Untitled Document

U.S.S. Constellation, our Oldest Ship
by Evan Randolph IV

New!>> Click here for Newly Discovered Plans

Antoine Roux painting of U.S.S. Frigate Constellation followed by U.S.S. cutter sloop Hornet
ca 1805. Both vessels took part in the action at Derne in April of that year. Peabody Essex Museum
Click here for Roux Painting supporting data

Years of attacks by certain modern historians have in large part succeeded in robbing U.S.S. Constellation of her true heritage as the oldest ship in the U.S. Navy.

The current stewards of the ship, the USS Constellation Museum, have done an outstanding job restoring the ship. They do however label Constellation as a 1853 ship.

These sources seek to make you believe incorrectly that Constellation, launched in 1797, was destroyed and replaced by a new ship built in 1853.

To add to the confusion, there are two modern day websites labelled DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS that publish different histories ref Constellation during her 1850 rebuild. .
Here is VERSION ONE- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS- :
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/
The copy ref Constellation on this website is from Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, vol. II, 1963, reprint with corrections 1969, reprint 1977, Navy Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History Division, Washington, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., pages 170-173.
Here is VERSION TWO- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS- :
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/index.html
To date, I have been unable to locate a similar hard copy source for Version Two of the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships article ref Constellation on this website. Some of the graphics ref Constellation appear to be the same as Version One above.

Constellation's history can be clearly defined after reviewing official U.S. Navy and U.S. Senate records in the 1850's era. The contemporary records are very precise on this subject. The Navy articulates that certain frigates were broken up, and that in some cases new ships of the same name were built later.

Constellation is not listed as broken up or destroyed. On the contrary, during the 1853/54 time frame she is listed as “rebuilt” or “modified”.

These are the official 1850 era government documents and sources used:

1)- 1859 Senate Report---in 1858, a resolution of the Senate called for a statement showing the names and appropriate description of all vessels of the navy that had been captured, lost, or destroyed. This data was supplied by the Secretary of the Navy in 1859. (1) This date is significant, because it follows closely after the controversial 1853/54 rebuilding of Constellation.
2)- Annual Reports from the Secretary of the Navy to the President published in Congressional Records.

Here are the official records of various Navy vessels:

USS MACEDONIAN- (broken up, replaced by new ship)

1859 Senate Report ref Macedonian (1)- “Broken up... Norfolk... 1835”

Navy annual report for 1833, v. 238, p. 248- “There is building at the navy yard, Gosport, a frigate of the second class to replace the Macedonian, condemned and broken up under a special act of Congress.”

Navy annual report for 1835, v. 279, p. 369- “There is building at Norfolk a frigate, under the authority of the act of Congress of July 10, 1832, to replace the Macedonian...”

Navy annual report for 1836, v. 297, p. 458- “The frigate Macedonian, of the second class, has been finished, launched, and equipped for sea...”

Navy annual report for 1853, v. 692, p. 546- “The frigates Macedonian and the Constellation have been razeed to first-class sloops of war, and will be found arranged under that head. The former has been completed...the latter is still in progress of repairs at the navy yard at Gosport.”

Navy annual report for 1854, v. 778, p. 475- “The Macedonian was also a frigate of the second class, built in 1836, and has been converted into a spar-deck sloop.”

USS CONGRESS- (broken up, replaced by new ship)

1859 Senate Report ref Congress (1)- “Broken up... Norfolk... 1836”

Navy annual report for 1841, v. 395, p. 423- “At Portsmouth, NH- The frigate Congress has just been built, is equipping, and can soon be got ready for sea service.”

USS CONSTELLATION- ( rebuilt, original ship not destroyed in the process)

1859 Senate Report ref Constellation (1)- NOT listed as broken up in 1853-54.

Navy annual report for 1852, v. 659, p. 351- “Provision has been made in the estimate for repairing the...Constellation frigate, of thirty-six guns, reducing her to a first-class sloop-of-war,....”

Navy annual report for 1853, v. 692, p. 552- “Sloops... Constellation, 1st class,... built... Baltimore... 1797”.

Navy annual report for 1854, v. 778, p. 475- “The sloops-of-war are twenty in number. The largest of these ships, the Constellation, was built in 1797, as a frigate of the second class, and had been many times rebuilt. Being found altogether unworthy of further repair, she has been rebuilt as a spar-deck sloop, and will be fully equal to the razee sloops of other nations.
The Macedonian was also a frigate of the second class, built in 1836, and has been converted into a spar-deck sloop. These two ships may be considered as among the most efficient in the navy.
The Portsmouth, Plymouth, St. Mary’s, Jamestown, Germantown, and Saratoga, were launched from 1842 to 1845, and are the sailing-ships of the latest date that have been built in the navy.”
(note--Constellation is NOT considered new in 1854, or she would have been on this list.)

Navy annual report for 1855, v. 812, p. 134- “Sloops...Constellation...Norfolk (rebuilt)..1855”.
Navy annual report for 1856, v. 876, p. 587- “Sloops...Constellation...Norfolk (rebuilt)..1855”.
Navy annual report for 1857, v. 921, p. 807- “Sloops...Constellation...Gosport (rebuilt)..1855”.
Navy annual report for 1858, v. 977, p. 548- “Sloops...Constellation...Rebuilt, Gosport..1854”.
Navy annual report for 1859, v.1025, p. 1230- “Sloops-of-war...Constellation...Gosport, rebuilt ...1854”
Navy annual report for 1876, v.1748, p. 27 & 32---”Statement of Character and Condition of Navy Vessels 1869-1876....”Constellation- Live-oak sailing-frigate.... Constitution- Live-oak sailing-frigate.”

VERSION ONE- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS- ref Constellation (2)- “Laid up in ordinary at Norfolk from 1845 through 1853, she was found to be greatly in need of extensive repair. Thus, in 1854 she was brought into the yard and, in keeping with the needs of the time, modified into a 22-gun sloop-of-war.
“Decommissioned for the last time on 4 February 1955, this, the then-oldest ship in the United States Navy, arrived at Baltimore on 9 August 1955, was stricken from the Navy List on 15 August 1955, and transferred to a patriotic group of citizens who are restoring her as a visible evidence of the United States’ enduring need of the sea.”
( DANFS Version One appears to align closely with 1850 era Navy statements)

VERSION TWO- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS- ref Constellation (3): "Ultimately laid up in ordinary at Norfolk from 1845 to 1853, Constellation was broken up there in 1853.
(DANFS Version Two does not agree with 1850 era Navy statements)

USS ADAMS- (rebuilt, original ship not destroyed in process)

1859 Senate Report ref Adams (1)- NOT listed as broken up in 1812.

VERSION ONE- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS- ref frigate Adams (4)- “In June 1812, Adams was cut in half amidships and lengthened 15 feet in the course of being completely rebuilt as a sloop-of-war.”
VERSION TWO- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS- ref frigate Adams (5)- "In June 1812, Adams was cut in half amidships and lengthened 15 feet in the course of being completely rebuilt as a sloop-of-war."
(These two DANFS versions coincide with each other-and both agree: rebuilt, not broken up)

USS VANDALIA- (rebuilt, original ship not destroyed in process)

1859 Senate Report ref Vandalia (1)- NOT listed as broken up in 1848-49.

Navy annual report for 1849, v. 549, p. 461- “The Vandalia, rebuilt and equipped at Norfolk, sailed...”

VERSION ONE- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS- ref Vandalia (6)- “During the sloop’s period in ordinary which lasted until 1849, she was lengthened by 13 feet in 1848. The renovated Vandalia was recommissioned on 9 August 1849...”
VERSION TWO- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS- ref Vandalia (7)-"During the sloop's period in ordinary which lasted until 1849, she was lengthened by 13 feet in 1848. The renovated Vandalia was re-commissioned on 9 August 1849..."
(These two DANFS versions coincide with each other-and both agree: renovated, not broken up)

FINDINGS FROM OFFICIAL 1850 era NAVY DATA-

USS Macedonian and USS Congress were broken up, and new ships of the same name were built to replace them.
USS Adams (in 1812), USS Vandalia (in 1848), and USS Constellation (in 1853-54) were rebuilt and lengthened in the process. The original ship was not considered by the 1850's era Navy as broken up.

FINDINGS FROM DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS WEBSITES-

Curiously, the two DANFS website versions are virtually identical for USS Adams, Vandalia & Congress. Strangely, they differ on USS Constellation. DANFS Version One was transcribed 18 October 1998, where DANFS Version Two was transcribed 9 February 2004. Why was the older version, which accurately reflected 1850 era Navy statements (Constellation modified), changed to an inaccurate version (Constellation broken up)? As this research shows, Navy 1850 era statements do not support this DANFS Version Two revision.
The DANFS Version Two website is a revision to the original published history of Constellation in the DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS. As shown above, DANFS Version One website represents the original 1963 published copy in the DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS.
Based on my research, it appears DANFS Version Two may be an electronic copy only.

CONSTELLATION’S REBUILD was described in depth by Geoffrey M. Footner in his excellent book USS CONSTELLATION, FROM FRIGATE TO SLOOP OF WAR, Naval Institute Press, 2003. Footner describes how the old frigate was taken apart and materials used to rebuild her into the sloop-of-war, and writes p. 338, “Gosport used as much as 50 percent of CONSTELLATION’S old frame timbers” in the rebuilt Constellation. As the material was moved from the old hull to the new hull in one continuous evolution, Footner wrote p. 333, “It should be noted that the navy considered both sites and both hulls as parts of a single repair project.”

OBSERVATION ON A CERTAIN MODERN HISTORIAN-
One can assume that a certain modern historian would haul out his computer models and claim that USS Adams and USS Vandalia were new ships in 1812 and 1848 respectively. This was because they were lengthened, their lines were changed, they received new or partially new keels, and the rate changed in the case of the former. This same argument was used by this historian to support his claim that USS Constellation was a new ship in 1853-54.
Despite all the computer models this historian uses to justify his “new ship” claims, 1850 era Navy records simply do not agree with him.
To the contrary, Navy records show that USS Adams, USS Vandalia, and USS Constellation were rebuilt, not broken up, in 1812, 1848, and 1853/54 respectively.

CONCLUSION-
This research into 1850 era Navy records supports VERSION ONE- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS' statement that Constellation is the oldest ship in the US Navy. She was built in 1797, and rebuilt (or modified) in 1853/54.
It is my hope that the true heritage of USS Constellation can finally be restored.
Evan Randolph IV

FOOTNOTES:
1- U.S. Congress, Senate, Report of the Secretary of the Navy, in Showing the Names and Appropriate Description of All Vessels of the Navy of the United States which have been Captured, Lost, or Destroyed, &c, 26 February 1859, S.Ex. Doc. 38, 35th Congress, 2nd Session.
2- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN FIGHTING SHIPS-
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/frigates/constell.htm
3- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN FIGHTING SHIPS-
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c13/constellation-i.htm
4- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN FIGHTING SHIPS-
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/frigates/adams.htm
5- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN FIGHTING SHIPS-
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a2/adams-i.htm
6- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN FIGHTING SHIPS-
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/sail/vandlia1.htm
7- DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN FIGHTING SHIPS-
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/v1/vandalia-i.htm

Evan Randolph has published the following articles on Constellation:
U.S.S Constellation, 1797 to 1979. The American Neptune- October 1979
Roux Painting Mystery Solved! The American Neptune- Winter 1990
Fouled Anchors? Foul Blow. The American Neptune- Spring 1992
Query and Respose- ref Roux painting. The American Neptune- Summer 1992

To contact Evan Randolph