uss frolick

On December 7, 1809, Hamilton amended his instructions: " ... it has been determined to send Captain Fenwick of the Corps of Marines in the John Adams for the purpose of bearing the dispatches to General Armstrong. On you arrival in France, you will instruct him agreeably to my latter to you of the 5th Instant, advancing him the necessary money to enable him to defray his expenses, which will ultimately be defrayed by the Department of State. The Navy Agent at New York will pay over to you the sum of $2000 to enable you to defray the small expenses of the ship, and if you shall find necessary, you may require of the agent, an additional sum on account of pay, as it may possibly contribute to the comforts of the officers to have two or three months pay advanced to them." The substitution of Marine Captain Fenwick might well have seemed to Evans to be a lack of confidence in the perceived abilities of the corvette's junior officers.

On December 5, 1809, Secretary Hamilton penned his orders to Captain Evans: "By the time this letter shall reach you, the John Adams will, I hope, be completely prepared for service.I have therefore now to direct you to weigh anchor without delay and proceed to L'Orient, Havre or any other such port in France, as you may be able, the mot convenient to make. Having arrived at such port, you will place the dispatches, you will herewith receive from the department of state, in the hands of a confidential officer, with orders to proceed with them without delay to Paris, and there deliver them into the hands of General Armstrong. [Note: He was our chief negotiator in France in 1809.] Such officer will then proceed to Amsterdam and thence wait for your arrival, when he will again join you. Having landed such officer, and given him the requisite instructions, you will without delay proceed to Portsmouth in England, or to such other port as you may be able to most conveniently make, when on your arrival, you will receive the dispatches, you will herewith receive from the Department of State, in the hands of another confidential officer, with orders to proceed without delay to London, and there deliver such dispatches to Mr. Pinkney, our minister at that court, instructing such officer to remain in London, until your return to England. You will then proceed directly to Amsterdam, at which place, you will, agreeably to instructions from the Treasury department, deliver the Specie which you will have on board, on account of the United States." Note: This gold specie was partial payment of our country's debt to Holland for helping us in the Revolution! Hamilton continued: "On your arrival in Amsterdam, the officer sent to Paris, will probably be ready to join you, with dispatches from General Armstrong. Having received such officer and dispatches, you will return to the port of England, from which you have sailed to amsterdam, , or to any other port in England, that you will be able most conveniently to make, , where you will receive the officer (that you have sent with dispatches to Mr. Pinkney) , with dispatches from Mr. Pinkney to this department. Having received such officer with Mr. Pinkney's latest dispatches, you will weigh anchor and proceed to the United States with all possible expedition, making this port, Norfolk, Philadelphia or New York. These instructions are given to you, from the views we at present have of our affairs generally, but as unforeseen events may arise, to render a departure from them in some particulars, proper, it is deemed expedient to direct, that you will execute any instructions you may receive from General Armstrong or Mr. Pinkney. As you may want supplies before you return, you are empowered by the enclosed letter of credit on Messrs James MacKenzie and A Glennie, to draw on them, as they have public money in their hands, and for years past have acted as agents to this department, forward to them without delay, your signature to guard against forgery. I will send four copies of the letter to those gentlemen, which you will forward to them seasonably. On your return to the United States, you will report to me the state and condition of the ship under your command, and you will also report all the events of moments that may arise during the continuance of service you are hereby required to perform. Should you want officers, apply to Commodore Rogers who will give you one or two of necessary experience, indeed two spare officers would not be amiss, as you have special service to perform, and you may expect to encounter severe weather." [Captains Letters Sent by the Secretary of the Navy, RG45, NA.] It just occurred to me that we can add yet another alteration of the John Adams' character: Treasure Galleon!

OK, Mark, if you insist , I'm going to continue copying here the primary source materials for this cruise. I wrote extensively about it in my biography of Johnston Blalekey*, in a chapter called "There Are Some Refractory Characters on Board", but I want to give the actual letters here, if you all will indulge me. This cruise is generally unknown, and most historians have the JA sitting in NY until 1814. I was able to write about it, only because I literally stumbled upon Evans' letters in the microfilm stacks. This cruise to Europe in 1809-1810 was very hard on both the ship and the officers, the first lieutenant of which was my guy, Blakeley. As Evans became too sick for duty soon after sailing from New York (from an earlier cutlass-dual wound across his face which, when flaring up, nearly blinded him) , Blakeley had to assumed command of the ship, even though he was chronically ill himself. By doing so, he made a great reputation for himself in Washington circles. Blakeley would have to prove himself to be not only an accomplished sailor, but a skilled diplomat as well. This cruise was the reason that Lieut. Blakeley was given the command of the Enterprise in 1811, and later the Wasp (II). Also, this was the cruise, I now believe, that Artist John Huggins saw the John Adams and painted her. Although she returned to European waters in 1814, British accounts describe her as being painted all black, and she clearly has a stripe in the watercolor. Note also the quarter galleries, and a large poop deck, with presumably passenger accommodations underneath, which extends as far forwards at the helm and the mizen mast. (* "Blakeley and the Wasp: The Cruise of 1814", Naval Institute Press, 2001: pitiful, shameless plug. )

Josiah Fox designed the Frigates Crescent [given as tribute to the Day of Algiers], John Adams, Chesapeake, Philadelphia and he altered slightly the draughts of the President. He designed the Wasp I and the Hornet, and he altered and lengthened Humphries' Adams to his own design.

Evans was to prepare for an as yet unspecified foreign cruise, but all was not well aboard. Capt. Evans to SecNav Hamilton, November 4, 1809 ("Captains Letters Received, National Archives Microfilm, RG 45): "... you will see that we are greatly deficient in our compliment of seamen. A number of our ordinary seamen are possible, but much in want of sea exercise, and as we have some prospect of entering seamen here, I am contemplating taking a short cruise about the middle of this month, with a crew we then have, to try the ship and give our men the exercise they so greatly need." His cruise took him up the coast to New York. Again, Evans to Hamilton, November 17, 1809: "Sir, I have the honor to inform you, that agreeable to your instructions of the 6th instant, I left Hampton Roads and arrived here this evening. I am happy to say that in my opinion, the ship sails much better than formerly, but we have a very bad crew, in fact there are not more than fifteen good seamen on board." Hamilton back to Evans, November 20, 1809: "The John Adams being required for foreign service, she must be prepared without delay for such service. To assist you, I have written Captain Chauncey directing him to loan to you, from the [New York Navy] yard, 40 able seamen, if he should have that number. In exchange until your return, you will deliver to him an equal number of ordinary seamen, and on your return, you will restore to him such men, and receive yours back again. Confidential. It has been determined to send in the John Adams, a quantity of specie [gold] which you shall receive from such person as the Secretary of the Treasury may direct to deliver it to you, and you are to deliver such specie agreeably to the directions you will receive. " Evans to Hamilton, November 23, 1809: "Sir , I have ...made immediate application to Captain Chauncey for the 40 seamen you directed him to loan the John Adams. He states that there is not a seaman in the yard, and in fact, there is not, in his opinion, five men in it, who have been beyond Sandy Hook. We have had a Rendezvous open since our arrival, but have not been able to enter one seaman. Tomorrow evening, if the weather is favorable, we shall have completed watering and victualling for three months and will require nothing but seamen to be in a state of readiness for any service. I could wish very much, as the ship is to proceed on foreign service, and acting lieutenant. My reasons for this are the state of Lieutenant Blakeley's health, which frequently renders it impossible for him to attend to duty in bad weather, and in case of accident, we have no midshipmen that I would be willing to entrust to a watch. Should it be agreeable to you, to make an arrangement of that nature, I beg leave to mention Midshipman George Budd as the one I would prefer to any midshipman I am acquainted with in the service." Hamilton replied that he had ordered Commodore Rogers of the President to give Evans all the sailors that he would need, but he couldn't have Mr. Budd, but instead ordered another midshipman, Walter Stewart of Philadelphia, and appoint him acting lieutenant instead. The John Adams was to be a diplomatic shuttle and to carry men and dispatches between the USS, Britain, France and Holland. Curiously, Hamilton asked Evans to give him a assessment of Stewart's abilities following the conclusion of the cruise. The following letter, dated December 2, 1809, makes me think that the corvette had a large poop deck cabin already installed, even though Josiah Fox's spar deck plan does not show one as designed. Two very well-connected wealthy individuals needed a ride to France. "Mr. Thomas Butler of Philadelphia, and his sister Miss Butler, being desirous of going to France in pursuit of health, I am very anxious that they should be accommodated with a passage on board your ship. I therefore request that, if it not materially interfere with the public service, you will receive them and their servants, for that purpose Mr. butler will make the terms agreeably to you. You will have the goodness to write Mr. Butler on the subject at Philadelphia. I need add no more than the respectability and objects of Mr. and Miss Butler, make me very solicitious, that you should accommodate them. I have it in charge of the President of the United States to inform you that it is his desire, that one returning from France to Accommodate Mr. Dupont de Nemours of Paris with passage on board your ship. It is expected that the dispatches, which you are to convey to Europe will be sent by this place by mail on Tuesday. You will therefore hasten to compete your preparations to sail immediately on receipt of them. It may be necessary for me to add, that Mr. Dupont de Nemour the President entertains sentiments very favorable, and consequently, he is recommended to your attention. The President writes to him and you will receive him on such terms as in your discretion shall prescribe." As a carrot to Evans, Hamilton allowed him the take on board $12,000 of private gold for transport to England. A service which would benefit only the captain, as he would receive percentage of the total value as his fee. The perks of command.

The Corvette first sailed from Baltimore to Hampton Roads on October 25, 1809 under Master Commandant Samuel Evans' with Lieutenant Johnston Blakeley (later the doubly victorious commander of Wasp II) as his first officer, with two senior midshipmen acting as lieutenants, John Pettigrew, as second, and Jessie Duncan Elliott, as third (villain of the Battle of Lake Erie). Her sailing had been delayed for three months due to lack of sailors, and supplies. Samuel Evans wrote the Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton two days later, praising the corvette's sailing qualities: "Sir, I have the honor to inform you that I arrived here yesterday morning after a short run of 22 hours from Baltimore. The breeze was so good, and the ship appeared to move so well, I am of the opinion had we been bound out, and carried sail, we could have been at sea in less than eighteen hours, from the time we had made sail ..." While on the subject of her sailing qualities: An unidentified officer wrote of her during her maiden frigate voyage on November 15, 1799: "We are now weighing our anchor and by 8 o'clock expect to be over the bar. She gave a good account of herself yesterday, in coming down from the Roads under mizzen, topsails and jib, she spun out about 7 knots per hour. The Pilot says, he is satisfied she will sail equal to any ship in the navy, he never saw a ship answer her helm so quickly, or slip through the water against the tide so rapidly. She is full, stiff, and we tried her yesterday in the heaviest of the blow ..." (South Carolina State Gazette and Timothy's Daily Advertiser.) From the same source on December 4, 1799: "... the frigate out-sailed every vessel she met with ..." Same source, February 9, 1800: "... Extract of a letter from an officer on board the Frigate John Adams, to his friend in Charleston: ...'I have the pleasure to inform you that the John Adams has been generally more approved of here, than any ship of her force belonging to the United States, that has been at the Island; and the English Captain in particular are much pleased with her. When we sailed from Charleston, the ship was too light, we have since taken in twenty tons more ballast and completed our water for another cruise, and she now sails much faster, as we had experienced in bearing up from the Old Roads to Basseterre, when we had the opportunity of trying her against the US Schooner Enterprise, reputed to be the fastest sailor on the station, yet she could not gain on us! The John Adams does credit to Charleston.' " Log of John Adams, December 31, 1804: The John Adams, then an armed store-ship, out-sailed H. B Majesty's Ship Superb, 74: "... we out-sailed her three miles, under the same sail running to the eastward ..." But Commodore Edward Preble of the Constitution wrote in December, 1805: "...The John Adams, a dull sailor, and too narrow for a man of war, but will make a good merchant ship, and if not wanted as a transport, had better be sold out of the service ..."

OK, back to the John Adams! On May 16th, 1809, the Ship John Adams recommissioned as a corvette. Command of her was given to Master Commandant Samuel Evans. Had she not been cut down, Evans could not have commanded her, frigates being the exclusive domain of the full captains. The next day, Fox wrote the following letter to Evans: "The Frigate John Adams was cut down to a corvette in the latter end of the year 1807, having proved to be improperly constructed, and found to possess too many bad qualities for a frigate. Whilst under repairs, the gun deck beams afore the main hatch were removed, and replaced with new, and the deck raised forward about 3 inches to take out inequalities. . All the berth deck beams were kneed. The wales and about 4 streaks under, are new, as well as the whole topsides, The overcharging of the stern, shortened and a new rudder of lighter construction made. The frame is of live oak and cedar, and appeared sound. The bottom plank ceiling, keelson and all the beams are of yellow or pitch pine. The pumps are new. The whole of the bottom overhauled and new coppered. The bowsprit mizen mast and fore mast new. Mainmast, new cheeked and repaired. All the other masts, yards, beams, top caps, etc, are new. From an unknown cause, she is wider on the larboard side than on the starboard side, and always tends to list to starboard, from which circumstances I am inclined to believe she will be considerably stiffer on the starboard than on the larboard tack."

The USS Frolick was cruising off the Cuban coast in early 1814, disguised as a helpless American merchantman hoping to lure an English sloop of war thought to be in the area, into her trap. She instead attracted the attention of a large, fool-hearty pirate schooner which stood out from a west coast bay to attack her. A forty minute running fight ensued, ending with about thirty dead pirates and a sinking schooner. The survivors, including their version of "Captain Jack Sparrow", escaped ashore in the remaining boats. The Frolick's sails were too cut up, and Captain Joe Bainbridge was too disinterested to pursue them. The Frolick suffered no casualties. In this case, the only known instance where a US Navy vessel ever sank a pirate ship in battle, has been left out of the history books. The Frolick was captured by the Frigate HMS Orpheus and the Schooner HMS Shelbourne a few days later in the Florida Straights.

The Wasp plan represents, in lines, but not in details, the Wasp and Frolick as they had been meant to be built. They are the official surviving records of two sloops that were both lost in war. Anyone wishing to accurately model the Wasp of 1813, however, must use the 1816 Admiralty draughts of the USS Frolick (HMS Florida), as they were identical in all but name.

Just a note about the Wasp II of 1813. The two Massachusetts sloops were to be built to same the design plan, one in Charlestown and the other up the coast in Newburyport, but the plans that Commodore Bainbridge received from Washington in 1813 were of the lines only, with no deck details. The positions of the gun ports were even omitted due to haste. So Bainbridge has Edmond Hartt, the builder of the USS Frolick, redraw the plans, fleshed out with 'improvements', insisted upon by Bainbridge. He had a final copy drawn up for Mr. Merrill of Newburyport for the Wasp (cost to the department, $20) and both sloops were built to the same plan. Along the way, Bainbridge ordered many changes to the plans from Boston , such as moving companionways, re-stepping the mizen mast from the keel to the planform, enlarging the ports to accept 42-pounder carronades (but the up-gunning was refused by the Secretary of the Navy), etc., amounting to about $800, which angered Mr. Merrill to such an extent, that he demanded payment for all the commodore's extra meddling before he completed the Wasp. Commodore Bainbridge had a special interest in the Frolick, as it was to be commanded by his younger brother, Capt. Joseph Bainbridge. The lines of the two sloops were stretched version of the Brig Argus, the navy's fastest sloop. As Builder Edmond Hardt had designed the Argus back in 1803, he was probably allowed all liberties in altering the two new sloops. Long story short, the Sloops-of-War Wasp and Frolick were as identical as two ships could have been built to the same plans, but in different towns. Both builders answered to Bainbridge. Chapelle's "official" USS Wasp plan wasn't drawn up until 1814, by Mr. Dougherty's assistant , one "Mr. Spottswood", well after the Massachusetts ships had already been completed.

Progress report, Fox to Tingey, December 17, 1807: "... In answer to your inquiries of this day relative to the state of forwardness of the John Adams; there yet remains to complete her repairs; five strakes of wales to shift on each side and two strakes of the bottom under them; the gun deck waterways and two stakes next them to put in; a small part of her waist in board to plank. Stern to be built from her transom upwards; her gun deck to repair; one beam to be put in (which is nearly ready0 and two others to repair, new cable and bowsprit bits, and head to be built; and a few places to repair depending on the forgoing; if time will allow, her lower deck, ought to be kneed an better secured than it has ever been; and finally to be hove down and new coppered, and all work progresses with all the expedition in our power; having but few carpenters employed on her ..."

Much like the Syren/Wasp, but because she had quarterdeck cabins and a flush poop deck, her two stern chase ports were glazed in windows, and the John Huggin's watercolor "American Corvette", painted probably during her diplomatic mission to England, 1809-10, shows that she retained her frigate's quarter-galleries, and that her poop deck extended right up to the mizen mast.

The rebuilt JA is a very good modeling subject. She was one of only a few sloops of that period to actually go into action. She still carried her twenty-four medium 24-pounders too: In 1838, she and the Frigate Columbia sailed half way around the world to bombard and burn two Islamic (go figure!) Sumatran pirate strong-holds: the cities of Kuala Battoo and Muckie, in what became known as Commodore Reid's Second Sumatran Punitive Expedition.

Oh, there goes CharlieZ again: "Have a closer look at my stern, ladies!" Or is it "my futtocks"? Moving on ... It looks like a bust cameo of President Adams in the center taffrail, atop a stack of arms and flags, with a laurel wreath in the center and wreathed stars on either quarter... Works with me, for either sloop.

Report of Naval Constructor Josiah Fox, to Captain Thomas Tingey, Washing Navy Yard, August 26, 1807: "...Having had the John Adams opened in her upper works, etc, where decay was most visible, find that the greater part of upper deck beams, many of the knees, and a considerable portion of her upper works are in either a decayed or decaying state. Two of the gun deck beams, only, have been found injured by decay; The frame chiefly of live oak and some cedar, is in a very sound state, as are also her wales, bottom plank, ceiling, lower deck, together with the magazine, sail room and bread room, which are places most subject to decay. This ship, from the over proportion of weight in her upper works, etc, is found to be very unfit for a frigate, experience has proved that she is very tender when under sail, sails heavily and steers bad, and that the weight of her upper works occasions her to strain very much at the wales, occasioning the bolts to work loose, and consequently cause considerable leakage." First of all, it seems odd initially that Fox would find such fault in the design of the frigate, considering that he designed her! But the Charleston Frigate Subscription Committee back in 1799 was so concerned that the John Adams would draw too much water to sail over the port's notorious bar, that they altered her lines to make her more buoyant, and draw less water: They redrew her body lines plans with fuller, more rounder floors. This worked, but it made her roll too much. The frigate's forecastle and quarterdeck was converted into a spar deck , and was also raised and strengthened in 1804 to allow eight long 12-pounders to be mounted in her spar deck waist, because the gun deck was loaded up with supplies for Preble's squadron. The letter continues: "To remedy those defects in her construction, and render her a valuable and likewise a formidable ship, I take the liberty to recommend the expediency of cutting off (what i call in this instance) superfluous weight aloft, and make her into an elegant corvette, proposing to equip her with 24 42-pounder carronades on he gun deck only, by which mode of equipment, I conceive she be rendered more formidable than at present, as her round of shot [broadside] would weight 1008 pounds, whereas at present it weighs 336 pounds only. Her repairs (if what I recommend here is adopted) would cost not half of what it would take to repair her upper works, etc, and could be effected in 1/3d of the time. She would be made a better sea boat in every respect. The accommodations of her officers and men would be found ample, as well as the hold for stowing provisions, water, cables, and other stores,. She would be enabled to carry her guns a good height from the water, bear a greater press of of sail, sail faster, and the hull stronger, and kept in repair at much less expense than she has hitherto been ..."

The watercolor montage from the John Lenthal collection? Yes, repost it, but it was probably the rebuilt ship, but a valuable resource nevertheless.

An account of the figurehead survives, from The American Daily Advertiser, June 5, 1799: " A life-like bust portrait of of John Adams ... and which is said to be a great likeness of the President of the United States, arrived from Philadelphia some days ago, and is now placed on the frigate; it is from the masterly chisel of Mr. [William] Rush of the city, whose elegant productions have long placed him at the head of his profession." Nice joke: "Head of his profession"! This was the only subscription frigate known to have had only a bust figurehead, perhaps for economy reasons. The stern carvings, whose descriptions do not survive, were created by the local Charleston firm of Cotton and Stattler, of Mott Street. The JA had her bust removed in 1807 when converted to a corvette, and replaced with a classic fiddlehead, but when the ship was entirely replaced in 1830, the original bust, or an exact replica carved by Rush, was placed back on her. A drawing of it survives on an 1850-ish inboard profile drawing in the National Archives (which I sadly do not have), but it was reproduced in "American Figureheads and Their Carvers, by Pauline A. Pinkney, NY, Norton, 1940. Just for comparison, here is what they put on the head of the similarly sounding Frigate Adams in New York, in 1799 (from the NH Gazette, June 4, 1799.): "On the head of the ship is the figure of the President, represented in the attitude of addressing both houses of Congress. In his left hand is his scroll, supposed to be his address, - his right hand is raised in a spirited position, as if in the act of bidding defiance to the enemies of America - at his side is a branch of oak springing from a rock, emblematic of his firmness and patriotic virtues, in support of the rights of his country." Descriptions of the stern carvings of the USS Adams and the USS Maryland survive, so perhaps the John Adams' were similar: "1. USS Adams, 28 gun frigate launched in in New York from the New Hampshire Gazette, June 4, 1799: "On the stern in the centre of the taffrail, are the arms of the U. States, supported by Sybele and Neptune - the latter with his left hand resting on his Trident and his right extended over our "Infant Navy", with some Attributes of Commerce. The former reclining on a sheaf of wheat with a septre in her right hand, in her left is the Key of the Earth and Supporting a Cornucopia ..." 2. USS Maryland, 24 gun subscription-built ship-sloop of war, built in Baltimore , from the Federal Gazette and Baltimore Daily Register, June 4, 1799: "On the Taffrail is the Seal of Maryland, representing the figure of Justice and Peace with proper insignia; It is supported on the right by a Genius with a book and pen preparing to record the honors the ship may confer on her country, while on the left the Genius of Music is ready to strike his lyre in celebration of the rising greatness of America." And just for jollies, the Frigate USS Constellation and USS President: 3. USS Constellation, 36 gun frigate built in Baltimore, from the Federal Gazette, September 17, 1797: "The center is a large sphere with a constellation inserted, resting on a massy pedistal of an artificial form, with the fasces inlaid in the panel, emblematic of the Union and on the great basis on which our government rests; three large volumes and a Scroll, representing the three branches of Government and the Constitution, is reclining on the side of the Pedistal, and the Eagle and Arms of the United States on the other. Next are two of the Cardinal Virtues, Fortitude and Justice introduced as the supports, attributes indispensible with the happiness, honor and independence of a nation. Next to the figure of Fortitude on the Starboard side, is the figure or emblem of order, joined to the emblems of Industry and Agriculture ; supported by Ceres, the Goddess of Agriculture on the starboard quarter-piece ..." 4. USS President, 44-gun frigate, built in New York, from Claypole's American Daily Advertiser, Philadelphia, April 14, 1800. "Stern: In the center of the taffrail, the figure of America the right arm resting on the base of a monument and three books representing the three branches of government; in the right hand a pen, to record the heroic actions of her sons; in her left, the Constitution of the United States; at her feet, the American Fasces erect, supported by the standards of the Army and the Navy. On her right the figure of Wisdom, and the left the figure of Strength, both inclined, and looking to the center; in the right hand of Wisdom, a spear, the left resting against the port, and the bird of vigilence at her feet.; the left hand of Strength resting on a herculean club, the right hand resting against the port as the grand supporters of America ..."

"FOX 773" continued. Anyone contemplating the construction of the Boston should take note. Although the lines survive of her, the deck plan does not. So you could use the tabular data here to reconstruct it. Number of berth deck beams: 15 A / 20 JA / 22 B (Note: The Boston must have been a stronger ship with seven more berth deck knees than the Adams! The John Adams's berth deck knees were dove-tailed into the clamps without knees, when launched, in the French fashion. ) Sided: 1. 0 A / 1. 1/2JA / 1 .1 B Moulded: 1.1 A / 1.0 JA / 1.0 B Center of fore mast from forward: 23.4 A / 17.10. JA / 18 .6 B Center of fore mast do 71. A / 75.4 JA / 78 .6 B Center of Mizen mast do. 107 . 6 A / 109 .10 JA / 116 .3 B Bowsprit bits asunder: 1.6 A / 1.6 JA / 1.5 1/2 B Bowsprit bits square: .10 1/2 A / .11 1/2 JA / 1 .0 1/2 B Fore Most Cable bits from forward: 17 . 11 A / 27.3 JA / 30 8. B Ditto asunder: 3. 4 A / 6.7 JA / 4.3 1/2 B Ditto square: 1.1 A / 1.1 JA / 1 .4 1/2 B After cable bits: from forward: 34.10 A / blank . JA / blank . B Ditto asunder: 5. A / blank . JA / blank . B ditto square: 1.1 A / blank . JA / blank . B Fore Hatchway Length: 4 .11 A / 6.7 JA / 10.10 B Ditto Thwartships: 6. 6 A / 5 . 11 JA / 7 . 4 B Main Hatchway Length: 11. 9 A / 7 .6 JA / 9 .6 B Ditto Thwartships: 6.6 A / 6.7 JA / 7 .6 B After Hatchway Length: 4. 6 1/2 A / 5 .4 JA / 10 .7 1/2 B Ditto Thwartships: 6. A / 5.4 JA / 7 .6 B Companion Hatchway Length: 4.4 1/2 A / 4 .4 JA / blank . B Ditto Thwartships: 6. 0 A / 3 . 9 JA / blank . B

You might also call them ventilation ports. They are shown in the berth deck portion of the deck plan.

From document called 'FOX 773', in the Josiah Fox Papers in the Peabody and Essex Museum collections, a comparison of the three 12-pounder 28-gun US Frigates Adams, John Adams, and Boston, noted as A, JA and B, respectively: "Length on gun deck from fore part of rabbet of stem to after part of wing transom [in feet, inches, half inches]: 128.4 A / 127.9 JA / 133 B. Breadth extreme including both wales: 35 A / 33.3 JA / 35.6 B Depth of hold from limber streak: 15. 6 1/2 A / 16.10 JA / 17.1 B Height betwixt berth and gun decks: 5. 6 1/2 A / 5 . 10 1/2 JA / 5.9 B Height betwixt gun and spar decks: 6.10 A / 6.4 1/2 JA / 6. 3 B [Note: The above dimension shows that the JA was still a frigate when this document was written, probably 1807.] Draught of water when dimensions were taken Forward: 13 A / 11.1 1.2 JA / Blank B Draught of water when dimensions were taken Aft: 17. 7 A / 13 JA / Blank B Breadth at Wing Transom including wales: 24.4 A / 21. JA / 22. 6 B Number of Ports exclusive of Bridle ports: 24 A / 24 JA / 24 B Height of lower ports cills from deck: 1.10 1/2 A / .7 JA / 26 [obviously an error!] B Ports fore and aft in the clear: 2.6 1/2 A / 3.3 JA / 2.6 B Ports up and down in the clear: 2.2 A / Blank JA / 2.3 B Number of ports on quarterdeck: 6 A / Blank JA / Blank B Number of ports on forecastle: 4 A / Blank JA / Blank B [This figure would have been useful!. But the JA might have still been fitted out as a double-banked store ship at this time.] Forepart of foremost port from forward: 13. 8 A / 11. JA / 12. 8 B Afterpart of aftermost port from Ditto: 121.3 A / 121 . 3 JA / 126.11 B Gundeck ports from foreside to foreside: 9.6 1/2 A / 9 10 1/2 JA / 10.2 B Number of gun deck beams: 23 A / 22 JA / 23 B ditto sided: 1.1 A / 1.2 1/2 JA / 1.1 B ditto moulded: 1.0 A / 1.2 JA / 1/0 1/2 B More to come ....

Ditto: The John Adams was very useful to the early navy as a flush corvette. So much so, that the specifications for the ten 1816 "Gradual Increase" sloops - the Boston/Concord Class - were to the dimensions of the old John Adams. But she was too small to carry long 24-pounders, even if only medium 24-pounder columbiads. Of all the subscription frigates, only the John Adams was built out of Southern Live Oak, (by accident of geography, as she was built in Charleston) and so she outlived all the others. The old Frigates Boston and New York, built of inferior north-eastern white oak, were found too rotten by 1808 to be worth repairing, but the JA lasted until 1829 with almost constant service.

From yet another bloody earlier Frolicky post: Here's a first hand account of the John Adams's encounter with Helicon and Scylla, from "Naval Adventures: Thirty Five Years of Service" , Volume 1, by William Bowers, London, 1833: "Not long after, in company with the Scylla, eighteen, about two hundred miles west of Scilly, we descried a large ship under heavy press of sail, steering about W by N, She was painted black, showed no guns or colours, other than a small white flag at the foremast,, which, with the manner which she shortened sail, and backed her maintop sail, keeping the fore sail and jib on her, after we had whipped a few shot across her bows, impressed us with being a merchantman. I proceeded to board her, and on pulling up in her wake, was struck with her breadth of beam, and warlike cut of her canvass. When close upon her quarter, I hailed her, and was given to understand she was the United States Ship John Adams, having on board the American Envoy from the Texel, bearing the proposals for peace, and with an Admiralty passport. The captain at the same time invited me on board, pledging his word of honour, that I should not be detained. On this I pulled up and mounted the side. To my astonishment, as I was about to step on deck, I found the whole crew at their guns prepared for action,the matches burning, and the men with the train tackles in hand prepared for running out the guns. This corresponded so little with the peaceful declaration I had just received, that, not choosing to risk my own honour and the fate of the two vessels, I instantly jumped into the boat and returned to report what I had seen. By this time the Scylla was on her weather quarter and her commander, a fine veteran of the old school, being senior officer, I reported to him what i had seen.. He replied, 'Bear a hand onboard your ship, tell W_____ to keep his jib boom on my tafferail, and we will soon see who he is.' few minutes later, both brigs ranged up on his weather beam, as close as we could without danger of falling on board, and with a voice roaring like an old lion, Darby then hailed ordering to send an officer with his passport. This being complied with, and all being found correct, I returned with the American first lieutenant, a fine young fellow,and was received very cerimoniously. On entering the cabin, I was introduced to the Envoy, Mr. Dallas, refreshment was offered and I am almost ashamed to say refused,however, a young man might be excused if. influenced by a national sentiment, and in a hurry of movement, he should overlook those nice shades of conduct, which should guide him according to time, place and circumstance ... The American Captain expressed himself hurt at the cavalier and impervious manner inwhich he was hailed by the English commodore, as he styled him. I assured him nothing offensive was intended, but it was his natural manner, being a plane rough seaman. This ship had been a frigate, now raz'ee, and mounting twenty forty-two pounders and two long twelves, with a crew of three hundred men." I don't consider Captain Samuel Angus to have done anything wrong, having cleared for action when two English sloops of war were bearing down on her, and firing shots across his bow! It was certainly not a bout of "temporary insanity" as John Quincy Adams termed it. Must have been more to that story. I also note that the John Adams's bulwarks must have been high indeed for her gun crews not to have been seen until she was boarded by an English officer! Obvioulsly, her half ports were in place. Nowhere can I find the name of the JA's first lieutenant who so impressed Lt. Bowers of HM Brig Helicon.

From an earlier post: The John Adams became whole again in early 1813. It is possible that the JA never had a full forecastle deck installed in 1812, just a short platform called a "topgallant forecastle deck" for conning, as well as the armed quarterdeck, since that is the definition of a j.a.c.k.a.s.s. frigate: a frigate with no forcestle. A confidential letter written by the new Secretary of the Navy William Jones, to Master Commandant William Crane, dated April 16, 1813: " ... You will proceed immediately to Baltimore and take command of the United States Ship John Adams, destined by the President, for a special and confidential service and in order to render her fit for service it will be necessary to cut down her topsides and reconvert her into an efficient corvette, as she was previous to her last repair and outfit at Boston. About 16 or 17 feet of the after part of the quarterdeck and the topgallant forecastle will be retained, but without armament, or any thing above other ... other [than] the crane irons and ridge ropes. Her armament will be twenty heavy 12-pounders and four long 18-pounders." Keep the cranes, Crane! The confidential mission was to have been a raiding mission around Cape Horn on to the Oregon/Canadian coast to destroy the British settlements, and to protect the American presence in the northwest. Long guns would be needed to bombard any land settlements, if they chose not to go quietly. Politically connected millionaire John Astor was to accompany the expedition, since he had financed the American settlements already there. And so the ship was fitted out in the best possible fashion, and she was ordered to carry only the highest quality stores. The plan was cancelled when Crane and the ships' entire crew was instead sent on emergency status to Lake Ontario. Crane had practical problems with the desired armament: "The long 18-pounders in the yard are so badly made that they will not stand the proof. One burst on Lake Ontario and one burst yesterday. The 12-pounders are short, heavy, clumsy pieces, not of which will clear the stern ports." Fox was known to have decreased the rake of the JA's stern when she was razeed in 1807-9, but she might have still retained an excess stern rake, so much so that the guns couldn't reach all the way out. Crane wanted 32-pounder carronades, but they could only have been transported from the foundries in Maryland and Philadelphia by sea, and the British blockade was too tight. Crane was unable to enlist a full crew in New York either, in another letter to the SecNav dated May 4, 1813.: "I discover a very strong prejudice in the seamen against the John Adams." Since the ship had been repaired and fitted for the tastes of Mr. Astor, it was decided to send her off on a diplomatic voyage. The retention of a long piece of the quarterdeck was probably to house Astor and his staff. On February 5, the JA sailed under Master Commandant Samuel Angus to England carrying "Peace Commissioners" Henry Clay and Jonathan Russell, to try and negotiate the end to the war. On the way back, the JA was to bring her namesake's son, Diplomat John Quincy Adams, home. John Quincey Adams noted in his memoirs on June 13, 1814: "She (the John Adams) carries twenty-two guns, but is now only half-armed, having but twelve forty-two pound carronades." Presumably the rest of her guns were moved into the hold. Apparently, Commander Angus suffered several "temporary attacks of insanity" after picking up Adams off the Texel, and even tried to pick a fight with two small British brigs of war on August 25, 1814, even though the JA was flying the flag of truce. The commander of one of them, the 10-gun HMS Helicon (only 18-pounder carronades), noted that the John Adams was a razeed frigate, she had all her guns mounted, and was painted all black. Her consort was the 16-gun ex-French HMS Achates (24-pounders). That would have been an interesting battle! CORRECTION, CORRECTION! HMS Helicon's consort was HMS Scylla, 18 guns, with 32-pounder carronades, a Cruiser Class Brig, not HMS Achates.

From an earlier post: In 1812, after the JA have been converted to a fine fast and powerful flush decked corvette, William Banibridge ordered her upper works put back on so that he could have another frigate in the stable. The only benefit was the addition of eight 18-pouinder carronades to the new quarterdeck. She was so unstable that her 42-pounder main deck guns had to be swapped out for 32-pounders, and her two chase guns were reduced to nine-pounder and were placed on the lower deck since the new mini-forecastle couldn't take the weight. These changes caused indignation amongst the officer corps, who new well the old ship. Master Commandant Charles Ludlow took the j.a.c.k.a.s.s frigate on her maiden voyage on September 7, 1812, and wrote to the Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton: "I had a very good opportunity to try the sailing of the ship, and conceive it my duty to report the same. She cannot pass for more than a tolerable sailing merchant ship, and so crank that a ship of 20 guns ought to take her, in what would generally be called a topgallant breeze for ships of war." This means that her main deck gun ports were under water! Captain Ludlow continued: "When I took command of this ship from Captain (Joseph) Tarbell he insured me that it was his intention to apply to the department for orders to rejoin the ship again and wished me not to make any alterations. I have not made any of any consequence, but if Captain Tarbell is not to have her ... (which I will give up with much pleasure) I shall be under the necessity of applying for a survey of the ship, and trust can make it appear, that as a corvette, she will answer as a vessel of war, but at the present, she is unworthy of the name AMERICAN SHIP OF WAR, and I shall very reluctantly hazard the reputation of her officers and that of the service; in her present state; she will be considered by the public; and particularly with any vessel she may have to contend with, as a 32-gun frigate, when she mounts 32 guns." Captain Ludlow was of a great and influential naval family, he having a brother then serving as purser on the Constitution, and another brother Augustus Ludlow, destined to be the gallant, slain first lieutenant of the USS Chesapeake, of who the latter of which, many towns in the US would be named. (Ludlow, Vermont, for example.) Yet, he felt inclined to add: "With due deference I have made the above report, and hope I have not exceeded the bounds of rectitude." The report worked, and the JA sat out most of the war stripped of her guns in New York until the summer of 1814, intended as a 'harbor ship' for the defense of the port.

From an earlier post: There is a contemporary watercolor painting entitled "American Corvette" by William John Huggins. She is a flush decked corvette with a long rail-less poop and topgallant forcastle deck with 12 guns a side, exclusive of the broadside ports. I am 99% sure that it is of the John Adams, and I date the painting to her diplomatic mission of 1809-10. You can see it on the NMM site.