USS Princeton (1851)
Encyclopedia
USS Princeton (1851) was a large 1,370-ton steamer with powerful guns, some of whose timbers were those from the first USS Princeton
, the U.S. Navy’s first screw steam warship
.
Princeton was originally assigned to sail with Admiral Matthew C. Perry’s squadron to Japan
, but broke down due to boiler problems just as the voyage was to start. She was laid up prior to the start of the American Civil War
, but, when that war broke out, she was reactivated as a receiving ship at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
; launched in October 1851; sponsored by Lt. Edward R. Thompson; and commissioned 18 May 1852 at Boston, Massachusetts, Comdr. Sidney Smith Lee in command.
Some of the usable timbers of the first Princeton were incorporated in the new hull of the second Princeton. Upon completion of the hull at Boston, Princeton proceeded 19 May 1852 to Baltimore, Maryland, where her machinery was installed at Vulcan Iron Works. New boilers and propellers were added but the original engines of “Ericsson
semi-cylinder” design were retained. She remained at Baltimore until 18 November when she departed for Norfolk, Virginia
, arriving the same day.
and sailed 18 November 1852 from Baltimore rendezvousing with Perry’s flagship, the USS Mississippi
off Annapolis, Maryland
. On the way down the Chesapeake Bay
, she developed boiler trouble and remained at Norfolk while Mississippi continued on without her. She decommissioned 1 January 1853 at Norfolk.
, which was responsible for protecting fisheries off the coast of Nova Scotia
.
Princeton next returned to New York City
upon completion of this assignment where she remained until 31 October 1854 and then got underway for duty in the Gulf of Mexico
and the West Indies. She returned to Norfolk 10 June 1855 and was placed in ordinary.
, where she was stationed as a receiving ship until 9 October 1866.
Category:Ships of the Union Navy
USS Princeton (1843)
The first Princeton was the first screw steam warship in the United States Navy. She was launched in 1843, decommissioned in 1847, and broken up in 1849....
, the U.S. Navy’s first screw steam warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
.
Princeton was originally assigned to sail with Admiral Matthew C. Perry’s squadron to Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
, but broke down due to boiler problems just as the voyage was to start. She was laid up prior to the start of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, but, when that war broke out, she was reactivated as a receiving ship at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
Built at the Boston Navy Yard in 1851
The second Navy ship to be so named, Princeton, a clipper-built ship, was laid down in June 1851 at Boston Navy YardBoston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
; launched in October 1851; sponsored by Lt. Edward R. Thompson; and commissioned 18 May 1852 at Boston, Massachusetts, Comdr. Sidney Smith Lee in command.
Some of the usable timbers of the first Princeton were incorporated in the new hull of the second Princeton. Upon completion of the hull at Boston, Princeton proceeded 19 May 1852 to Baltimore, Maryland, where her machinery was installed at Vulcan Iron Works. New boilers and propellers were added but the original engines of “Ericsson
John Ericsson
John Ericsson was a Swedish-American inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother Nils Ericson. He was born at Långbanshyttan in Värmland, Sweden, but primarily came to be active in England and the United States...
semi-cylinder” design were retained. She remained at Baltimore until 18 November when she departed for Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, arriving the same day.
Assigned to Commodore Perry
Princeton was fitted out for duty with Commodore Matthew C. Perry’s Squadron in the Far EastFar East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
and sailed 18 November 1852 from Baltimore rendezvousing with Perry’s flagship, the USS Mississippi
USS Mississippi (1841)
USS Mississippi, a paddle frigate, was the first ship of the United States Navy to bear that name. She was named for the Mississippi River. Her sister ship was . Her keel was laid down by the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1839; built under the personal supervision of Commodore Matthew Perry. She was...
off Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
. On the way down the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, she developed boiler trouble and remained at Norfolk while Mississippi continued on without her. She decommissioned 1 January 1853 at Norfolk.
Assigned to Commodore Shubrick
From July to September 1853 Princeton served as flagship of the Eastern Squadron under the command of Commodore William ShubrickWilliam Shubrick
William Branford Shubrick was an officer in the United States Navy. His active-duty career extended from 1806 to 1861, including service in the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War; he retired in the early months of the Civil War.-Biography:Born at "Belvedere," Bull's Island, South Carolina,...
, which was responsible for protecting fisheries off the coast of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
Princeton next returned to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
upon completion of this assignment where she remained until 31 October 1854 and then got underway for duty in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and the West Indies. She returned to Norfolk 10 June 1855 and was placed in ordinary.
Civil War service
In 1857 Princeton was taken to Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, where she was stationed as a receiving ship until 9 October 1866.
External links
- USS Princeton (1851)
- Photo gallery at Naval Historical Center
Category:Ships of the Union Navy