1814 three-masted ship of the United States Navy
|
History
|
United States
|
Name
| USS
Independence
|
Namesake
| Declaration of Independence
|
Builder
| Boston Navy Yard
|
Launched
| 22 June 1814
|
Decommissioned
| 1822
|
Refit
| Razeed
, 1836
|
Recommissioned
| 26 March 1837
|
Decommissioned
| 3 November 1912
|
Stricken
| 3 September 1913
|
Fate
| Scrapped 1915
|
General characteristics
|
Type
| Ship of the line
|
Tonnage
| 2243
|
Length
| 190 ft 9 in (58.14 m)
|
Beam
| 54 ft 7 in (16.64 m)
|
Draft
| 21 ft 3 in (6.48 m)
|
Propulsion
| Sail
|
Complement
| 790 officers and enlisted
|
Armament
| 90 × 32-pounder (15 kg) guns
|
USS
Independence
was a wooden-hulled, three-masted ship, originally a
ship of the line
and the first to be commissioned by the
United States Navy
. Originally a 90-gun ship, in 1836 she was cut down by one deck and re-rated as a 54-gun
frigate
.
Service history
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Mediterranean Fleet, 1814?1822
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Launched on 22 June 1814 in the
Boston Navy Yard
, she immediately took on guns and was stationed with
frigate
USS
Constitution
in Boston. She could not cruise until the end of the
War of 1812
as she was blockaded in port by a squadron consisting of a number of 74-gun ships and the 98-gun
HMS
Boyne
. Flying the broad pennant of Commodore
William Bainbridge
, and under command of Captain
William M. Crane
, she led her squadron from
Boston
on 3 July 1815 to deal with piratical acts of the
Barbary States
against American merchant commerce.
Peace had been enforced by a squadron under
Stephen Decatur
by the time
Independence
arrived in the
Mediterranean
. But she led an impressive show of American naval might before Barbary ports that encouraged them to keep the peace treaties concluded. Having served adequate notice of rising U.S. seapower and added to the prestige of the Navy and the Nation,
Independence
returned to
Newport, Rhode Island
on 15 November 1815. She continued to wear the pennant of Commodore Bainbridge at Boston until 29 November 1819, then was
flagship
of Commodore
John Shaw
until placed
in ordinary
in 1822.
Refit 1836
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Independence
remained in ordinary at Boston until 1836 when she was
razeed
(cut down to one covered fighting deck with
poop
and
forecastle
). She was rated down to 54 guns as her configuration gave way to that of a very large frigate. She proved to be one of the fastest and most powerful "frigates" of the Navy.
Russia, South America, Home Squadron, 1837?1845
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Independence
recommissioned on 26 March 1837 and sailed from Boston on 20 May 1837 as flagship of Commodore
John B. Nicholson
. On board for her record passage across the Atlantic Ocean to England was the Honorable
George Dallas
, Minister to Russia. She arrived at
Portsmouth
, England, 13 June, called at
Copenhagen
; then proceeded into
Kronstadt
29 July 1837 to receive a visit from the Emperor
Nicholas I of Russia
. Two days later a steam boat arrived to transport Mr. Dallas and his family to
St. Petersburg
.
Having received marked social courtesies from the Russian government,
Independence
departed Kronstadt on 13 August 1837 for
Rio de Janeiro
, where she became flagship of the
Brazil Squadron
to guard American commerce along the eastern seaboard of South America. This duty continued into the spring of 1839 when Commodore Nicholson attempted mediation to end the war between France and
Argentina
. He reported 22 April 1839 that:
"I volunteered, as I conceived it a duty I owed to my Country, as well as to all Neutrals, to endeavor to get peace restored that commerce should be allowed to take its usual course. In accordance of the feelings of humanity at least, I hope my endeavors will be approved by the Department . . . I see no probable termination of this War and Blockade which is so injurious to the Commerce of all Neutrals ... "
Independence
returned north to
New York
on 30 March 1840. She was laid up in ordinary until 14 May 1842 when she became flagship of Commodore
Charles Stewart
in the
Home Squadron
. Based at Boston and New York, she continued as his flagship until laid up in ordinary on 3 December 1845.
Mexican War, 1846?1849
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She recommissioned on 4 August 1846, and the nation was already at
war with Mexico
as she departed Boston 29 August 1846 for the coast of California. She entered
Monterey Bay
on 22 January 1847 and became the flagship of Commodore
William Shubrick
, commanding the
Pacific Squadron
.
Independence
assisted in the blockade of the Mexican coast, capturing Mexican ship
Correo
and a launch on 16 May 1847. She was present to support the capture of
Guaymas
on 19 October and landed
sailors
and
Marines
to occupy
Mazatlan
on 11 November 1847. She later cruised as far as Hawaii, arriving
Hilo
on 12 August 1848, arriving
Lahaina
on 30 August 1848 and
Honolulu
4 September 1848.
[1]
Independence
returned to the East Coast at
Norfolk, Virginia
on 23 May 1849 and decommissioned there on 30 May.
Mediterranean, Pacific, 1849?1912
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Recommissioned on 7 July 1849,
Independence
departed Norfolk on 26 July under Captain
Thomas Conover
to serve as flagship of the
Mediterranean Squadron
under Commodore
Charles Morgan
. She was the first U.S. man-of-war to show the flag at
Spezia
,
Italy
, arriving on 23 May 1850 to an enthusiastic welcome. She returned to Norfolk on 25 June 1852 and was placed in ordinary at New York on 3 July 1852.
Independence
was recommissioned in September 1854 and departed New York on 10 October to serve as flagship of the Pacific Squadron under Commodore
William Mervine
. She arrived
Valparaiso
, Chile, on 2 February 1855. Her cruising grounds ranged northward to
San Francisco
and west to Hawaii. Proceeding from
Panama Bay
, she entered the
Mare Island Navy Yard
on 2 October 1857. She served as
receiving ship
there until decommissioned on 3 November 1912. Her name was struck from the
Navy List
on 3 September 1913.
Decommissioning and fate
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Independence
did not leave the Mare Island Navy Yard until 28 November 1914. Sold to
John H. Rinder
, she was towed to the
Union Iron Works
, San Francisco. On 5 March 1915 she shifted to
Hunters Point
, and remained for a week. Some repairs were made and a plan formulated to use her as a restaurant for the
Panama?Pacific International Exposition
. But this plan was not executed though a permit was granted by Exposition authorities. Pig iron and ballast were removed from her hold and valuable hard wood salvaged from her
orlop deck
knees
. On the night of 20 September 1915,
Independence
was burned on the Hunter's Point mud flats to recover her metal fittings.
References
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External links
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