 
 commanded by white officers. 
 
 The year 1864 opened gloomily for the country; the 
 war dragged along, and the Yard still continued to teem 
 with workmen and the wharves to be crowded with ves- 
 sels. The sloop of war Vandalia had been ordered to this 
 Station for a guard as well as a receiving ship. On the 
 23d day of January, the ship-of-the-line New Hampshire 
 
73 
 
 was launched, (she was the Alabama 74, whose keel was 
 laid on the 15th of April 1817,) having been upon the 
 stocks 47 years. She was fitted as a store ship and sent 
 to Port Royal, S. C. 
 
 During this year the Colorado was repaired, docked and 
 fitted for sea; two tugs built and launched, the Port Fire 
 and Blue Light; the iron clad Agamenticus launched and 
 fitted for sea; Iosco taken into Dock and repaired; San 
 Jacinto repaired and fitted ; the steam sloops of war Pis- 
 cataqua, Minnetonka and Illinois built; the frigate Frank- 
 lin finished and launched snd the sloop Contoocook 
 launched, also several of the small purchased vessels 
 were docked and refitted. The Boat and Carpenter shop 
 was built this year by contract, Messrs. Clement & Cres- 
 sey doing the work. Numbers of vessels were now arriv- 
 ing at the Yard from Southern ports, and many cases of 
 yellow fever were discovered which caused much alarm in 
 this vicinity. 
 
 In July the De Soto arrived and after remaining a short 
 time in the lower harbor steamed up to the Yard and Avag 
 put out of commission. Immediately the fever broke out 
 among the workman on this ship and in many cases proved 
 fatal ! The, sail Loft was closed, the Yard put, in Quarantine 
 and the ship removed to the lower harbor. 
 
 In October Commodore T. Bailey relieved Commodore 
 Peirson as Commandant of the station. 
 
 With the New Year 1865, came the dawn of peace, and 
 April brought an order from the Departn^ent to fire a 
 salute of one hundred guns in honor of the fall of Rich- 
 mond and the surrender of the Rebel army under Genl. 
 Lee. While the people were rejoicing at this success a^ 
 perhaps no nation ever rejoiced before, the appalling news 
 of the assassination of President Lincoln spread a gloom 
 which hung like a funeral pall over the entire nation. 
 
74 
 
 The war was now regarded as oyer, and large nnmbers 
 of vessels were arriving at the Yard, to be put out of 
 commission and sold. The rednction of the force em- 
 ployed on the Yard left but a small number, and those 
 were mostly in the Construction department. 
 
 In 1866 it became obvious that the adjoining ishmd 
 would be purchased by the Government as the matter had 
 been brought to the attention of Congress some time 
 during the war. 
 
 In the same year the purchase was effected and 1105.000 
 paid to the owners, a d^ed having been made giving the 
 Government a clear title. This island contains about one 
 hundred and five acres, with an extensive water front 
 having bold water the entire length; the general ajDpear- 
 ance of the island is uneven and will admit of much filling 
 in and levelling ; a fine quality of granite can be quarried 
 upon the island sufficient for foundations and quay walls. 
 
 The stream separating the twc can be filled in, and the 
 islands made one, the area thus added will in all probabili- 
 ty be sufficient for the requirements of the Yard for many 
 years to come. 
 
 The wings of the Office building were raised and exten- 
 ded, a crane built; and a new steam fire engine added to 
 the fire department of the yard, this 3"ear. 
 
 In the month of October 1867, Commodore Joseph Lan- 
 man relieved Commodore Bailey as Commandant. The 
 great demand for labor which had existed in all the de- 
 partments of the yard, now, since the termination of hos" 
 tilities, having ceased the. force was at once reduced ; al- 
 though a sufficient number were retained under the cogni- 
 zance of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, to make the addi- 
 tions to buildings etc., which had been called for, by the ex- 
 treme necessity for room. 
 Coal sheds were erected on Seavey's island, and resi- 
 
dences furinshed upon that island for the Naval Construc- 
 tor and ( 'ivil Enoineer attached to the Yard ; an iron ])uild- 
 ing erected for a boiler shop, for Steam Engineering depart- 
 ment at a cost of $15,000. The U. S. S. "Benecia" wn& 
 finished and launched, and the steam sloop ''Monongahela'' 
 was taken upon the railway- to be rebuilt, having been 
 thrown ashore by the tidal wave following the great earth- 
 qnake at the Island of St. Croix, W. I., the year previous. 
 Diirin'j;' the year following, 1869, Commodore J. A. Wins- 
 low relieved Commodore Lanman. Vessels continued to 
 arrive from Southern ports and the necessity of at once 
 establishing a Quarantine station somewhere in the lower 
 harbor became at once apparent, and the attention of the 
 Department was called to the fact. The town of 
 Kittery offered the island at the mouth of the river, known 
 as Wood Island, to the Department to ])e used as a Quar- 
 antine for all vessels with infectious diseases on boaid* 
 The offer being accepted, in the month of July an order 
 was. received from tlie Bureau of Yards & Docks "to erect, 
 with all possible despatch,, a bnilding upon th«Msland (given 
 by the town of Kittery) for the use of the sick, who are 
 
 expected to arrive at Portsmouth in about a month or five 
 weeks from this date.*' 
 
 Mr. Chandler the Civil Engineer of the Yard was at 
 
 once entrusted with this work; and by removing the old 
 barracks from Seavey's Island, and transporting them tf» 
 Wood Island, and using almost saperhimian exertions, 
 the present commodious and comfortable buildings were 
 erected. The necessity of haste will be at once apparent, 
 for as the workmen were leaving the Island the yellow 
 fever patients were being brought to the building, the 
 ships having arrived sooner than was expected. 
 
 The time occupied in erecting this work, and of build- 
 ing a wharf, was just thirty two days the cost of the same 
 was '$2,500. 
 
76 
 
 The fire engine house was also built this year at a cost 
 of 8,940 dollars and the wings which were added by 
 Commodore Howell several years after, at an expense o 
 $800 made the entire structure cost $9,400. In July 1870, 
 * Commodore A. M. Pennock relieved Admiral Winslow in 
 command of the Yard. But little improvement was made 
 to the Yard owing to the meagre appropriations for that 
 purpose during the years 1870-71 and 72. 
 
 The ''Narragansett" was fitted out, work was progress- 
 ing on the ''Monongahela," and the sloop "Illinois" which 
 had been completely destroyed by dry rot in the shiphouse, 
 was taken to pieces. Admiral D. G. Faragut while on a 
 visit to his relative the (Commandant was taken ill and 
 after a brief period of suffering, expired on the 14th of Aug. 
 
 In the death of Admiral Farras^ut the whole nation la 
 mented its loss, as an officer and skillful sailor his fame is- 
 world wide. His valor and patriotism were never ques 
 tioned ; and modesty which always make a really true man, 
 was peculiarly characteristic of him. 
 
 On the 10th of October 1872, Commodore John C. 
 Howell releived Admiral Pennock who on his promotion 
 was ordered to command the Asiatic Squadron. 
 
 The appropriation for this yard having been increased, 
 work was at once begun in the various departments of the 
 yard. A chain-shed was built ; the Floating Dock exten- 
 sively repaired ; a truss bridge built to connect the yard 
 with Seavey's Island ; Gas pipes laid. Gas Works built 
 and Gas introduced for lighting the Yard and Quarters ; 
 Wharf and Bridge built on Seavey's Island ; Tool-House 
 built and Portico, etc., added to the Comdt's Quarters. In 
 addition to these repairs and improvements the beautiful 
 Waiting house at the Portsmouth landing was built to 
 take the place of the miserable shed which had been in 
 use many years. 
 
77 
 
 The *'Monongahela" was rebuilt and refitted and the 
 Marion steam sloop launched. Two steam sloops of war 
 were begun in 1873 and both launched the year following. 
 The "Enterprise*' being the first of these two sloops 
 lauuched : she was built by contract by Mr. J. Griffiths, 
 the Government furnishing every thing excepting labor. 
 The sloop ''Essex" the other of the two sloops constructed 
 at the yard was built entirely by the Government. Much 
 difficulty was experienced during the Summer of 1874 in 
 supplying the yard with fresh water, owing to the dryness 
 of the season, in fact it wbs the occasion of much anxiety, 
 as the various workshops in the yard are dependent upon 
 fresh water to fill their boilers. The fact was laid before 
 the Department, and several propositions were made 
 one was to cover an artesian well on the island, the esti- 
 mated cost of which did not fall short of $60,000 dollars- 
 owing to the peculiar formation of the strata. By an acci^ 
 dental discovery of several springs upon Seavey's Island 
 it occured to the Commandant that a dam might be so 
 constructed as to save the water that escaped and form a 
 pond in the valley which was already swampy It was 
 done at small cost and in a short time a large pond was 
 formed which is now a never-failing source of supply, being 
 conducted by pipes to a cistern on the yard. The entire 
 cost of this work including a steam engine for pumping 
 the water into the reservior for distribution, was less than 
 five hundred dollars. This pond has never failed to sup- 
 ply the yard with water, and in the winter also with a 
 large supply of heavy ice, which is stored for the use of 
 the Yard, and the sick at Quarantine : several hundred 
 tons of this refreshing commodity is thus saved every year.i 
 
 Kittery Bridge which for sometime had been considered 
 as unsafe, was extensively repaired and put in complete 
 condition. 
 
In October 1874 Commodore Howell was ordered to 
 
 Washington as Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and 
 
 was relieved from command of the Yard by Commodore 
 
 Andrew Bryson the present Commandant. 
 
 During the years 1874 and 1875 the U. S. . Steamers 
 
 Ticonderoga, Lancaster and Kansas arrived with the yellow^ 
 fever on board and after a strict Quarantine w^ere removed 
 to the Yard. The Plymouth was fitted out and sailed, 
 orders were received to hasten the equipment of the sloops 
 Marion and Enterprise, and at the close of the year 1875 
 the new sloop Marion was put in commission and sailed 
 on a cruise. The Frigate Sabine which had for three years 
 past been Receiving ship at this yard was fitted up as a 
 training ship for boys, under the cognizance of the Bureau 
 of Equipment and Recruiting, and one hundred boys were 
 enlisted and under training at the close of this year. Since 
 the present commandant assumed the command there have 
 been but very small sums alloted this Yard, and conse 
 quently little could be done excepting the equipping of 
 the ships mentioned, and preserving the property en- 
 trusted to his care. Quantities of building material have 
 been received and placed in the Wet dock for preserving 
 
 it, and the timber sheds are well supplied. 
 
 We have now arrived at the close of one hundred years 
 
 review of this important Y^ard : step by step, we have 
 traced its growth from infancy to manhood. We have 
 followed also the immense strides that improvement has 
 taken, both in the construction of ships, and in ordnance ; 
 these we have traced from the bluff bows, high poops, and 
 six pounder guns of the frigate Falkland in 1690, to the 
 yacht-like model, powerful armament and elegant engines 
 of the sloop Marion now lying at the wharf and ready 
 to sail on a cruise ; the wide superiority of the one over 
 the other, is greater than even the lapse of time would 
 seem to indicate. 
 
79 
 
 The ''Giant Steam," so modestly and so cautiously in- 
 troduced on the island now reA^olves the wheels of the 
 entire establisment. 
 
 The deep water front and wharves accessible at all 
 ^easoQS, bear testimony to the sound judgment of those 
 through wdiose influence this site was secured for Naval 
 Station. While the harbors of Boston, New York, and 
 Philadeiphia, are obstructed with ice to a great extent 
 during the severe Winters, the waters of the Piscataqua 
 ebb and flow as the pulses of nature free and deep. The 
 heat of Summer is modified by the hills of New Hampshire 
 the Switzerland of America, making this port the refuge, 
 of fever afflicted ships, which li^sten from the tropics to 
 breath the health inspiring air. A station having so good 
 a record, and possessing so many peculiar advantages, we 
 doubt not will be cherished by the Government, till de- 
 veloped and furnished with means for constructing lie 
 finest of ships. 
 
 Nothing remains to remind us of the early days of our 
 republic save indeed the ''Old Elm Tree," noAV standing in 
 the grounds of the Commandant. That has witnessed 
 the scenes of the past two hundred years unchanged ; the 
 restoration of the Stuarts, and the surrender of Lee's 
 army, are events which are embraced within the life of 
 this venerable patriarch, and it still stands the connecting 
 link between the present and the past. 
 
 '- Old Tree : .still brave the Storm " 
 
 JI^^^Errata: On page 12, ninth line and on third line 
 from bottom of page, please read 1776 instead of 1775. 
 
so 
 
 List of Vessels of War built at this Station. 
 
 Jffamea, 
 
 Falkland, 
 
 Bedford, 
 
 America, 
 
 Guns. 
 
 54 
 32 
 
 60 
 
 Class, 
 
 Friofate, 
 
 Tear. 
 
 1690 
 1696 
 1749 
 
 Nantes. 
 
 Otitis, Class. 
 
 Year, 
 
 Built for the Royal Navy. 
 
 Built for the Colonial Navy, from 1775 to 1800. 
 
 Raleigh, 22 Frigate, 
 
 Rano^er, 18 Sloop, 
 
 Crescent,* 32 Frigate, 
 Congress, 38 '• 
 
 *Pre8ented to Algiers. 
 
 1775 America, 74 Ship of Line 1776 
 
 1776 Portsmouth 24 Sloop 1797 
 1778 Scammel, 14 Schooner 1798 
 1799 
 
 Built for the Navy of the Uniied States. 
 
 Washington, 
 Alabama, 
 
 changsd 
 ]?• Hampshiro 
 Porpoise, 
 Santee, 
 
 to > 
 hire. J 
 
 74 
 74 
 
 Ship 
 
 Concord, 
 
 Preble, 
 
 Congress, 
 
 Saratoga, 
 
 Portsmouth, 
 
 Saranac, 
 
 Launched 
 11 Schooner 
 44 Frigate, 
 
 Launched 
 24 
 20 
 50 
 24 
 24 
 11 
 
 Sloop, 
 
 Frigate, 
 Sloop, 
 
 S. Frigate, 
 
 Light Ship, (for Nantucket,) 
 Jamestown,* 24 Sloop, 
 Mohican, 9 Steam Sloop, 
 
 Pa8saconaway4 Ironclad, 
 Port Fire, Tug, 
 
 Blue Light, 
 
 Agamenticus, 4 Ironclad; 
 Piscataqua, 15 Sloop of War, 
 Minnetonka, " '' 
 
 Illinois, '* " 
 
 1814 
 
 1817 
 
 1864 
 1820 
 1820 
 1855 
 1827 
 1839 
 1841 
 1842 
 1843 
 1848 
 1855 
 1857 
 1857 
 1864 
 1864 
 1864 
 1864 
 1864 
 1864 
 1864 
 *Rebuilt. 
 
 Ossipee, 9 
 
 Kearsarge, 9 
 Sebago. 9 
 
 Mahaska, 9 
 Sacremento,10 
 Sonoma, 10 
 
 ConnemaughlO 
 Sasacus, 10 
 Franklin, 60 
 Patuxet, 9 
 Nipsic, 9 
 
 Shawmut, 10 
 Decota.* 10 
 Contoocook,15 
 Benecia, 11 
 
 Monong^ahela*\0 
 Marion, 10 
 Enterprise, 7 
 Essex, 7 
 
 Steam Sloop,1861 
 
 '^ 1861 
 
 ^- 1861 
 
 ^' 1861 
 
 '* 1862 
 
 " 1862 
 
 " 1862 
 
 ^' '- 1863 
 
 S. Frigate, 1863 
 
 Steam Sloop, 1863 
 
 '' 1863 
 
 '' '' 1863 
 
 •• 1863 
 
 •' -^ 1864 
 
 '' '' 1865 
 
 '' '* 1869 
 
 •' 1873 
 
 '' 1873 
 
 1874 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 By the kindness of William L. Dwiulit Esquire, of Portsmouth N- 
 H. a descendant of Captain Thomas Thompson U. S- N. I am enabled 
 to insert some very interesting: original documents. The following- is 
 a copy of the commission of Captain Thompson of the Frigate 
 '•E^leiofh." 
 
 In Congress. 
 
 The Delesrates of the United States of New Hampshire. Massachu- 
 Sfctts-Bav. Khode-Island, Connecticut. New York. New-Jersey. Penn- 
 sylvania, Delaware. Maryland, Virginia. North Carolina and Georgia 
 To. 
 
 Thomas Thompson. Esquire. 
 
 *We. reposins: especial Trust and Confidence m 
 yoai- Patriotism. Valor. Conduct and Fidelity. Do. by these Presents, 
 constitute and appoint you to be Captain in the Navy of the United 
 States of North America, fitted out for the defence of American Liberty, 
 and for repellitig every hostile Invasion thereof. You are therefore 
 carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of Captain by doing 
 and performing all manner of Things tiiereunto belonging. 
 
 And we do strictly charge and require all Officers. Marines and 
 Seamen under your command to be obedient to your Orders as Cap- 
 tain. And you are to observe and follow such Orders and Directions 
 from Time to Time, as vou shall receive from this or a future Congress. 
 Dated at Philadelphia October 10th 1776. 
 
 By order of the Congress. 
 
 John Hancock. 
 President. 
 
 (Attest,) Chas. Thompson, Sect'y- 
 
 *Number Six. The number of Commission determines the rank, 
 
 John Hancock, 
 
 Pres't. 
 
 In the Travels of the Marquis de Chastelleux. who was in Ports- 
 mouth in 1782, it is said of Captain Thompson : "-That he was born in 
 England, he is a good seaman and an excellent ship builder and is 
 besides a sensible man, -'greatly attached to his new country, which it 
 is only fifteen years since he adopted." 
 
 In the "Journals of Congress'' under date of Thursday June 6th 
 1776 is the following. ''Eesolved that Thomas Thompson be ap- 
 pointed Captain of the frigate built at New Hampshire." And again 
 under date of Oct. 10th 1776 we find a second commission as Captain 
 in the Navy of the United States granted him, making him number six 
 on the list of Captains ; this is the commission, a copy of which is 
 given above. 
 
 With regard to the loss of the -'Alfred" mentioned upon page 15. 
 I have endeavored to find some record of the court martial which was 
 called upon Captain Thompson^ upon his return to the United States. 
 In the ''Joarnals of Cong-ress" under date, August 5th, 1778, is the fol- 
 
82 
 
 lowing. "'Ordered— That the proceedinj^s of the trial "'oi" Captain 
 Thompson lie on the table.'" 
 
 Cooper in his ''History of the Navy'' passes by the subject of the 
 court martial of this ^-allaiit offiicer. so sli^jfhtly as to leave the impres- 
 "sion that Captain Thompson, had been guilty of some neglect; he says, 
 '•Captain Thompson was blamed in the journals of the day. for not 
 Sliding his consort on this occasion, and he appears to have been 
 suspended in the command of his ship to await the result Of a trial. 
 
 The truth is that the two ships -'Kaleigir" and "'Alfred,*' were deep- 
 ly laden with military stores for the Government of the United States. 
 the loss of which would have been disasterous to the colonies at that 
 time, and Captain Thompson not only showed his good judgement in 
 making good his escape, but in all probability obeyed his private in- 
 structions from Congress. To risk the uncertain result of single com- 
 bat when the fate almost of an entire nation, depended upon the safe 
 arrival at home of his ship, loaded as she was with arms for Washing- 
 ton's army, was not the character of a "sensible man." 
 
 He displayed upon his outward trip a knowledge of seamanship and 
 courage of no inferior order when he sailed into the fleet of sixty sail of 
 vessels, and singling out the commodore, all this in signal distance of 
 three sloops of war, attacked him. The state of New Hampshire to 
 show that she had not lost confidence in his valor and patriotism ap- 
 pointed him Colonel of Artillery. His commission as Colonel is signed 
 by Governor John Langdon, and is dated the lith day of August 1785. 
 
 Captain Thompson died at Portsmouth in 1809. 
 
 LIST OF OFFICERS AND PETTY OFFICERS OF THE U. S. 
 
 FRIGATE RALEIGH. August, 1775. 
 
 Names 
 Thomas Thompson 
 Peter Shores. 
 Josiah Shackford. 
 Hople}^ Yeaton, 
 Thomas Manning. 
 John Yeaton. 
 Robert Curtis 
 John Adams. 
 John Jackson. 
 John Quinn. 
 George J. Osborn, 
 Stephen Meads. 
 Nath'l Thwing. 
 William Bray. 
 William Cambridge. 
 Simeon Fernald. 
 Ben'j Dam. 
 John Frost. 
 Sam McClintock. 
 Rich'd Littlefield. 
 Dan'l Durgan. 
 Dan'l Lang. 
 Rich'd Langdon. 
 Sam'l Parcher. 
 
 Rank 
 Commander 
 1st Lieut. 
 2d 
 4th 
 
 Master 
 Mate 
 
 Purser 
 Surgeon 
 Surg' Mate 
 Cap't Marines 
 1st. Lt. Marines 
 2d " 
 Boatswain 
 Gunner 
 Carpentei' 
 Sailmaker 
 Midshipman 
 
 Capt's Clerk 
 Ste\vard 
 
 Where belonging 
 Portsmouth 
 
 Kittery 
 
 Exeter 
 
 New^ York 
 
 Boston 
 
 Portsmouth 
 
 England 
 
 Portsmoutii 
 
 Kittery 
 
 Portsmouth 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
83 
 
 New Hainpsliire 
 Portsmouth 
 
 Cook 
 
 Mas't at Arms 
 Gun's Mate 
 Yeoman 
 Corp's Matf' 
 Boat's Yeoman 
 Capt's Steward 
 Quartermaster 
 
 Newburyport 
 Portsmouth 
 
 Wm. Ward. Coxswain 
 
 Robert AVhipple. Armorer 
 
 Robert Coclcran. ( "ooper 
 
 James Furlong. Boat's Mate 
 
 Henry Williams. 
 
 Philip McCann. 
 
 Wm Stevens. 
 
 Henry Gate. 
 
 Francis Little. 
 
 Nicholas Bufford. 
 
 Ebenezer Pray. 
 
 Mathias Bell.' 
 
 Joseph Clements. 
 
 Thomas Fassmore. 
 
 John Mendum. "' '' 
 
 Wm. Mendum. "' 
 
 Peter Merserve. " '' 
 
 John Fernald. " *' 
 
 June 6th 1776 
 ''Resolved ; that Thomas Thompson be appointed Captain *'of the 
 rigate built in New Hampshire." 
 
 July 22d 1776. 
 ''The Marine Committee havin«- recommended the following gentle- 
 men for officers of the Raleigh, namely. Peter Shores John Wheel- 
 wright, Josiah Shackford, Lieutenants; George Jerry Osborne Captain 
 of the Marines; Stephen Meads, first lieutenant, Nathaniel Twing 
 second lieutenant. Resolved : That they be accepted and that com- 
 missions be granted them accordingly. 
 
 September 9th 1776. 
 Resolved : That in all Continental Commissions and other instru- 
 ments, where, heretofore the words 'LTnited Colonies' have been 
 used, the stile be altered, for the future, to the 'United States.' 
 
 October lOth 1776. 
 The Marine committee reported that they have had under consider- 
 ation the rank of Captains of the Navy, and agreed to a report w^hich 
 was read ; wiiereupon Resolved. That the rank of the Captains be as 
 follows : (Here follows a list of twenty four Captains, with the names 
 and rate of the ships to which they were appointed, in which Thomas 
 Thompson is named as the sixth, to be Captain of the Raleigh, 32 guns) 
 
 In a note, in the translation of the Travels of the Marquis de Chas- 
 telleux. page 310, written by the translator, probably in 1786, or 1787, 
 it is stated that 'The America' is now at Brest, and is esteemed one ol 
 the handsomest ships in the French Navy." 
 
 Toulon Feby 4th 1876. 
 My DEAR Mr. Fentress. 
 
 Yours of the 1st ulto. was received, and 1 feel 
 sorry that I cannot aid you, in more clearly tracing the ship. The 
 record that was found by M. Lebeau, an extract from which I sent 
 you in my first letter, is all that can be found, of any kind or descrip- 
 
tion of the ship, altho in a Lo.sr Book is a mention of the arrival oi 
 '•rAmerique" '"74 ", at this Station in Oct 1791. I do not think that 
 there is any doubt about the ship captured, beinofthe ship that waa built 
 at Portsmouth, she was probably rebuilt, and that would explain the 
 term '"neuf " which yon mention, i would yot rely too much upon 
 the dimensions as quoted, for it is more than probable, that they were 
 not exactly correct. 
 
 T think that enou2:h has been found to identify the America cap- 
 tured as the America presented to B'rance i>y the U. S. Governiuent. 
 Wishing you every happiness 
 
 I am Sir 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 J. G. Plattner. 
 
 From Sir Wm, Pepperrell to Gov. B. Wentworth. 
 
 March, 1747. 
 Sir: 
 
 Th J Honorable Peter Warren Esq. havhitr signitled to me in a 
 letter dated the 24-th of October last that the Right Honorable, the 
 Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty by letter to bins, dated 1 3th 
 of March last had directed him to build four ships of war in ISlew Eng- 
 land, two of them of twenty -four guns and two of forty-four guns, and 
 the said Peter Warren Esquire, having in his aforementioned letter to 
 me. desired that I would ujidertake to agree with some shipwright or 
 shipwrights for the erecting and building one of the said ships of forty- 
 four guns in Pascataqua. and whereas I have been treating with Col. 
 Nathaniel Messerve of this provence, and have proposed his coming 
 under contract for his Majesty's service in England, and beinsi desirous 
 o{ advice concerning the value of such a ship. I beg you will be 
 pleased to appoint, three or more gentlemen of probity, skill, and 
 judgement in ship-building, to take the premises under consideration, 
 and report in writing to your Excellency as soon as may be. what 
 such a ship is worth per ton, to be built and completely furnished in 
 the manner aforesaid. 
 
 I am Sir Your humble Serv't 
 
 William Pepperrell Bar't 
 
 To His Excellency. 
 
 Governor Bekning Wentw^orth, 
 
 Portsmouth. 
 
 Gov. B. Wentworth ordered Joshua Pierce, Jotham Odione, and 
 Mark Hunkiug Wenthworth to estimate the value of snch a ship, who 
 reported nine pounds per ton as a fair price for government to give 
 for the vessel, to be completely iitted with forty-four guns. 
 
 This undertaking opened a correspondence between Sir. William, and 
 the Lords of the Admiralty, who furnished liim with models and di- 
 rections, and honored his drafts while the vessels were building. The 
 ship built at Portsmouth was called the ''America" and was launched 
 on the 4th day of May 1749 ; when finished, she was loaded with spars 
 and naval stores and sent to London under convoy having only one 
 tier of guns mounted. She was esteemed one of the best frigates in 
 the British Navy. 
 
 Parson's Life of Sir Wm. Pepperrell. 
 
BOSTON 
 
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