Lexington (CVT 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS LEXINGTON - 1776 The first LEXINGTON, a 16-gun brig, was the ,former yellow-trimmed armed brig WILD 'DUCK which had been employed by the Maryland Committee of Safety to bring at cargo of powder for use of the Continental Army from St. Eustatius in the West Indies to Philadelphia. In March 1776, Robert Mossis,VPenn- sylvania's member of the Marine Committee of the Continental Con- gress, stated that a Maryland armed brig now is Philadelphia and urged the members to consider buying immediately and send her,toVfight. Her name was changed to LEXING- TON and she was immediately turned over to Wharton and Humphrey, Phil- adelphia Ship Builders, for fitting out. LEXINGTON ,measured 86 feet between perpendiculars and 24 feet, 6 inches in breadth. She was armed with fourteen 4-pounders, two 6- pounders, and twelve swivels. She had a complement of 84 men. Captain John Barry was appointed to her command. She captured 18 British vessels before being captured herself off U-Shant, France in 1777. The Second LEXINGTON, 'sloop-of- war, was built by the New York Navy Yard, having been authorized -by Act of Congress, approved,3,March .1825. She was launched 9 March 1826 and completed at a cost of S1l2,l28, She wasclassed as an 1,8-gun ,sloop-of-war and had alength of 127 feet, breadth, 33 feet, 9 inches, tonnage, 691, .and a complement of 190, officersand men. Sheywaslarmed with twenty-four medium 24-pounders when first com- missioned. On May 19, 1827, she was .sent to the Mediterranean where she cruised for three years. During the War with Mexico C1846- l848J LEXINGTON, under the com- mand of Lieutenant Theodorus ,Bai- ley, operated along the coast of Cali- fornia transporting troops for the U.S. Army and assisting in the blockade of Mexican ships in California ports. She sailed again from New York on June 18, 1853 under the command of Lieutenant John J. Glasson. After joining Commodore Matthew C. Per- ryis famous expedition to Japan, LEXINGTON remained in Far East- ern waters for two years and then returned to New York City where she was decomissioned February 26, 1855 and subsequently disposed of by sale. USS LEXINGTON - 1826

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' The third LEXINGTON was built as a side-wheel steamer at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1860, for freight and passenger service between that city and New Orleans, Louisiana. She was purchased for the War Department by Commodore John Rodgers at Cincin- nati, Ohio, for 320,666.66 during June 1861. She was converted to a gunboat by raising perpendicular oak bulwarks around her sides for defense against musketry, dropping the boilers into holds and placing the steam pipes as low as possible. LEXINGTON had an overall length of 177 feet, 7 inches, tonnage, 448, and a maximum speed of 7 knots. She was armed with four 8-inch smooth- bores and two 32-pounders of 43 cen- terweight. The gunboat joined the Western Flo- tilla at Cairo, Illinois, August 12, 1861. She was decommissioned in Mound City, Illinois July 2, 1865. USS LEXINGTON 1860 1325 5