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| Laid down: | 14 November 1798 |
| Launched: | 28 November 1799 |
| Commissioned: | 5 April 1800 |
| Fate: | captured 1803 , then torched. |
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| Displacement: | 1,240 tons |
| Length: | 130 ft (40 m) |
| Beam: | 39 ft (11.9 m) |
| Depth: | 13.5 ft (4.1 m) |
| Complement: | 307 officers and men |
| Armament: | 28 x 18 pounder (8 kg) guns |
The second '' of the
United States Navy was a 28 gun
Sailing Frigate .
Originally named ''City of Philadelphia'', she was built from 1798–1799 for the United States government by the citizens of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . She was designed by
Josiah Fox and built by
Samuel Humphreys ,
Nathaniel Hutton , and
John Delavue . Her carved work was done by
William Rush of Philadelphia.
''Philadelphia'' was laid down about
14 November 1798 , launched
28 November 1799 ; and commissioned
5 April 1800 , Captain
Stephen Decatur, Sr. , in command. Putting to sea for duty in the
West Indies to serve in the
Quasi-War with
France , she arrived on the
Guadaloupe Station in May 1800 and relieved frigate
''Constellation'' . During this cruise she captured five French armed vessels and recaptured six merchant ships which had fallen into French hands.
Returning home in March 1801, ''Philadelphia'' was ordered to prepare for a year's cruise in the Mediterranean as part of a squadron commanded by
Commodore Richard Hale . At his own request, Decatur was relieved of the command of ''Philadelphia'' by Captain
Samuel Barron . The squadron, with Commodore Hale in frigate
''President'' , arrived
Gibraltar 1 July . ''Philadelphia'' was directed to cruise the Straits and blockade the coast of
Tripoli , the Bashaw having threatened to make war on the United States (the
First Barbary War ).
''Philadelphia'' departed Gibraltar en route to the United States
11 May 1802 , arriving in mid-July. In ordinary until
21 May 1803 , when she recommissioned, she again sailed for the Mediterranean on July 28. She arrived Gibraltar on August 24, Captain
William Bainbridge in command, and two days later recaptured the American
Brig ''Celia'' from the Moroccan ship-of-war ''Mirboka'', 24 guns and 100 men, and brought them both into Gibraltar.
,
1804 '', by
Edward Moran , painted
1897 .]]
She cruised off Tripoli until
31 October 1803 , when she ran aground on an uncharted
Reef off Tripoli harbor. All efforts to refloat her under fire from shore batteries and Tripolitan
Gunboat s failed, and she surrendered to the enemy; her officers and men were made captives.
''Philadelphia'' was boarded
16 February 1804 and burned where she lay in Tripoli Harbor with her guns pointed outward, by a volunteer party of officers and men under Lieutentant
Stephen Decatur, Jr. (son of the ship's first captain), in the
Ketch ''
Intrepid ''.
Horatio Nelson is said to have called this "the most bold and daring act of the age."
Her anchor was returned to the United States on
7 April 1871 , when the Bashaw presented it to the captain of the visiting
''Guerriere'' .
See
USS ''Philadelphia'' for other Navy ships of the same name.
