USS Constellation
USS Constellation has been the name of five American warships, including one of the new United States Navy's first six sailing frigates.[1] She was launched in 1797, and scrapped in 1853. The first Constellation had a fine war record from her participation in the USA's quasi-war with France, the two wars with Tripoli and the War of 1812.
A new vessel, built the next year (1854), was also named Constellation. She patrolled off the coast of West Africa around 1859-1861 as part of an Anglo-American effort to end the transatlantic slave trade. She captured the slave ship Cora in 1859 and two other ships, and repatriated 705 Africans, including 199 women and children, to Liberia.[2]
A strange charade played out for most of the 20th century.[1] The 1854 vessel was retired in 1909, and naval historians started to describe her as actually a retrofit of the 1797 vessel.
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rob Doane; Pauline Shanks Kaurin; Evan Wilson (October 2024). "The Constellation and the Navy's Culture". Proceedings of United States Naval Institute. Annapolis, Maryland. 150 (10): 73–76. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
- ↑
"Board the USS Constellation". National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2017-10-07. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
The USS Constellation attempted to stop this by capturing slave ships off the coast of Africa. In total, the crew captured three slave ships and freed 705 Africans, including 199 women and children.