USS Raritan (1843) facts for kids
"US Steam Ship 'Princeton' and "US Ship 'Raritan'
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | USS Raritan |
| Builder | Philadelphia Navy Yard |
| Laid down | 1820 |
| Launched | 13 June 1843 |
| Fate | Destroyed, 20 April 1861 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Raritan-class frigate |
| Tonnage | 1726 |
| Length | 174 ft 9 in (53.26 m) |
| Beam | 45 ft (14 m) |
| Draft | 22 ft 7 in (6.88 m) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Armament |
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The USS Raritan was a large, wooden sailing ship called a frigate. It was part of the United States Navy. This ship was built at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Work on it started in 1820, but it wasn't finished and launched until June 13, 1843. The Raritan was one of the last sailing frigates the U.S. Navy ever built.
Contents
Building and Launching the USS Raritan
The construction of the USS Raritan began a long time ago, in 1820. It took many years to build this impressive ship. Finally, on June 13, 1843, the Raritan was launched into the water. This event was a big deal for the Navy. Commodore Frederick Engle was honored to sponsor the ship.
Early Voyages and Missions
After its launch, the Raritan was ready for duty. On February 20, 1844, the ship left New York Harbor. Its first mission was to sail to the South Atlantic Ocean. There, it served as the main ship, or flagship, for Commodore Daniel Turner. The Raritan stayed on this mission until November 1845, when it returned to the United States.
Serving in the Mexican-American War
The Raritan played an important role during the Mexican–American War. It was based in Pensacola, Florida. From there, it joined the Home Squadron, a group of ships that helped protect the U.S. coast. The Raritan helped to block the east coast of Mexico. This meant stopping ships from entering or leaving Mexican ports.
The ship also supported the U.S. Army during the war. In May 1846, the Raritan helped land 500 soldiers at Point Isabel. This was to make the military base there stronger.
In 1847, the Raritan took part in several important landings.
- In March, it was involved in landings at Veracruz.
- In April, it helped with landings at Tuxpan.
- In June, it participated in landings at Tabasco.
These actions helped the U.S. forces during the war.
Later Years and Final Fate
After its service in the Mexican-American War, the Raritan went to Norfolk, Virginia. In 1848, it was "laid up in ordinary." This means it was put into storage, not actively used, but kept in good condition.
The ship became active again in 1849. It served as the flagship for the West Indies Squadron. Then, it became the flagship for the Home Squadron again. In 1850, the Raritan was moved to the Pacific Ocean. It sailed between Panama and Cape Horn, and even as far west as the International Date Line.
In June 1851, the Raritan arrived at Valparaíso. While there, it tried to help a British merchant ship called Governor Davis that had run aground. However, the attempts to free the ship were not successful.
The Raritan returned to the United States in October 1852. Once home, it was again laid up in ordinary at Norfolk. The ship stayed there until April 20, 1861. On that day, Union forces destroyed the Raritan. They did this as they left the navy yard to prevent the ship from falling into enemy hands during the start of the American Civil War.
See also
In Spanish: USS Raritan (1843) para niños
