USS Brandywine facts for kids
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The USS Brandywine was a large sailing warship called a frigate. It had three masts and was made of wood. Originally, its name was Susquehanna. This ship carried 44 guns and was first used to take a famous French general, the Marquis de Lafayette, back to France.
Over the years, the Brandywine served in many different parts of the world. These included the Mediterranean Sea, China, and the South Atlantic Ocean. It often played a role in what was called "gunboat diplomacy." This meant using the presence of a powerful warship to show strength and encourage other countries to agree with the United States. The Brandywine was good at this because it had large, long-range guns and shorter-range carronades.
Contents
- A Special Trip for a Hero
- Showing American Power in Europe
- Protecting Americans in the Pacific
- Tensions with Great Britain
- A Diplomatic Mission to China
- Service During the American Civil War
- The End of the Brandywine
- Note
A Special Trip for a Hero
From July 1824 to September 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette visited the United States. He was the last French general from the American Revolutionary War who was still alive. People across the 24 states welcomed him as a hero. Many honors and monuments were created to remember his visit.
The ship, then named Susquehanna, was being built at the Washington Navy Yard. It was a 44-gun frigate. In the spring of 1825, President John Quincy Adams decided that an American warship should take Lafayette back to Europe. This was a special honor for the general who had fought for America's freedom almost 50 years earlier.
Lafayette planned to sail home in late summer or early autumn of 1825. President Adams chose Susquehanna for this important task. To show the nation's deep respect for Lafayette, the frigate was renamed Brandywine. This name honored the Battle of Brandywine, where Lafayette was wounded fighting alongside American forces. The ship was launched on June 16, 1825, and officially ready for service on August 25, 1825. Captain Charles Morris was its first commander.
To make the trip even more special, officers were chosen from many different states. Some were even descendants of people who had been heroes in the American Revolution. One young officer on this first voyage was 19-year-old Matthew Fontaine Maury from Virginia. He later became very famous for his work in the science of oceanography.
After getting ready at the Navy Yard, the frigate sailed down the Potomac River. It waited for Lafayette near the river's mouth. Lafayette had a final special dinner on September 6 to celebrate his 68th birthday. The next day, he boarded a steamboat to join the Brandywine. On September 8, the frigate left the Potomac River and sailed into the Chesapeake Bay, heading for the open ocean.
After a stormy three-week journey, the warship arrived off Le Havre, France, in early October. Lafayette and Captain Morris left the ship. Lafayette returned home, and Captain Morris stayed to study shipyards and naval matters for six months.
Showing American Power in Europe
After dropping off Lafayette, the Brandywine joined the United States' Mediterranean Squadron. It stopped in England to fix some leaks from the rough Atlantic crossing. Then, it continued to Gibraltar and later to Port Mahon, Minorca, where it spent three months getting ready for duty.
In 1830, the Brandywine was sent to the Gulf of Mexico to gather information. It then prepared for another trip to Europe. President Andrew Jackson wanted to collect money owed to the U.S. by European nations. These debts were from American merchant ships that had been taken during the Napoleonic Wars.
Jackson sent a U.S. minister, John Nelson, to Naples to discuss these debts. He also sent Commodore Daniel Patterson with more ships to the Mediterranean. The Brandywine was part of this powerful fleet, helping to show America's strength.
When Nelson first asked about the debts, the King of Naples, King Ferdinand II, refused to even talk about it. Nelson then asked Commodore Patterson for naval support. Patterson divided his ships into two groups. The first group, led by Brandywine, arrived in Naples on July 23, 1832. They anchored near the King's palace.
Later, other American ships arrived one by one. Soon, several powerful frigates were in the harbor. No shots were fired, and no one directly mentioned the ships during the talks. However, the presence of these warships helped the king understand the American claims. He signed a treaty agreeing to pay a large sum of money to the U.S. over the next nine years. The Brandywine then returned to the United States in July 1833.
Protecting Americans in the Pacific
In 1834, the Brandywine was reactivated and sailed to the Pacific Ocean. It became the flagship, or main ship, of the Pacific Squadron. Its job was to protect American citizens and trade along the west coast of South America.
One time, in November 1836, the Brandywine accidentally hit a Peruvian ship called Limena near Callao, Peru. The Limena was badly damaged and had to return to port for repairs. After three years of service, the Brandywine sailed back home, arriving in Virginia in April 1837.
Tensions with Great Britain
After being out of service for two years, the Brandywine was recommissioned in 1839. It sailed to the Mediterranean Sea. This trip became tense because of an event called the Caroline incident. In 1837, some Canadians who supported the British captured an American steamboat called Caroline. Later, a Canadian was arrested in New York for boasting that he had been involved and had killed an American.
Feelings between the United States and Great Britain grew very strong. The American minister in London warned the naval commander to leave the Mediterranean. He feared that war might break out, trapping the American ships there.
The Brandywine and other ships quickly sailed for Gibraltar. They were ready for anything as they passed through the strait into the Atlantic Ocean. Luckily, peace continued, and no war started. The frigate returned to New York harbor in May 1841. The crisis with Britain eased, and the Brandywine went back to the Mediterranean for its planned tour. It returned to New York in July 1842 and was taken out of service.
A Diplomatic Mission to China
The Brandywine was put back into service in February 1843. It sailed to the East Indies in May. After sailing around the Cape of Good Hope, it reached Bombay, India, in October. There, it picked up a special envoy, Caleb Cushing, who was going to China. The ship took him to Macau, where he began talks for a new treaty.
While Cushing worked on connecting with the Chinese government, the Brandywine visited places like Manila, Hong Kong, and Whampoa. On June 16, 1844, a high commissioner from the Chinese emperor arrived in Macau, and negotiations began.
After 12 days of talks, the Treaty of Wang Hsia was signed on July 3. This treaty allowed five American treaty ports in China. It also protected American sailors who were shipwrecked in China. It said that legal cases involving Americans would be handled in American courts. This treaty gave the U.S. similar rights to what Great Britain had gained after the Opium War.
Cushing sailed back to the U.S. with the new treaty. The Brandywine stayed in the East until December 2, when it sailed to Honolulu, Hawaii, carrying news of the treaty's approval. From Hawaii, it visited several ports in South America before sailing around Cape Horn to return home. The Brandywine arrived back in Virginia on September 17, 1845, and was taken out of service.
Service During the American Civil War
After being out of service for over ten years, the Brandywine was brought back for the American Civil War. It was recommissioned in October 1861 at the New York Navy Yard. It immediately sailed to Hampton Roads, Virginia.
The old warship was converted into a storeship. This meant it was used to hold supplies for other ships. It supported the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron for almost three years. It spent most of this time anchored near Fort Monroe.
One notable time it moved was after the Confederate ironclad ship CSS Virginia tried to break the Union blockade in early 1862. The Brandywine was towed to Baltimore, Maryland, and stayed there until the danger from the Confederate ship had passed. Later, it was moved to Norfolk and also served as a receiving ship, where new sailors would report before being assigned to other vessels.
The End of the Brandywine
The Brandywine continued its role as a storeship and receiving ship until a fire broke out in its paint locker on September 3, 1864. The fire destroyed the ship, and it sank where it was docked in Norfolk. However, it was later raised from the water and sold in March 1867.
Note
The Brandywine is important because it was the final version of the 44-gun frigate design. This design started with ships like the USS Constitution about 25 years earlier. Even though later ships like Raritan were built, their basic design was very similar to the Brandywine. The Brandywine was also the very first warship ever built with a special elliptical stern. This new design made the back of the ship less vulnerable to enemy fire and allowed it to carry guns at the stern.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name | USS Brandywine |
| Namesake | Battle of Brandywine |
| Ordered | as Susquehanna |
| Builder | Washington Navy Yard |
| Laid down | September 20, 1821 |
| Launched | June 16, 1825 |
| Commissioned | August 25, 1825 |
| Out of service | September 3, 1864 |
| Stricken | 1867 (est.) |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Type | frigate |
| Tonnage | 1708 |
| Length | 175 ft (53 m)(between perpendiculars) |
| Beam | 45 ft (14 m) |
| Draft | 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m) |
| Depth of hold | 14 ft 5 in (4.39 m) |
| Propulsion | Frigate sail |
| Speed | 13 kn (15 mph; 24 km/h) |
| Complement | 480 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
|
