Frigate "Constitution" built with U.S. Mint copper
RogerB
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This interesting letter states that a quantity of copper was purchased by the War Department for use in cladding the Frigate Constitution ("Old Ironsides") then under construction in Boston.
"War Office
January 24, 1798
To:
Tench Francis
War Department
Sir,
Be pleased to inform the Secretary of War of the five tons of copper had from the Mint for the Frigate Constitution has been paid for out of the monies appropriated for the Naval Department; also of what monies have been paid for andirons for the frigate furnished by the contractors in the State of New York.
The Secretary of the Treasury says that there are due to other departments about 20 thousand dollars for articles, etc. drawn from these departments for the Naval Service. Will you be so kind as to furnish the Secretary of War with a list of such articles and their exact amount, that they may be included in the Naval estimates.
Respectfully,
Josiah Fox [Navy Constructor]"
[Peabody Essex Museum Josiah Fox Papers]
Comments
She just finished a major restoration last year including pulling all the copper siding off.
Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.
If I recall correctly, the government had a substantial amount of copper in the naval stores in Boston in 1781 that ended up in the Bank of North America. From there, it is alleged that some went to James Jarvis for the Fugios (and mostly became Connecticuts).
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
Having seen how a ship restoration works (at the Mystic seaport museum) for a very old ship like this, about the only thing that is original is the keel, which is preserved in salt water. I dare say that the copper that was recovered from this latest restoration came from 20th century. I remember that the Constitution was restored when I lived in the Boston area in the early 1980s.
An added thought ...
I have read that there was a 1797 Bust Dollar nailed to the main mast when the _Constitution _ was commissioned. I wonder what happened to that coin?
Wait a minute - aren't there relic medals from the USS Constitution? That's kind of ironic
@BillJones When I took the tour I was asking one of the navy crew about the last time she sailed under her own sails. I said it was sad that navy crew never get to experience that. They kept trying to correct me that no they take her out into the bay. I said you mean tugboats pull you out.. yea.. that’s not under sail, she hadn’t been under her own sails since 1997 and before that it had been over 100 years. They just couldn’t quite comprehend what I was saying. Before the 1997 sail, no one in the navy knew how to sail her, and she wasn’t really capable even if she’d had a crew. She required retrofitting, and a lot of training to the crew. Even then they had to use outside professionals is well.
It’s estimated that 10-15% of her original timber is all that’s left.
Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.
Here are some relics from the USS Constitution. Nice that these may be from the US Mint!
So is it being said that copper from the Mint that was used in the Constitution was later used to make souvenir medals of copper.....? Now if only the Mint had made the medals.
The Constitution was refitted and restored many times the first being in 1809 (I think).
Midshipmen from the Naval Academy train on a sailing ship, so there must be a group of active duty personnel who could manage it under sail. But it's probably considered too dangerous (or too fragile) for real use.
Another overhaul means more relics made from USS Constitution wood and copper!
I have a few various items and look forward to what might come next.
It is true that most of the ship is not "original", meaning not from 1797. But, it is a living ship (still commissioned) and as such must be constantly maintained to remain seaworthy.
...or at least "tourist worthy".....
Nice historical pieces, thanks for sharing !!!
The “Constitution” could not have been used for training for many years because it didn’t have any sails available due to the expense. The ship is still an officially commissioned U.S. Navy ship (the oldest one in the world) and must taken out once a year if sea worthy (e.g. not in dry dock) can remember seeing it towed out from its museum dock pulled buy tugboats.
I was on the USS Constitution last week. Bucket list item. I was there 17 years ago, in October, but it was closed due to terrorist concerns (right after 9/11). They say on the ship about 15% is original. After it's restoration in 2012, it was able to sail under it's own (sail) power, first time since the 1800's.
On a more personal note, behind our house in Texas, there is old growth oak. 2 of the trees were requested for use in the restoration back in the 1970's, IIRC correctly. The previous owner's declined. Part of the strength of the ship is due to the structure of the ship NOT being pieces fitted together, but large trees where the trunk had a large branch jutting out (talking branches over 2 feet thick), and the entire SECTION was carved to fit, somewhat of a right angle item, so it retained the original strength of the tree, not 2 or more pieces fitted together. One of the trees fell 2 years ago, and is too large to remove, so it is just rotting away. The other tree is truly magnificent, about 390 years old, absolutely huge.
Here’s an interesting article on a reunion they had for the 1997 crew that had her under sail if anyone’s interested!
https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/2017/12/21/sail-big-ship/
Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.
She is a beauty!
Old Ironsides-Written 1830 by Oliver Wendell Holmes
Aye tear her tattered ensign down
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon's roar;—
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more.
Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;—
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!
Oh, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave;
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning and the gale!
When I lived in Boston about 10 years ago, there was a member of the Boston Numismatic Society who collected USS Constitution relic pieces and would bring new ones to the meetings. Always interesting.
I wonder if they'd be interested in the massive oak I have.
They'd have to wait a while, though.
This excerpt from an article about construction of the Constitution might be of added interest.
The hull of the USS Constitution was originally made of white oak and live oak. The hull consisted of three layers with the outer and inner horizontal layers being made of white oak and the center vertical layer being made of live oak.
According to an article on the American Society of Civil Engineers website (ASCE), this live oak is what gave the ship its iron-like strength and earned it the nickname “Old Ironsides” during the battle with the HMS Guerriere in 1812:
“This heavy timber has a density of 75 pounds per cubic foot, making it heavier than water, heavier than most other common timbers. The huge internal braces of the ship were cut in solid pieces from individual trees, as opposed to being compositely joined on site. The result was a hard body that appeared to deflect cannon balls like iron.”
When the ship was being built in the 18th century, live and white oak grew abundantly throughout the colonies and was easy to procure. The live oak used to build the Constitution came from the swamp coastal forests of Georgia.
[Rebecca Beatrice Brooks, “Construction of the USS Constitution,” HistoryofMassachussets.org. June 27, 2017.]
I have been on the Constitution when I was in the Navy.... just a visit while my ship was in the ship yard for repair. I have a knife made with wood handles from the deck (procured during a retrofit).... The knife was made by a professional and the wood handles are documented. Cheers, RicKO
a good rich history for all to be had
This copper was the remainder of the clippings left over from the
cent coinage of 1797. Another parcel of copper was purchased by
the Navy later on in 1798. The copper clippings were also sold to
local coppersmiths and metal workers.
The keel was laid in 1794 for the Constitution, the work was suspended and then resumed with the launch in September of 1797. Much of the financing for the re-building of the US Navy to fight the Quasi and First Barbary Wars was initiated from the Stamp Act of July 6,1797. The US Mint played a large role in making this happen, Adam Eckfeldt was contracted to build 18 stamp screw presses, and Robert Scot engraved 240 stamp dies of various denominations for the sixteen states.
This will mean a lot to my grandson.
He recently mentioned this medal I bought from a forum member and gave to him some years back.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
I try to select things that will be of interest, informative and far away from the usual ebay complaints, guess something, making a buck.