USSCongresswas aUnited States Navyfrigatein operation between 1842 and 1862. The fourth Navy ship to carry the nameCongress,she served in the Mediterranean, South Atlantic Ocean, and in the Pacific Ocean. She continued to operate as an American warship until theAmerican Civil War,when she was sunk by theironcladCSSVirginiain battle of Newport News, Virginia, in 1862.
 USSCongress(1841)
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| History | |
|---|---|
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| Name | USSCongress |
| Builder | Portsmouth Naval Shipyard |
| Launched | August 16, 1841 |
| Commissioned | May 7, 1842 |
| Fate | Sunk, March 8, 1862 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Frigate |
| Tonnage | 1867 |
| Length | 179 ft (55 m) (p.p.) |
| Beam | 47 ft 9.6 in (14.569 m) |
| Draft | 22 ft 6 in (6.86 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Complement | 480 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | |
Service history
editCongresswas launched at thePortsmouth Navy Yardon August 16, 1841 and placed in commission under CaptainPhilip Voorheeson May 7, 1842. Her first cruise, starting on July 15, took her to theMediterraneanfor service with the Squadron of CommodoresCharles W. MorganandCharles Morris.In December 1843, Voorhees joined CommodoreDaniel Turner'sBrazil SquadronblockadingMontevideoin safeguarding U.S. trade during theUruguayan Civil War.On September 29, 1844, Voorhees captured an armed Argentineschoonerthat delivered a mail to the Argentine commanding officer.[1]This overreaction damaged the US-Argentina relation and resulted in a court martial for Voorhees. His impetuosity resulted in a few months suspension, for Voorhees, but did little damage to his career.[2]Congressremained active in the theatre until January 1845. She was then placed in ordinary at Norfolk, Virginia in March.
Congresswas recommissioned on September 15, 1845, asflagshipof CommodoreRobert F. Stocktonand sailed for the Pacific Ocean in late October. After landing the U.S. Commissioner to theSandwich IslandsatHonolulu, Hawaiion June 10, she proceeded toMonterey Baywhere she joined thePacific Squadron.CaptainElie A. F. La Valletteassumed command on July 20 and employed her along the west coast during theMexican–American War.Large detachments of her crew participated inbattles on Rio San Gabrieland theplains of La Mesa,and in the occupation ofLos Angeles.She assisted in thebombardment and capture of Guaymasin October 1847, and in November furnished a detachment that aided in theoccupation of Mazatlán.On August 23, 1848, she departedLa Paz, Baja California SurforNorfolk, Virginia,arriving the following January to be placed in ordinary.
In May 1850, she was assigned a threefold mission; protect U.S. interests between the mouth of the Amazon River andCape Horn,prevent the use of the American flag to cover theAfrican slave trade,and maintain neutral rights during hostilities among the South American countries. DepartingHampton Roads, Virginiaon June 12, she arrived atRio de Janeiro,Brazil on September 1 and assumed duty as flagship of the Brazil Squadron under CommodoreIssac McKeeveruntil June 1853. She returned to New York City on July 20 for decommissioning. On June 19, 1855,Congresssailed for the Mediterranean and there followed two years as flagship of CommodoreSamuel Livingston Breese.Sailing fromSpezia,Italy on November 26, 1857, she arrived atPhiladelphia, Pennsylvaniaon January 13, 1858, and was placed out of commission. In 1859,Congresswas reassigned as flagship of CommodoreJoshua R. Sandsand the Brazil Squadron, remaining in that area until the Civil War precipitated her return toBoston, Massachusettson August 22, 1861.
American Civil War service
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On September 9, 1861, she was ordered to duty under command of Capt.Louis M. Goldsboroughin theAtlantic Blockading Squadron,later to serve undercommanding officerW. Smith, andexecutive officerLieutenantJoseph B. Smith.
Congresswas anchored offNewport News, Virginia,as part of theUnion blockadeof that port on March 8, 1862, when she fell under attack by the Confederateironclad,CSSVirginia(ex-USSMerrimack) and five other small ships.[3]Serving aboardCongressat this time was McKean Buchanan, brother of the commanding officer of theVirginia,Franklin Buchanan.[4]After exchanging broadsides withVirginia,Congressslipped her moorings and ran aground in shallow water.
The ironclad and her consorts attacked from a distance and inflicted great damage on the ship, killing 120, including the commanding officer,Joseph B. Smith.Executive officerAustin Pendergrastassumed command. Ablaze in several places and unable to bring guns to bear on the enemy,Congresswas forced to strike her colors and raise a white flag.[5]Heavy shore batteries preventedVirginiafrom taking possession.[3]Instead she fired several rounds of hot shot (red-hot cannonballs) andincendiarycausingCongressto burn to the water's edge, and hermagazineto explode. Lt. Smith, having been in command at the time, died in the action. Eventually, during the battle,Congresssank by the stern. In September 1865,Congresswas raised and taken to theNorfolk Navy Yardwhere she was later sold. She later was stripped for the valuable wood and metal near her mast. The sails later were used to make a flag in memory of the ship.
See also
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References
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This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.
- ^Written on September 11, 1844 to Mrs. Philip F. Voorhees by American authorJames Fenimore Cooper,http:// fulkerson.org/jersey.htmlArchivedMay 13, 2011, at theWayback Machine
- ^David Foster Long,Gold Braid and Foreign Relations: Diplomatic Activities of U.S. Naval Officers, 1798–1883,pg 157–160, Naval Institute Press, 1988
- ^abPendergrast, Austin (March 9, 1862)."Report of Lieutenant Pendergrast, U.S. Navy, executive officer of the frigate USSCongress".The Navy Department Library (online).Washington D.C.: Naval History and Heritage Command.RetrievedAugust 20,2022.
At 12:40 p.m. theMerrimackwith three small gunboats was seen steaming down from Norfolk… At 2:10 p. m. theMerrimackopened with her bow gun withgrape,passing us on the starboard side at a distance of about 300 yards, receiving our broadside and giving one in return. After passing theCongressshe ran into and sunk the U.S. sloop of warCumberland…At 3:30 theMerrimacktook a position astern of us, at a distance of about 150 yards, and raked us fore and aft with shells, while one of the smaller steamers kept up a fire on our starboard quarter… We were soon boarded by an officer from theMerrimackwho said that he would take charge of the ship. He left shortly afterwards, and a small tug came alongside… A sharp fire with muskets and artillery was maintained from our troops ashore upon the tug, having the effect of driving her off. TheMerrimackagain opened on us, although we had a white flag at the peak to show that we were out of action. After having fired several shells into us she left us and engaged theMinnesotaand the shore batteries. We took the opportunity to man the boats and send the wounded ashore. We then ourselves left, the ship being on fire near the after magazine and in the sick bay… produced byhot shotthrown from theMerrimack.
- ^Davis, 1996,The Civil War,p.216
- ^New York State Historian (1897).Annual report of the State Historian, Volume 1.Wynkoop, Hallenbeck Crawford Co., state printers. pp.89–92.
External links
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- Watch-, Quarter-, and Station-Bill of the U.S.S. Congress, 1842-1873 (bulk 1842-1845) MS 86held by Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy