List of sailing frigates of the United States Navy

Template:USS in 1997

This is a list of sailing frigates of the United States Navy. Frigates were the backbone of the early Navy, although the list shows that many suffered unfortunate fates.

The sailing frigates of the United States built from 1797 on were unique in that their framing was made of American live oak, a particularly hardy genus that made very resilient hulls; as a result of this, the ships were known to withstand damage that would have scuppered frigates of other nations. American frigates were also very heavily armed; the USN's 44s carried 24-pound cannon as opposed to the 18-pounders usual in frigates, and like most ships of the period carried more than their nominal rate, 56 guns or more. On the other hand, the USN classed ships with 20 to 26 guns as "third-class frigates", whereas the Royal Navy did not.

Continental Navy

Congress authorized 3 frigates of 18, 13 frigates of 12 ( 5 of 32, 5 of 28 and 3 of 24)

Name	Class	Rate<ref name="ReferenceA">Nominal rating; actual armament was generally greater</ref>	Dates of service	Fate
Template:USS<ref Name="TSN">Template:Cite book</ref>	Template:Sclass<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	36	1778–1785<ref Name="TSN" />	abandoned near Philadelphia<ref Name="TSN" />
Template:USS<ref Name="JPJ&BR">Template:Cite book</ref>	Template:Sclass<ref Name="JPJ&BR" />	42	1779–1779<ref Name="JPJ&BR" />	sank after taking Serapis<ref Name="JPJ&BR" />
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN">Template:Cite book</ref>	Template:Sclass<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	24	1777–1780<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	captured by the British<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Bourbon	Template:Sclass	28	1783	never completed
Bricole		36	1764	built in France, Le Havre
Confederacy	Template:Sclass	36	1778–1781	captured by the British
Congress (II)		28	1776–1777	never completed
Deane		24	1778–1783	built in France, Nantes
Delaware		24	1776–1777	captured by the British
Effingham		28	1777	never completed
Fox	Enterprise-class	28	7 June 1777 – 8 July 1777	captured by Hancock and Boston in June 1777, recaptured by HMS Flora
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	Template:Sclass<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	32	1776–1777<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	captured by the British<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Montgomery		24	1776–1777	destroyed to prevent capture, Hudson River
Protector [1]		26	1779–1781	captured, become HMS Hussar 1781; 20 guns 586 tons
Providence	Template:Sclass	28	1776–1780	captured by the British, Charleston, South Carolina
Queen of France		28	1777–1780	sunk to avoid capture by the British
Raleigh	Template:Sclass	32	1776–1778	captured by the British, Matinicus Isle, Maine
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	Template:Sclass	32	1776–1778<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	exploded in battle, 311 killed<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Template:HMS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	Roebuck-class	44	1779–1781<ref Name="TSN" />	transferred to the French
South Carolina		40	1777–1782	built in Holland, biggest war-ship
Truite		26	1779–1780	built in France, Le Havre
Trumbull	Template:Sclass	28	1776–1781	captured by the British
Virginia		28	1776–1778	captured by the British
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	Template:Sclass<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	32	1776–1779<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	destroyed to prevent capture, Penobscot Expedition<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Washington	Template:Sclass	32	1776–1777	destroyed to prevent capture, Philadelphia

United States Navy

Name	Type	Rate<ref name="ReferenceA"/>	Class	Dates of service	Fate
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	2nd class<ref Name="MCP">Template:Cite book</ref>	28		1799–1814<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	scuttled and burned to prevent capture<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Template:USS	3rd class	32		1798–1801	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	2nd class<ref Name="MCP"/>	28		1799–1814<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	burned to prevent capture<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Template:USS<ref Name="NYJC" /><ref>Laid down as Susquehanna</ref>	1st class<ref Name="NYJC">Template:Cite journal</ref>	50	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS">Template:Cite book</ref>	1825–1864<ref Name="DANFS" />	destroyed by fire<ref Name="DANFS" />
Template:USS<ref Name="TSN" />	2nd class<ref Name="MCP"/>	36 (38)	Template:Sclass<ref Name="TSN" />	1800–1813<ref Name="TSN" />	captured by the British<ref Name="TSN" />
Template:USS<ref Name="DANFS">Template:DANFS</ref>	1st class<ref Name="NYJC" />	44	Template:Sclass<ref Name="SW">Template:Cite book</ref>	1813–1814<ref Name="DANFS" />	burned on the stocks to prevent capture<ref Name="DANFS" />
Template:USS<ref Name="NYJC" />	1st class<ref Name="NYJC" />	50	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS" />	1838–1861	scuttled and burned to prevent capture
Template:USS<ref Name="TSN" />	2nd class<ref Name="NR">Template:Naval Vessel Register</ref>	36 (38)	Template:Sclass<ref Name="TSN" />	1799–1834<ref Name="TSN" />	broken up<ref Name="TSN" />
Template:USS<ref Name="R1852" />	1st class<ref Name="R1852">Template:Cite book</ref>	52		1841–1862<ref Name="SW" />	burned and sank after action with CSS Virginia<ref Name="SW" />
Template:USS	3rd class	24		1799–1801	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="TSN" />	2nd class<ref Name="NR" />	36 (38)	Template:Sclass<ref Name="TSN" />	1797–1853<ref Name="TSN" />	broken up
Template:USS<ref Name="TSN" />	1st class<ref Name="NR" />	44	Template:Sclass<ref Name="TSN" />	1797<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" /> Template:Smaller	remains in commission
Template:USS<ref Name="NYJC" />	1st class<ref Name="NYJC" />	50	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS" />	1842–1855	converted to sloop 1855 sunk by CSS Virginia 1862
Template:HMS	3rd class	22	Banterer-class	1815–1836<ref>ex-HMS Cyane, captured by Constitution 1815</ref>	broken up
Template:USS	3rd class<ref name = "Purchased">Purchased merchant ship</ref>	20		1798–1801	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	2nd class<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	32		1799–1814<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	captured by the British<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Template:USS	3rd class<ref>ex-Indiaman</ref>	24		1798–1801	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	2nd class	30		1799–1805<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	hulked; destroyed by fire 1814<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Template:USS	3rd class<ref name = "Purchased"/>	24		1798–1802	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="NR" />	1st class<ref Name="NR" />	44	Java-class	1814–1841<ref Name="SW" />	broken up<ref Name="SW" />
Template:USS<ref Name="NYAR" />	1st class<ref Name="NYAR">Template:Cite book</ref>	44		1828–1844<ref Name="DANFS" />	broken up<ref Name="DANFS" />
Template:USS<ref Name="R1852" />	1st class<ref Name="R1852" />	54		1836–1912	Built 1814 as a 90-gun ship-of-the-line, razeed 1836, scrapped 1915 at San Francisco.
Template:USS<ref Name="DANFS" />	2nd class<ref Name="DANFS" />	32	Template:Sclass<ref>ex-L'Insurgente, captured by Constellation 1799</ref>	1799–1800<ref Name="DANFS" />	lost at sea with all hands<ref Name="DANFS" />
Template:USS<ref Name="SW" />	1st class<ref Name="NR" />	44	Java-class	1814–1842<ref Name="SW" />	broken up, Norfolk, Virginia<ref Name="SW" />
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	2nd class	28		1799–1867<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	razeed to 20-gun corvette 1807; rebuilt as 24-gun frigate 1812 sold<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Template:USS<ref Name="NR" />	2nd class<ref Name="NR" />	38	Template:Sclass<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>ex-HMS Macedonian, captured by United States 1812</ref>	1812–1828	broken up, Norfolk, Virginia
Template:USS<ref Name="NYJC" />	2nd class<ref Name="NYJC" />	36		1836–1852	razeed to sloop-of war, 1852 sold 1871
Template:USS	3rd class	24		1798–1801	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="RS" />	2nd class	38		1814–1823<ref Name="RS" />	sunk<ref Name="RS" />
Template:USS	3rd class<ref name = "Purchased"/>	20		1798–1799	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	2nd class<ref Name="MCP"/>	36		1800–1814<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	burned by the British<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Template:USS<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	1st class<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	44 (36)<ref>re-rated 1803</ref>		1799–1804<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />	captured by Tripoli<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" /> boarded and burned by Stephen Decatur<ref Name="ROSOTUSN" />
Template:USS<ref Name="RS" />	1st class	64		1814–1825<ref Name="RS" />	sold on ways<ref Name="RS" />
Template:USS	3rd class	24		1798–1801	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="NR" />	1st class<ref Name="NR" />	50	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS" />	1831–1877	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="TSN" />	1st class<ref Name="MCP"/>	44	Template:Sclass<ref Name="TSN" />	1800–1815<ref Name="TSN" />	captured by the British<ref Name="TSN" />
Template:USS<ref Name="NYJC" />	1st class<ref Name="NYJC" />	50	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS" />	1843–1861	destroyed to prevent capture
Template:USS<ref Name="NYJC" />	1st class<ref Name="NYJC" />	52	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS" />	1855–1883	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="RS" />	1st class<ref Name="R1852" />	52	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS" />	1855–1912<ref Name=DANFS />	sank at moorings<ref Name=DANFS />
Template:USS<ref Name="NYJC" />	1st class<ref Name="NYJC" />	50	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS" />	1844–1857	converted to sloop 1857 sold 1883
Template:USS<ref Name="NYJC" />	1st class<ref Name="NYJC" />	50	Template:Sclass<ref Name="RS" />	1848–1875	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="DANFS" />	1st class	50		1814–1825<ref Name="RS" />	sold<ref Name="DANFS" />
Template:USS	3rd class	24		1799–1801	sold
Template:USS<ref Name="TSN" />	1st class<ref Name="NR" />	44	Template:Sclass<ref Name="TSN" />	1797–1861<ref Name="TSN" /> 1862–1866<ref Name="TSN" />	broken up for scrap
Template:USS	3rd class	24		1799–1801	sold

See also

• List of sloops of war of the United States Navy
• List of United States Navy ships
• Bibliography of early United States naval history
• Continental Navy
• Pages that link to this list

References

• Chapelle, Howard Irving. The History of the American Sailing Navy; The Ships and Their Development. New York: Norton, 1949.
• Retrieved from "List of sloops of war of the United States Navy"