Simpson's Ships-- Part 1: USS Decatur and Congress

In the last post I  wrote about  Simpson's service aboard these ships up to the Mexican War.

The first two were involved with the Civil War.

The USS Decatur was a wooden sloop of war sailing ship launched in 1839 at the New York Navy Yard.  It was 117 feet long, had a 32 foot beam and crew of 150 officers and men.  It participated in the Mexican War.

Afterwards it was in the African Squadron, Home Squadron and the Pacific Squadron.

The ship was decommissioned at Mare Island in San Francisco Bay in 1859 and then remained in ordinary until March 1863, when she was fitted as a defensive floating battery and stationed off San Francisco to guard against Confederate raiders.  Plus, there was talk of a clandestine expedition of Confederates and their sympathizers from Canada.

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The second ship, the frigate USS Congress commissioned in 1842 and was 179 feet long with a 48-foot beam and mounted 53 cannons.  It took part in the Mexican War, but saw short service in the Civil War as it was sunk in 1862 by the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia.

--Old B-R'er