 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSMacedonian |
| Ordered | 28 September 1808 |
| Builder | Woolwich Dockyard |
| Laid down | May 1809 |
| Launched | 2 June 1810 |
| Out of service | 25 October 1812 |
| Fate | Captured |
 United States | |
| Name | USSMacedonian |
| Acquired | 25 October 1812 |
| Commissioned | April 1813 |
| Decommissioned | 1828 |
| Fate | Broken up, 1834 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Lively-classfrigate |
| Tons burthen | 1082bm[1] |
| Length | 154 ft (47 m) |
| Beam | 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m) |
| Draft | 18 ft 4 in (5.59 m) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Complement | 306 |
| Armament | rated as 38 guns 28 × 18-pounder guns 14 × 32-pounder carronades |
HMSMacedonian was a 38-gunfifth-rateLively-classfrigate in theRoyal Navy, later captured by theUSS United States during theWar of 1812.
Macedonian was built atWoolwich Dockyard, England in 1809,launched 2 June 1810, andcommissioned the same month. She was commanded byCaptainLord William FitzRoy. Among the original crew was the 13-year-oldSamuel Leech, who later wrote a memoir of his experiences.
Macedonian first delivered a company of soldiers toLisbon, Portugal, then remained in the area, guarding against the possibility of French naval attack. On 20 February 1811, she collided withIves – a Britishmerchant ship bound fromDemerara on the north coast ofSouth America toGreenock,Scotland – in theAtlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) off Lisbon, andIves was so severely damaged that she was set afire andMacedonian took her crew aboard.[2] WhileMacedonian operated off Portugal, FitzRoy made personal profit by falsification of records of ships' stores, for which he wascourt-martialled in March 1811 and dismissed from the service. (He was quietly reinstated in August 1811, presumably due to his aristocratic rank).
FitzRoy's replacement,William Waldegrave, was an interim appointment whose command lasted for only a few weeks before he was himself replaced byJohn Surnam Carden. One of Carden's first actions was to hire a band, a move popular with the crew, but he did not get along with the first lieutenant David Hope.
In January 1812,Macedonian was ordered to secretly deliver some bills of exchange toNorfolk, Virginia, and to bring back an equivalent quantity of gold and silver currency, as part of a scheme to keep theBank of England solvent. During the visit, Carden socialised with the notables of Norfolk, including CaptainStephen Decatur, but bungled the mission by inadvertently revealing what was planned, and had to return to Lisbon empty handed. Captain Carden dined frequently with Decatur and his wife Susan and jokingly bet a beaver hat on the outcome of a battle of their ships. They had come to consider one another friends.
In September 1812,Macedonian was ordered to accompany anEast Indiaman as far asMadeira, then to cruise in search of prizes as long as his supplies permitted.
Macedonian left Madeira on 22 October 1812, but only a few days later, on the morning of 25 October, encounteredUSS United States, commanded by Carden's former dinner host Decatur. The United States had just declaredwar on the United Kingdom, and both captains were eager to achieve personal glory in a fight.
Unfortunately forMacedonian,United States was a 44-gun heavyfrigate, and her broadside was 864 pounds (392 kg) of metal, versusMacedonian's 528 pounds (239 kg). USSUnited States hove round, turning downwind and making HMSMacedonian chase her. Within a few minutes of closing, fire fromUnited States's 24-pounder cannons brought down all three ofMacedonian's masts, and riddled the hull.United States then pulled away temporarily, leaving Carden and Hope time to contemplate their lack of options. Finally, withUnited States preparing to rake the British vessel again, Carden struck his colors, makingMacedonian the second Royal Navy vessel to surrender to the Americans during the war.[3]
Decatur was careful to preserveMacedonian, sending over a detail to help repair her. This took a full two weeks. Decatur then brought the captured ship intoNewport, Rhode Island, as a prize on 4 December 1812, causing an immediate national sensation.USS Constitution had previously beatenHMS Guerriere, butGuerriere had been too badly damaged to save.Macedonian was a sizable and welcome addition to the then tiny US Navy.
Macedonian was immediately taken into the United States Navy, retaining the name asMacedonian under the command of CaptainJacob Jones.
Early in May after receiving needed repairsMacedonian, along withUnited States and thesloopHornet hoped to make their way to sea from the anchorage of Staten Island by way of Sandy Hook but were unable because of the British Blockade. Two ships of the line and three frigates were guarding that passage. Decatur, determined, took his squadron and crossing New York harbor made his way up the East River by way ofHell Gate,New York, 24 May 1813. While sailing along Long Island Sound on the night of 24 May the flagshipUnited States was struck by lightning, causing damage to the main mast, which came crashing down and caused serious damage to the vessel.Macedonian, being close by, immediately distanced herself from the periledUnited States. After hasty repairs the fleet continued on their way eastward along the Sound. Because of unfavorable winds and a passage not favorable to heavy vessels, the fleet finally reached Montauk Point, the easternmost point of Long Island. The open sea was now before them but the British had blockading vessels there lying in wait. Outmatched, the fleet had no alternative but to turn back, making their way to theThames River, whereMacedonian and the rest of the fleet remained until the end of thewar.[4]
On 20 May 1815 she departed for theMediterranean to join Commodore Decatur's 10-ship squadron in theSecond Barbary War in Algeria, a renewal of naval action against theBarbary powers, to stop harassment of American shipping. On 17 June the frigate assisted in the capture of the Algerian flagship, the frigateMashuda, by frigatesConstellation andGuerriere, the sloops-of-warEpervier andOntario.
The signing of a treaty withTunis andTripoli on 7 August, following that withAlgeria in June, won maritime freedom in the Mediterranean. The next three yearsMacedonian patrolled there and off the East Coast.
From January 1819 to March 1821 the frigate operated off thePacific coast of South America, giving aid and protection to the commercial ships in the area during the disorders following the Latin American colonial revolts, before returning toBoston in June 1821.
During this period she worked as a banking ship, doing business withprivateers of every kind. Captain Downes often kept his midshipmen and other trusted aides busy counting specie. Many deposits were made, with many single deposits of over 100,000.[citation needed]
The men complained bitterly about their treatment, writing of how they were forced to eat mealy grain while counting hundreds of thousands of dollars in specie. Many of the men felt that Captain Downes was doing this for the "good of the Captain" and wondered when they would be used for the purpose they joined the Navy for rather than for the Captain's personal enrichment.[citation needed]
On 2 April 1822 theMacedonian leftBoston as part of Commodore James Biddle'sWest Indies Squadron. Secretary of the NavySmith Thompson had assigned the squadron to guard United States merchant shipping and suppress piracy. During their deployment seventy six of theMacedonian officers and men died. Seventy four of these deaths were byyellow fever. Biddle reported another fifty two of his crew were on sick-list. In their report to the Secretary of the Navy, Commodore Biddle and Surgeon's Mate Dr. Charles Chase state the cause as "fever". As a consequence of this loss Biddle noted his squadron was forced to return to Norfolk Navy Yard early. TheMacedonian crew upon arrival were provided medical care and quarantined atCraney Island[5][6][7]
She next cruised in theWest Indies, where she helped suppress piracy, into 1826.
On 11 June 1826Macedonian departed Norfolk for service on the Pacific station, returning toHampton Roads, 30 October 1828. She was decommissioned in 1828 and was broken up at theNorfolk Navy Yard. The crew for this final voyage includedWilliam Henry Leonard Poe, brother of American writerEdgar Allan Poe.[8] HMSMacedonian's captured ensign was on display at Mahan Hall at theU.S. Naval Academy, but was removed on 27 February 2018 for preservation.[9]
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