Essex (CVA 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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,.,i..T- iii-. -E igvlx an 'NWN K e -.-' jifi Q ff 37 , ill WWNM! ez, X if At a meeting in this town, on Tuesday evening last, of those gentlemen who have subscribed to build a ship for the service of the United States, it was voted unanimously to build a frigate of 32 guns, and to loan the same to the government, and William Gray, Jr., John Norris and Jacob Ashton, Esqs., Capt Benjamin Hodges and Capt. Ichabod Nichols, were chosen a committee to carry the vote into immediate eHect. -Notice in the Salem Gazette, October, 1798. 9

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1111 .S.S. The first Essex, which historical research indicates was named for Essex County, Massachusetts, was built by private subscription on the credit of the United States under the terms of the Act of june 30, 1798. Her lseel was laid at Salem, Mass. on April 13th, 1799 and she was launched on September 30th of the same year, being completed at a cost of 8139,362. Her principal characteristics were: burden, 850 tons, length, 141 feetg breadth, 37 feetg depth of hold. 12 feet, 3 inches. Her original battery consisted of 26 long 12-pdrs. and 10 long 6's, but during the war of 1812 she carried 40 32-pdr. carronades and 6 long 12's. Her complement was 274 olhcers and men. Dn December 17, 1799 she was presented to the United States and accepted by Captain Edward Preble. U.S.N. The Essex sailed from Newport for Batavia on January 6, 18W under the command of Captain Edward Preble, U.S.N. in company with the Congress. The purpose of the voyage was to escort a convoy of Ameri- can merchant ships to the United States, the United States then being engaged in a naval war with France. The Congress was dismasted six days out in a heavy storm and the Essex was obliged to continue alone. She was the first United States man-of-war to double the Cape of Good Hope, which she did on August 27th, 1800, repassing the Cape liomeward bound with her convoy. The second cruise of the Essex was made under the command of Captain Williaiii Bainbridge, in the squad- ron of Commodore Richard Dale which was the first squadron sent by the United States to the Mediterrane- an, convoying American merchantmen and bloclcading the Tripolitan ships until June 17, 1802, when she WAS sent home for repairs. She was sent baclc to the Medi- terranean under command of Captain James Barron in 1804 and attached to the Mediterranean Squadron, first under Commodore Samuel Barron and later under Com- modore Rodgers. She remained on this duty until the spring of 1806 after the conclusion of peace, and parti- cipated in the capture of the town of Derne, April 27, 1805. Under command of Captain David Porter, U.S.N. on July 3. 1812, she sailed from New York carrying a Hag inscribed with the words i'Free Trade and Sailor's Rights. She cruised first to the southward and in a short time captured several British merchantmen and a transport bearing troops to Halifax. On August 13 she was attacked by the British armed ship Alert which, after an action of 8 minutes, surrendered in a sinking condition. This was the first British war vessel cap- tured in the coniict. On December 11, the British government packet Nocton was captured with 550,000 in specie on board. Having heard that the British government had sent S. K '35 .,, 1,