- USS Queen of France (1777)
USS "Queen of France" was a
frigate in theContinental Navy . She was named forMarie Antoinette ."Queen of France" was an old ship purchased in
France in1777 by American commissioners,Benjamin Franklin andSilas Deane , and fitted out as a 28-gun frigate. She was inBoston Harbor by December1778 .In a squadron commanded by Captain
John Burroughs Hopkins , "Queen of France", commanded by CaptainJoseph Olney , departedBoston, Massachusetts 13 March 1779. She cruised along the Atlantic coast as far south asCharleston, South Carolina to destroy small armed vessels operating out ofNew York to prey upon American shipping. Near dawn 6 April, some 16 miles east ofCape Henry, Virginia , they sightedschooner "Hibernia", a 10-gunprivateer , and took her after a short chase. At about the same time the next morning, the American warships saw a fleet of 9 sails and pursued them until catching their quarry that afternoon. Ship "Jason", mounting 20 guns and carrying 150 men, headed the list of seven prizes that day, including also ship "Meriah" — carrying 10 six pounders and richly laden with provisions and cavalry equipment —brig s "Patriot", "Prince Ferdinand", "John", and "Batchelor", and finallyschooner "Chance". Hopkins ordered his ships home with their prizes, and "Queen of France" reached Boston with "Maria", "Hibernia", and three brigs on the 20th.While "Queen of France" was in Boston, Captain
John Rathbun relieved Capt. Olney in command of the frigate. She sailed 18 June with USS|Providence|1776|2 and USS|Ranger|1777|2. She fell in with the BritishJamaica Fleet of some 150 ships near theGrand Banks of Newfoundland about the middle of July. In the dense fog, the American warships pretended to be British frigates of the convoy’s escort and, sending boarding parties across by boats, quietly took possession of eleven prizes before slipping away at night. Three of the prizes were later recaptured, but the eight which reached Boston with the squadron late in August were sold for over a million dollars."Queen of France" departed Boston with frigates "Providence" and USS|Boston|1777|2, and sloop "Ranger", on 23 November and cruised east of
Bermuda . They took 12-gun privateer "Dolphin" on 5 December before arriving Charleston, on the 23rd."Queen of France" was sunk at Charleston to avoid falling into British hands when that city surrendered
11 May 1780 .As of 2005, no other ship has been named "Queen of France".
References
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