User:HansMair/sandbox

sandbox of user HansMair

An historical timeline of USS Constellation to explain her legacy and provenance from the perspectives of official intentions, historical preservation practices, and sister ship legacies. The conclusion is that USS Constellation, launched in 1797, was rebuilt and re-launched in 1854 as a "new" ship intended by the nation to maintain her proud legacy and "ancient renown". That same intent maintained sister frigate USS Constitution's proud legacy through two major rebuildings as "new" ships in 1858 and again in 1931.

Date	Activity	Notes
1797	7 September, Baltimore (Fell's Point, now Canton): Constellation is launched from the Harris Creek shipyard of Samuel and Joseph Sterrett, with Master Constructor David Stodder.
1798	“ Sir, I have it in command from the president of the United States, to direct you to repair with all due speed on board the ship Constellation lying at Baltimore. It is required that no Time be lost in carrying the Ship into deep water, taking on board her Cannon, Ammunition, Water, Provisions & Stores of every kind — completing what work is yet to be done shipping her Complement of Seamen and Marines, and preparing her in every respect for Sea ... It is the President's express Orders, that you employ the most vigorous Exertions, to accomplish these several Objects and to put your Ship as speedily as possible in a situation to sail at the shortest notice. ”	Constellation is commissioned
1851	Chief Naval Constructor John Lenthall recommends a fate for Constellation: "if the ancient renown of this ship makes it desirable to retain her, the plan heretofore under consideration of the Bureau seems well adapted to carrying it out."	After years of considering numerous options, including her conversion to steam power, the Navy has focused on the razee option - i.e., her conversion to a sloop-of-war with main armament on a single (gun) deck; Lenthall supports that option.
1852	Navy Annual Report entry: “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,....”
1853	Navy Annual Report entry: “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.” 25 February: Daily Transcript, Portsmouth: "The Constellation." "Yesterday, this time-honored ship was hauled up on one of the slips in the Navy Yard.  She is to be razed and converted into a first class sloop-of-war, and will be otherwise thoroughly and extensively repaired.  The Constellation is a second class frigate of thirty-six guns, and she was launched at Baltimore in the year 1797, more than half a century ago.  Her timbers are very rotten, and for the most part will have to be replaced with new; and her model will no doubt, require some alteration to conform somewhat with ships of more recent construction. It was at one time proposed to apply steam to the Constellation as an auxiliary, using a submerged propeller, but objections were made to any change in the character of the ship, on account of her connexion with the history of the country. The project was abandoned, and the vessel was allowed to retain her position in that portion of our National vessels on this station, technically known as "Rotten Row"–where she might have remained had not the present exigencies of the service compelled the Department to have her repaired. The band from the U. S. ship Pennsylvania was in attendance, enlivening the scene with the music.  It was quite an imposing sight, and equally interesting to that of a "launch". Everything connected with the various operations passed off very well and without accident. Credit is due to the very efficient Naval Constructor, Mr. DELANO, and his assistants for the perfection of the different arrangements on the occasion."
1854	Navy Annual Report entry: “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.” 28 August: Daily Transcript, Portsmouth: "U. S. Sloop-of-War Constellation." "This beautiful piece of naval architecture was launched from Portsmouth (Va.) Navy Yard on Saturday last in beautiful style. The ship has been rebuilt to supply the place of the old frigate Constellation, which has been broken up; but that some portion of the old ship might remain in the new, four floor timbers, viz: M. O. P. Q., and four 3d futtock, viz: 9 and 10, S. and P., (which were moulded from floors,) were reserved, and now compose a small part of her frame; they were perfectly sound and good. It may not be uninteresting at this time to state the dimensions of the two ships, for it will be perceived that the new sloop-of-war is larger than the old frigate was :           OLD CONSTELLATION.                                                       Feet.  Inches Between Perpendiculars,        164     00 Beam Moulded,                           40     06 Hold to Gun Deck,                     19      06 Length on the Load Line,       162     00           NEW CONSTELLATION. Between Perpendiculars,        176     00 Beam Moulded,                           41     00 Hold to Gun Deck,                     21      01 ½ Length on the Load Line,       176     00 The new ship has been built with a Spar Deck, on which she will mount two 10-inch pivot guns, on the gun deck she will carry twenty guns, sixteen 68 pounders, and four long 32 pounders, which will make a very formidable man-of-war, and we sincerely hope Mr. Dobbin will have fitted her out for sea immediately, and sent to the Baltic as a specimen of the manner and style of American men of war. To Mr. Lenthall, the Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Equipment, is the country indebted for her model, which is considered by judges to be a superior one, and there is very little doubt she will prove a good sea ship, and most excellent sailor. Her construction was commenced under the administration of Mr. Edward H. Delano, Naval Constructor, now at the Charlestown Navy Yard, who manifested great interest in her during his stay here; and was finished by Mr. Samuel T. Hartt, Naval Constructor, who is now attached to this Yard, and who has also taken peculiar interest to have everything arranged in the very best manner possible. The workmanship is said to be of a most superior kind, and we are of the opinion that so much care was never taken before to combine beauty and strength. Many experienced workmen here say they never saw such a complete job of ship work. This reflects great credit upon the Quartermen and Mechanics of the Portsmouth(Va.) Navy Yard, and especially upon Mr. John L. Porter, the attentive and skillful Master Ship Carpenter, under whose direction the work has been done, and who has taken the greatest care, from her commencement to her end, to have every thing done in the best manner, and of the best materials. Constructor Hartt launched her in his usual happy style, (being considered a team at such work,) assisted by the Master Carpenter, Quartermen and Workmen, and every thing passed off without the least accident or confusion. Every facility was furnished by the gentlemanly and attentive officers attached to the Yard,to enable Mr. Hartt to carry out all his arrangements, and all seemed highly gratified with the result. After the launch was over, the Commodore, as is usual on such occasions, gave the workmen the remainder of the day to enjoy themselves, and all returned to their homes. A large concourse of people assembled to witness the interesting sight."	Constellation is rebuilt to retain her legacy and partly modernize her utility as a warship. Consideration had been given to converting her to steam power.
1855	03 November: Constellation's Captain Charles H. Bell writes to Secretary of the Navy, "...I have found the sailing quality of the Constellation much to my liking, since the extension of the body. I do however find that the head spacing should have been raised in the 'tween decks and that many of her old knees should have been replaced in the last conversion..."
1858	The earliest known photograph of Constitution, being rebuilt in 1858 in Portsmouth N.H. 20 September: John Durham, acting commandant of the Portsmouth N.H. Navy Yard, reports to Secretary of the Navy Isaac Toucey that the yard has rebuilt Constellation's sister ship, USS Constitution with "everything new bottom upward." "The following was the number of timbers that were removed and replaced by new live oak, viz: keel new, keelson, do, floor timbers, do, first futtocks, all new, second, do, third, do, all the top timbers & half top-timbers, do, everything new bottom upward, joiners department, all new."	Constellation's sister ship, USS Constitution, is rebuilt "everything new bottom upward" to preserve her legacy, but retire her service as a fighting ship. In contrast to Constellation (rebuilt to remain in service as a fighting ship), Constitution is to be retained as a museum and training ship. Unlike modern preservations, very little effort is made to retain original materials. (By contrast, far more original material was retained in the rebuild of Constellation (see 1854).) Constitution would be subjected to yet another wholesale rebuild starting in 1927 (see 1931) in which 85% of her material was replaced.
1859	USS Constellation in Boston (Charlestown) drydock, 1859 Ballou's Pictorial article: "U. S. SLOOP-OF-WAR CONSTELLATION." "The accompanying engraving representing the United States sloop-of-war Constellation, as she appeared in the dry-dock, Charlestown navy-yard, is from a drawing made expressly for the Pictorial by Mr. Waud, the marine draughtsman and painter. The drawing of the vessel and her surroundings, is accurate--every particular and detail. The Constellation is associated with the story of our naval triumphs, and has borne the stars and stripes triumphantly in battle and breeze for many a long year. Yet, in point of fact, she is changed in everything but name, for probably very few, if any, of her original timbers remain. A ship that remains long in the service has to submit to these inevitable changes, just as a man in his life-time goes through a series of physical transformations. Yet her good name remains, and that to a ship as well as to a man, is all-in-all. The Constellation was rebuilt in Norfolk in 1854, and the same year sailed for the Mediterranean, where she attracted much attention in all the ports she visited. She has just been thoroughly repaired at Charlestown, and will soon be again at sea. Her actual measurement is 1492 tons. Her armament, at present, consists of two ten-inch pivot-guns, sixteen eight-inch shell-guns, and four 32-pounders, enough to make her heard and felt, if she is again called on to speak. …"	Ballou's Pictorial confirms Constellation's proudly intact legacy, despite her 1854 rebuild that necessitated wholesale timber replacement. Unaware that significant timbers were indeed deliberately re-used in the rebuilt ship, Ballou's incorrectly laments that "probably very few, if any, of her original timbers remain." Ballou's correctly notes that any "ship that remains long in the service has to submit to these inevitable changes" - perhaps alluding to the similarly drastic rebuild of Constellation's sister ship, USS Constitution (see 1858), and foreshadowing Constitution's future drastic rebuild (see 1931).
1860s	Constellation continues to serve as an active duty fighting ship in the Civil War, after which she joins her sister ship USS Constitution in retirement as a training ship.
1871	Constellation is used for midshipmen's cruises at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, until 1878.
1872	George Henry Preble writes about USS Constitution, "Though her keel was laid in 1794, she was not launched until Oct 21, 1797. It was intended she should be the first vessel of the new and permanent navy. But two of the six frigates ordered to be built were launched before her, viz.: The United States launched July 10, 1797, and destroyed at Norfolk, April 20, 1861; and the Constellation launched Sept. 7, 1797, and now represented by a new ship bearing the same name." "The Constitution, better known perhaps as Old Ironsides, has been often repaired and rebuilt, but remains of the same model, and is of the same tonnage and general appearance as when built."	In 1872, Admiral George Preble contrasts the fates of Constitution and Constellation, noting that Constitution has remained true to its original form, while Constellation is "represented by a new ship bearing the same name."
1878	Constellation sails to France with stores for the Paris Exposition; returns to Annapolis.
1880	Constellation sails to Ireland with stores for Irish famine relief; returns to Annapolis.
1893	Constellation is decommissioned, and used as a receiving and training ship in Newport, Rhode Island.
1910	THE CONSTELLATION, OLDEST WARSHIP AFLOAT, NEWPORT R.I. "The Constellation", the Oldest U.S. War Ship afloat. Rhode Island Souvenirs, 1910
1914	"Old Frigate Constellation During Star Spangle Banner Centennial - 1914" September, Baltimore, Maryland: Constellation is towed to Baltimore for the centennial celebration of the Battle of Baltimore; returns to Newport, Rhode Island.
1926	alt1 Press photo: USS Constellation, 1926, Newport RI [credit: Underwood and Underwood] Constellation is placed in commission, visits the Sesquicentennial Exposition at Philadelphia, and is returned to Newport, Rhode Island and decommissioned. 13 May: Press photo by Underwood and Underwood: "OLDEST U.S. WARSHIP TO BE AT SESQUICENTENNIAL" "NEWPORT, R.I. - - The U.S.S. Constellation, the oldest United States Warship afloat and still in commission is to be at the Sesquicentennial Celebration in Philadelphia. The vessel has been loaned to the City of Philadelphia at the request of the Secretary of the Navy, Curtis D. Wilbur. She was towed out from Newport today and is on her way to Philadelphia. Last February 16th was the 127th Anniversary of her famous battle with the French Frigate, L'Insugente, off the Island of Novis, West Indies."
1931	Constellation's sister ship, USS Constitution completes another extensive restoration, begun in 1927: "and in the 1927-31 work, approximately 85 percent of the ship was “renewed” (i.e. replaced) to make her seaworthy."	Seven decades after her first near-total rebuild (see 1858), USS Constitution is again rebuilt without significant regard to modern preservation practices.
1935	Howard I. Chapelle, in "The History of American Sailing Ships" relays the confusing but continuous history of America's original frigates: P.78, with regard to "the famous 44- and 38-gun frigates of the Constitution and Constellation classes": "These frigates have been the subject of more mis-representation and mis-understanding than any other sailing ships in maritime history. The designers of the individual ships have been confused, the basis of their designs has been mis-represented, the various changes in their appearance and fitting have been garbled, and even their rating has been muddled; in fact, the confusion in accounts of these frigates seems endless. Even governmental and other supposedly authoritative publications have made serious mis-statements that have added to the tangle." P.91-92: "Returning to 1797, this year saw the launch of the first of the 36-gun frigates, the Constellation. She slid down the ways on September 7th at Baltimore, Maryland. David Stodder was the naval constructor in charge of her building, Captain Truxton [sic] assisting as naval superintendent. The Constellation had a long and distinguished career and is still afloat, though it must be admitted that there is little or nothing of the original ship left. She has been completely rebuilt a number of times, from the keel up, as in 1805-12 when she was widened 14 inches and again in 1854 when she was lengthened and cut down one deck, each time her lines being altered to some extent."
1937	September: Bulletin of the Newport Historical Society, "Our Beloved Constellation" read by Allyn J. Crosby before the Society May 25, 1937: "The Constellation was 161 feet long and 40 feet wide. Her total cost was $314,212. Please bear these dimensions in mind, for now I come to a matter which was, and still is, very disturbing to me. In 1854, our frigate underwent a transformation at which I think her very timbers must have cried out in protest. In going over her many times to absorb her spirit, I seemed to miss the marks which designated a frigate, and I found that the changes made constituted her a gun-deck sloop. According to rough measurements I took, she is now 178 feet long and 41 feet wide."	Allyn J. Crosby reports his concern about the radical nature of Constellation's 1854 rebuild.
1940	CONSTITUTION and CONSTELLATION commissioning order [source: FDR Library] Press photo: USS Constellation, 1940 re-commissioning ceremony, Newport RI [credit: AP Wirephoto] 15 August: Chief of Naval Operations H. R. Stark, "It is directed that the CONSTITUTION and CONSTELLATION be placed in full commission with appropriate ceremonies and publicity on Saturday, August 24, 1940 at the Boston Navy Yard and at the Naval Training Station, Newport, R.I., respectively." The directive is shared with the White House, and on 19 August, President Roosevelt is notified of the impending commissions. 24 August: Constellation is recommissioned by order of President Roosevelt. AP Wirephoto press photo: “Newport, R.I., Aug 24 – Oldest U.S. warship gets back her commission: Known in her day as the “Yankee Race Horse,” America’s oldest war ship, the “Constellation,” is shown today as 2700 men and officers placed her back in full commission on orders of President Roosevelt. She saw scores of years of service after launching at Baltimore Sept. 7 1797. Resting in cement, she’s now on public display.” 28 October: LIFE Magazine, "U.S.S. Constellation is Navy's Oldest Ship" "Oldest ship in the Navy and after her sister frigate Constitution the most venerated old lady of the sea, the 36-gun Constellation has long been lapped by the tides of history. ..."
1946	USS Constellation (left) and USS Constitution (right), Boston Navy Yard, 1948 (Official U.S. Navy photo) October: Still in commission, Constellation is towed to the Boston Naval Shipyard, adjacent to her sister ship, USS Constitution. Constellation is to be restored, but the project is cancelled.
1947	Press photo: USS Constellation is prepared for her 150th anniversary, Boston Navy Yard, 27 August 1947 [credit: Wide World] 7 September, Boston, Massachusetts: USS Constellation celebrates her 150th anniversary. World Wide press photo: "OLDEST U.S. WARSHIP" "Decks have to be cleaned even on the oldest warship in Uncle Sam's Navy, as these sailors hard at work on the oak planks of the frigate Constellation at Boston, Mass. Navy Yard can testify. The Constellation will be 150 years old on Sept. 7. The Constellation served in four wars -- the undeclared naval war with France at the close of the 18th century, the war with the Barbary States, the War of 1812 and the Civil War."
1949	Howard I. Chapelle, in "The History of The American Sailing Navy": "A claim has been made that the Constellation now in existence contains material taken from the original and therefore retains her identity. The reply to this claim is that the ship lost her identity by the process of having her model, dimensions, appearance, and rate entirely altered in her "rebuilding" in 1853-54. She was constructed as what was then accepted to be a modern and efficient man-of-war. Therefore, accepting this completely altered ship as the original is as unreal as it would be to accept a cap-and-ball revolver as one of Washington's dueling pistols on the grounds that the gun contained a couple of screws salvaged from the original flintlock." "The "rebuilding" of the Constellation 1853-54 represents a different situation from that of the numerous rebuildings of such naval monuments as the Constitution and the British Victory. In the case of the corvette, she was rebuilt into what was then a modern ship of war without any attempt to preserve the original, and the only reason her register was maintained, by means of an administrative fiction, was to enable the work to be done without the need of applying to Congress for authority and funds to build an entirely new ship. Yet a new ship was produced, as we have seen by the plans. The Constitution and Victory, however, in their numerous rebuildings have maintained their form, rate, and dimensions, though it is true that their appearance was slightly altered from time to time. Their present forms are, of course, reconstructions of their appearance at the height of their glory, as near as knowledge would permit when the work was done. The sentimental question of whether or not they have portions of the original ship in them is of small moment; the important thing is that, in rebuilding and reconstruction, they have retained their form, rate, and dimensions and thus their identity. Without attempting to discuss the advisability of retaining the corvette as a national monument, it can be said that the ship neither is the original frigate nor looks like her."	In sharp contrast to his earlier conclusion (see 1935), and unaware of many of the Navy's intentions and actions in rebuilding Constellation in 1854, Chapelle claims that Constellation is "an entirely new ship" and that the Navy perpetrated a fraud - an "administrative fiction" - to build the "modern ship of war without any attempt to preserve the original". These claims are refuted by the statements of Lenthall and the Navy beginning in 1851.
1954	14 May: Rear Admiral John R. Hefferman, “Official records disclose that the Constellation was many times rebuilt, including major rebuildings at Washington in 1812 and at Norfolk in 1853-1855. Nowhere in these records, however, is there any indication that the original Constellation, launched in 1797, was in fact broken up, stranded, scrapped or otherwise disposed of, nor is there any statement authorizing or sanctioning the disposal of the ship by any means whatsoever”	The United States Navy's deed of custody given to the city of Baltimore in 1954 to repair and display Constellation assures Baltimore of Constellation's unbroken provenance.
1957	7 September, Baltimore, Maryland: The US Navy celebrates the 160th anniversary of USS Constellation. United Press Telefoto press photo: "The U.S. Frigate CONSTELLATION as she celebrates her 160th anniversary today. Fleet Admiral William Leahy was among the dignitaries that spoke at the ceremony to launch the national campaign to restore the Constellation as a national naval exhibit. She will be permanently berthed at Fort McHenry."
1958	Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz issues... Letter published by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, 1958
1962	SECNAV Notice 10 January: Under Secretary of the Navy Paul B. Fay Jr. issues an official notice , distributed with souvenir tokens of Constellation: SECNAV 4780 OP 09B9 10 January 1962 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY Office of the Secretary Washington 25, D.C. SECNAV NOTICE 4780 From: Secretary of the Navy To: All Ships and Stations Subj: Restoration of Frigate CONSTELLATION. 1. Purpose. To again inform personnel within the Naval Establishment of the restoration of the CONSTELLATION. 2. Background. Paul B. Fay, Jr. Under Secretary of the Navy
1963	23 May: Constellation is designated a National Historic Landmark The Naval History Division of the US Navy publishes Volume II of Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, in which Constellation's 1854 rebuild and final decommissioning in 1955 are described: "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." and "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 is considered authoritative U.S. Naval history; for decades (1963-2004) DANFS supported Constellation's unbroken provenance. See 2004 for the revised online DANFS entry for Constellation.
1966	15 October: Constellation is placed on the National Register of Historic Places Leon Polland publishes ...
~1980	U.S. Navy publishes an official print of a John W. Schmidt painting that celebrates Constellation's 1799 victory. CONSTELLATION vs. l'INSURGENTE, 1799 "The capture of the French Frigate l'INSURGENTE by Captain Thomas Truxtun was the most notable event of the Quasi War with France. His well-disciplined and well-trained crew gained a masterful victory in this first battle test of the new frigates of our Navy. CONSTELLATION, our oldest warship afloat, can be visited in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was launched, 7 September 1797."	U.S. Navy reaffirms CONSTELLATION's status as "our oldest warship afloat"
1991	September: "Fouled Anchors" claims that Constellation was "dismantled in 1853 and her timbers auctioned off. At about the same time, the second Constellation was built in Gosport about 600 feet away. The second Constellation was designed by U.S. naval constructor John Lenthall as a completely new ship."	Unaware of the Portsmouth Daily Transcript articles (see 1853 and 1854), and Lenthall's letter (see 1851), "Fouled Anchors" incorrectly concludes that Constellation's timbers were auctioned off and a completely new ship was built. This smear campaign launched against Constellation's legacy is successful in the following years; the US Navy overwrites its own naval history (see DANFS 1963 vs. 2004), and Baltimore is forced to promote USS Constellation as a 'second' ship to bear that name, with provenance dating only to 1854.
2004	09 February: The U.S. Navy's Naval History and Heritage Command revises its entry for Constellation in Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS); see 1963: "Ultimately laid up in ordinary at Norfolk from 1845 to 1853, Constellation was broken up there in 1853." In stark contrast, the DANFS histories for USS Adams and USS Vandalia were NOT modified - USS Adams: "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." USS Vandalia: "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..."