- USS Nautilus (1799)
"Nautilus" was a
schooner launched in 1799 and purchased by theUnited States Navy in 1803 as USS "Nautilus", the first ship to bear that name. She served in theFirst Barbary War . She was altered to a brigantine. The "Nautilus" was captured by the British during theWar of 1812 ."Nautilus" was built in 1799 as a merchant vessel by Henry Spencer on the Eastern Shore of
Maryland . She was purchased by the Navy in May 1803, atBaltimore, Maryland , from Thomas Tennant; and commissioned 24 June 1803, LieutenantRichard Somers in command.ervice history
First Barbary War
"Nautilus" sailed to
Hampton Roads , whence she got underway on 30 June for theMediterranean , carrying dispatches for the U.S.Mediterranean Squadron stationed there assigned to protect the interests of the United States and its citizens residing or trading in that area, and threatened at that time by theBarbary States ."Nautilus" arrived at
Gibraltar on 27 July and departed again on the 31st to deliver dispatches to Captain John Rodgers in into Tripoli harbor and burned the captured "Philadelphia", "Nautilus" cruised off Tunis.Toward the end of the month "Nautilus" retired to Syracuse, returning to Tripoli in mid-March. During May and June she repaired at
Messina . Departing 5 July, she joined "Constitution" off Tripoli on the 25th. During August and early September, she took part in the siege of Tripoli and saw action in five general attacks between 3 August and 3 September. For the next five months, she continued to cruise off Tripoli and Tunis, retiring periodically to Syracuse andMalta , whence in February 1805, she sailed toLivorno to acquire a new mainmast.On 27 April 1805, with
Oliver Hazard Perry in command, she arrived off Derne to participate in the attack, capture, and occupation of that town. She remained until 17 May, during which time she provided cover for the forces ofHamet Caramanli , formerBashaw of Tripoli, as they went into action against the army of Hamet's brotherYusuf ibn Ali Karamanli , who had overthrown Hamet and assumed his title. Departing on the 17th, "Nautilus" retired to Malta with dispatches and casualties. At the end of the month, she returned to Tripoli and on 10 June hostilities ceased with the signing of a peace treaty."Nautilus" remained in the Mediterranean for a year after the treaty went into effect, conducting operations from Malta and Gibraltar. In the spring of 1806 she was assigned to
Algiers for dispatch duty, sailing in June for the United States. Arriving atWashington, D.C. , in mid-July, she entered theWashington Navy Yard there and was placed in ordinary. Reactivated in 1808, she was employed on the East Coast until entering the Navy Yard again in 1810. Then altered to a brig, with a battery of twelve 18-pounder (8 kg)carronade s, she recommissioned in 1811 and joined the squadron commanded byStephen Decatur .The following year, the War of 1812 with Britain broke out and on 17 July
1812 , "Nautilus" gained the dubious distinction of being the first vessel lost on either side. Captured off northernNew Jersey by a squadron built around HMS|Africa|1781|2 (64 guns), HMS|Shannon|1806|2 (38 guns), and HMS|Aeolus|1801|2 (32 guns), the brig was taken into possession for the use of the King's service.References
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