List of ships of the line of the United States Navy explained
This is a list of ships of the line of the United States Navy. Because of the operating expense, a number of these were never launched.These ships were maintained on the stocks, sometimes for decades, in case of an urgent need.[1] [2] [3]
Continental Navy
- (given to France upon launching, 1782)[1] [4]
- Unnamed class
- Unnamed, Boston (canceled, 1778)[4]
- Unnamed, Philadelphia (abandoned with the capture of Philadelphia, 1777)[1] [4]
- Unnamed, Poughkeepsie, New York (canceled, unknown date)[4]
United States Navy
- Columbus class
- Columbus (canceled, 1800)[4]
- Unnamed, Boston Navy Yard (canceled, 1800)[4]
- Unnamed, New York Navy Yard (canceled, 1800)[4]
- Franklin (canceled, 1800)[4]
- Unnamed, Washington Navy Yard (canceled, 1800)[4]
- Unnamed, Norfolk Navy Yard (canceled, 1800)[4]
- [1]
- (laid down 1815, never completed)[1]
- (laid down 1815, never completed)[1]
- (1837–1861)[1] [2] [5]
- (1820–1861)[1] [2] [5]
- (1848–1901)[1] [2]
- (launched as depot ship, 1864; training ship, 1892–1921)[1] [2]
- (laid down 1822, never launched)[1] [2]
- (laid down 1820; never launched; burnt on ways, 1861)[1] [2] [5]
- (1820–1861)[1] [2]
- (1820–1866)[1] [2]
- Unnamed class
- Not built, Boston Navy Yard (frames on hand, 1832; not built)[4] [6]
- Not built, Boston Navy Yard (frames on hand, 1832; not built)[4] [6]
- Not built, Norfolk Navy Yard (frames on hand, 1832; not built)[4] [6]
- Not built, Norfolk Navy Yard (frames on hand, 1832; not built)[4] [6]
Notes and References
- Ships of the Line Appendix. 9 March 2011.
- Gordon . John Steele . February 1993 . USS Boondoggle: The Business of America . . 44 . 1 . August 1, 2022 . Consider the Navy’s ship-of-the-line program that followed the War of 1812… Congress, on April 29, 1816, ‘authorized to cause to be built, nine ships to rate not less than 74 guns each’. All nine were eventually laid down, in shipyards from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Norfolk, Virginia, and four of them were completed in a timely manner by the end of 1820. None of these ships ever saw action, of course, for the world had entered an extended era of peace..
- Book: . Sharswood . George . The Public and General Statutes Passed by the Congress of the United States of America: From 1789 to 1836 Inclusive . T. and J.W. Johnson . Chap. 138. An act for the gradual increase of the navy of the United States. . 2nd . 1839 . 1816 . Princeton University, via Google Books . 1598 . August 1, 2022 . Sect. 2. That the president of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to cause to be built nine ships, to rate not less than seventy-four guns each, and twelve ships, to rate not less than forty-four guns each… the president shall be, and he is hereby authorized, as soon as the timbers and other necessary materials are procured, and the timber properly seasoned, to cause the said ships to be built and equipped; or if, in his judgment, it will be more conduce to the public interest, he may cause the said ships to be framed and remain on the stocks, and kept in the best state of preservation, to be prepared for service in the shortest time practicable, when the public exigency may require them..
- Book: 978-0-313-26202-9. Register of ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990. Bauer. Karl Jack. K. Jack Bauer. Stephen S.. Roberts. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1991.
- News: . 24 April 1861. BURNING OF GOSPORT NAVY-YARD; Eleven Vessels Scuttled and Burned, The Steam Tug Yankee Tows the Cumberland to Sea, Norfolk Not on Fire.. The New York Times. New York City. 2 August 2022. The Government vessels had been scuttled in the afternoon before the Pawnee arrived, to prevent their being seized by the Secessionists … The following are the names of the vessels which were destroyed: Pennsylvania, 74 gun-ship; steam-frigate Merrimac, 44 guns; sloop-of-war Germantown, 22 guns; sloop Plymouth, 22 guns; frigate Raritan, 45 guns; frigate Columbia, 44 guns; Delaware, 74 gun-ship; Columbus, 74 gun-ship; United States, in ordinary; brig Dolphin, 8 guns; and the powder-boat … [plus] line-of-battle ship New-York, on the stocks … Large quantities of provisions, cordage and machinery were also destroyed — besides buildings of great value — but it is not positively known that the [dry] dock was blown up..
- New York Gazette & General Advertiser. December 1932 . New York Journal of Commerce . 19 December .