AN HISTORICAL RECORD OF THOSE NOW IN SERVICE AND OF THEIR PREDECESSORS OF THE SAME NAME 1776-1915
KANSAS
KANSAS.—One of the United States, on the prairie between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. It was part of the Louisiana Purchase; and was admitted into the Union in 1861.
The battleship Kansas is the second ship to be named after the Sunflower State. She was authorized by the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1903, and was built by the New York Shipbuilding Company at Camden, N. J., where she was launched on August 12, 1905, her contract price being $4,165,000. Her general dimensions are: length, 450 feet; breadth, 76 feet 10 inches; draft, 24 feet 6 inches, and displacement, 16,boo tons. The engines are of the vertical, twin-screw, four-cylinder, triple-expansion type, of a combined indicated horse power of 19,957. There are 16 Babcock and Wilcox boilers. Her speed on trial was 18.99 knots. She carries a crew of 41 officers and 890 men.
The main battery consists of four 12-inch B. L. R.'s, eight 8-inch B. L. R.'s and twelve 7-inch B. L. R.'s, while the secondary battery includes twenty 3-inch 14-pounder R. F. guns. There are four submerged torpedo tubes, and the usual boat guns and field pieces. The 12-inch guns are mounted in pairs in two elliptical turrets on the center line, one forward and one aft, and the 8-inch guns in pairs in four turrets, two on the beam at each end of the superstructure. The 7-inch guns are mounted in broadside on the gun deck behind 7-inch armor. The hull of the vessel is protected at the water line by a complete belt of armor 9 feet 3 inches wide, having a maximum thickness of 9 inches for about 280 feet amid ships. The 12-inch barbettes extend from the protective deck to about 4 feet above the main deck and consist of 10 inches of armor in front and 7 1/2 inches in the rear above the gun deck. The 12-inch turrets have a front plate 12 inches thick, rear plates 8 inches thick, and top plates 2-1/2 inches thick, while the 8-inch turrets have armor varying in thickness from 6i to 2 inches.
The Kansas was placed in service at the League Island Navy Yard on April 18, 19o7, by Captain Charles E. Vreeland, and left on her first cruise on August 17. In December she sailed from Hampton Roads with the Atlantic fleet on the cruise around the world, returning to Philadelphia on February 28, 1909, for repairs and overhaul. On April 20, 1909, Captain Vreeland was relieved by Lieut. Commander Philip Andrews, who, in turn, was succeeded by Captain Walter C. Cowles (April 30, 1909), and Lieut. Commander William C. Cole (May 31, 1909). Under Captain Charles J. Badger ( June 14, 1909) the Kansas made a three years' cruise with the Atlantic fleet, leaving Philadelphia on June 17, 1909, and finally putting into Hampton Roads on April 11, 1911, where Captain John A. Hoogewerff, on April 19, 1911, relieved Captain Badger. The Kansas formed part of the second division of the battleship fleet for the next few years, and with it made a cruise to France and England in the fall of 1910 and to the Baltic Sea in the summer of 1911. Captain William B. Fletcher took command of the ship on May 30, 1913, and under him the Kansas performed duty in Mexican waters from December 23, 1913, to February 2, 1914. In the spring of 1914 there followed a period of general overhaul, after which the ship again put to sea, under Captain Henry F. Bryan (May 19, 1914) for service with the fleet.
The first Kansas was a screw steamer built by the government during the Civil War at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. She was a vessel of the fourth rate. Her cost of construction was $212,316.78, and she was launched on September 29, 1863. Her principal dimensions were: length, 179 feet .6 inches; breadth, 30 feet; depth of hold, 12 feet 9 inches; draft, 10 feet 6 inches; tonnage (old measurement), 593 tons, and displacement, 836 tons. She was built of wood, and was brigantine-rigged. Her crew consisted of 108 men.
The machinery of the Kansas was taken from the prize steamer Princess Royal, and consisted of two horizontal, direct-acting, two cylinder engines, of 24 inches stroke, and two condensing, straightway boilers. Her speed was 8 knots. The armament of the Kansas was altered on a number of occasions. On January 20, 1864, she carried one i50-pounder Parrott rifle, one 30-pounder Parrott, two 20-pounder Dahlgren rifles, two 9-inch smoothbores, and two howitzers. On September 26, 1864, a 100-pounder Parrott was substituted for the 150-pounder gun, and this, on March 31, 1865, was supplanted by an 11-inch smoothbore. On September 30, 1865, another light 12-pounder was added. In August, 1870, the Kansas' battery included one 11-inch smoothbore, two 9-inch guns, one 20-pounder Parrott, and one howitzer.
The Kansas was commissioned at Philadelphia on December 2I, 1863, by Lieut. Commander Pendleton G. Watmough, and sailed six days later to join the North Atlantic blockading squadron. She was delayed some time at Hampton Roads on account of trouble with her engines, but in March, 1864, she was-mentioned as being on the blockade off New Inlet, N. C. From this time on the Kansas was active on the blockade as an "outside cruiser." On May 6, 1864, she participated in the capture of the Young Republic; on May 7 she engaged the Confederate ironclad ram Raleigh off New Inlet; on May 15 she intercepted the British blockade runner Tristram Shandy. During the first attack upon Fort Fisher on December 24 and 25, 1864, the Kansas fired 577 shots, and in the course of the second attack, on January 13-15, 1865, she expended 488 rounds of time and percussion shell, while she had one man wounded in the land attack. After the fall of Fort Fisher the Kansas was ordered to Smithville, N. C., and later to the James River (May, 1865), where she was stationed until the close of hostilities. She returned to Philadelphia on April 23, 1865, and was placed out of commission on May 4.
On July 28, 1865, the Kansas was again placed in service and attached, under Lieut. Commander C. H. Wells, to the Gulf squadron. In January, 1867, she was transferred to the South Atlantic squadron and made a cruise to the West Coast of Africa in search of possible slavers. Later she was engaged in protecting American interests in South America. Her commanding officers during this period were: Lieut. Commander C. L. Huntington (August 3, 1867), Lieut. Commander W. H. Dana (September 14, 1867), Lieut. Commander Henry Erben (July 25, 1868), Lieutenant W. K. Wheeler (Oct. 24, 1868), Lieut. Commander H. B. Seely (December 13, 1868), and Commander Henry Erben (March 29, 1869). The Kansas returned to the navy yard at Washington, D. C., on September 15, 1869, and was placed in ordinary on September 22, 1869:
From 1870 to 1875 the Kansas was again at sea, on special service, with the Tehuantepec and Nicaragua Surveying Expedition. She sailed from Washington on October 10, 1870, and cruised between Greytown and Key West. Her commanding officers were: Lieut. Commander N. H. Farquhar (September 26, 1870), Commander Chester Hatfield (June 20, 1871), Commander Edwin White (April 16, 1872), Commander Chester Hatfield (July 4, 1872), Commander Edwin White (July 30, 1872), Commander Allen V. Reed (August 14, 1872), Lieut. Commander Alfred Hopkins (June 20, 1874), and Commander R. S. McCook (April 10, 1875). The Kansas was finally ordered to Portsmouth, N. H., where she arrived on August 4, 1875. She was placed out of commission six days later, and was sold on September 27, 1883, to I. L. Snow, at Rockland, Me., for $7,000.
MINNESOTA
MINNESOTA.—One of the United States. Originally part of the French colony of Louisiana, it was ceded to the United States in 18.03. The first American settlement was established at Fort Snelling in 1819. In 1858 Minnesota was admitted into the Union as a state.
The battleship Minnesota was the second ship of our navy to bear the name of the Gopher State. She was authorized by the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1903, and was launched at the yards of the Newport News Shipbuilding Company, Virginia, on April 8, 1905. Her general dimensions are: length, 450 feet; breadth, 76 feet 10 inches; draft, 24 feet 6 inches; displacement, 16,000 tons. Her propelling machinery consists of two sets of vertical, triple-expansion engines, for which steam is furnished by 12 Babcock and Wilcox boilers. Her speed on trial was 18.85 knots. The Minnesota cost $4,110,000. Her complement included 41 officers and 840 men.
The armament of the Minnesota includes four 12-inch B. L. R.'s mounted in pairs in two turrets forward and aft, eight 8-inch B. L. R.'s placed in four turrets, two on each beam, and twelve 7-inch rapid fire guns on .the gun deck in casemates. Her secondary battery comprises twenty 3-inch guns, twelve 3-pounders, and the usual field pieces and boat guns. There are also four 21-inch torpedo tubes. The armor protection for the turrets varies from 12 to 6 1/2 inches in thickness, and that of the barbettes from 10 to 4 inches in thickness, while there is a water-line belt of 9 inches of steel, and a steel protective deck tapering from 3 to 1 ½ inches.
The Minnesota was placed in service at Norfolk by Captain John Hubbard on March 9, 1907, and sailed on her first cruise on April 7. During the spring and summer of 1907 she was on duty connected with the Jamestown Exposition, after which she joined the Atlantic fleet and took part in the cruise around the world in 1907-1909. On her return, in February, 1909, the Minnesota was ordered to Norfolk for repairs. On March I, 1909, Commander William S. Sims relieved Captain Hubbard, and a few months later the Minnesota again left port to rejoin the fleet. From June 7 to 22, 1912, she was stationed at Guantanamo, Cuba, on duty in connection with the Cuban rebellion. In October, 1912, she was present at the naval review held at New York. From January to August, 1914, she was in Mexican waters. Her commanding officers during this period were: Captain G. R. Clark (April 19, 1911), Captain Edward Simpson (November 12, 1912), and Captain Casey B. Morgan (November 24, 1914).
The first Minnesota was a screw frigate of the first rate, of 4700 tons displacement. She was authorized by the Act of April 6, 1854, and she was launched on December 1, 1855, at the Washington Navy Yard. Her principal dimensions were: length, 264 feet 8i inches; breadth, 51 feet 4 inches; draft, 23 feet; tonnage (old measurement), 3307 tons. She had two horizontal engines of woo h. p., and two Martin tubular boilers. Her speed was 9.25 knots. Her cost of construction was $691,408.14. She carried a crew of 540 men.
The armament of the Minnesota was changed many times during the Civil War. Her original battery consisted of one 10-inch smoothbore, twenty-six 9-inch guns, and fourteen 8-inch shell guns. On May 2, 1861, two 9-inch guns 'were added; eight days later four howitzers were mounted; while on December 27, 1862, the following battery was assigned: One 110-pounder gun, one 200-pounder Parrott rifle, four 100-pounder Parrotts, and thirty-six 9-inch smoothbores. In April, 1863, there were one 150-pounder Parrott rifle, two 100-pounders, one 11-inch shell gun, and twenty-one 9-inch smoothbores. Later in the year two more 100-pounders, seventeen 9-inch guns and four howitzers were mounted in addition to this battery. On May 26, 1864, the Minnesota is credited with one 150-pounder, one 1-inch gun, and eighteen 9-inch shell guns. This armament was, on October 12, 1864, increased by twenty 9-inch guns, one 100-pounder rifle and four howitzers. After the war, in June, 1867, the Minnesota carried one 11-inch smoothbore, forty 9-inch guns, two 60-pounder rifles and four 12-pounder howitzers. In January, 1874, her battery consisted of two 1-inch smoothbores, forty-two 9-inch guns, two 100-pounder rifles and two howitzers; in June, 1875, there were twenty-six 9-inch smoothbores, four 32-pounders of 45 cwt., one 11-inch smoothbore and two howitzers; in April, 1878, she carried twelve additional 9-inch guns and two 20-pounder B. L. R.'s; in December, 1879, she was assigned twenty-four 9-inch smoothbores, sixteen 32-pounders, two 20-pounder B. L. R.'s, and ten pieces of smaller caliber; in April, 1882, she had one 60-pounder B. L. R., twenty-four 9-inch smoothbores, two 20-pounder B. L. R.'s, and four smaller guns.
The Minnesota made her maiden cruise in the East Indies under Captain S. F. Du Pont (May 21, 1857). She sailed from Philadelphia on May 28, 1857, with the Hon. William B. Read, United States Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China, as passenger. After visiting the principal ports of China and Japan with the squadron, she left the station early in 1859, and on her passage home stopped at Bombay, where she was visited by the governor and by the commander-in-chief of the army and navy of West India, and at Muscat, where the visit of the Minnesota caused so much gratification to the Sultan—she was the largest vessel of war that had yet visited him in his dominion—that he offered to present Captain Du Pont with an Arabian steed and a jewelled sword. On her return to Boston, on June 2, 1859, the Minnesota was placed out of commission.
On the outbreak of the Civil War, Flag Officer S. H. Stringham was ordered to hoist his broad pennant on board the Minnesota as flagship of the Atlantic blockading squadron. The ship was accordingly placed in commission on May 2, 1861, by Captain G. J. Van Brunt, and on the 8th she left Boston for Hampton Roads, Va., where she arrived after a moderate passage, and immediately established the blockade. While in these waters several prizes were captured and the activities of the Confederate vessels considerably interfered with.
The importance of extending the operations of the Union blockading fleets farther south, in order to close more effectively the main inlets through which blockade runners and smugglers glided, laden one way with the products of English workshops, and the other with cotton, led to the fitting out of a squadron under Flag Officer String-ham for the purpose of forcing the Confederate position at Hatteras Inlet, N. C. Here two important works had been erected, Fort Hatteras, mounting 20 guns, and Fort Clark, on the opposite side of the bay, with five guns. "It was the first important experiment of the war in engaging earthworks with ships," says Professor Boynton, "and the result was awaited with no small anxiety by those who had planned the expedition. At 8.45 on the morning of August 28, 1861, the Wabash got under way, and, with the Cumberland in tow, led in toward Fort Clark, the Minnesota following them. The heavy frigates were watched with intense interest as they steamed on toward positions within range of the forts, and at 10 a. m. the jets of smoke leaping from every port of the broadside, and the deep roar that came rolling over the waves, announced that the fight had begun. Ten minutes later the Minnesota, having passed inside the Wabash, took a position nearer to the forts and opened upon them with her mighty battery. Nine-inch, 10-inch and 11-inch shells burst over, around and in the fort so thickly that the gunners could take no steady aim, and were often driven from their guns." Shortly after noon the Confederates abandoned Fort Clark. On the next day the fire of the ships was concentrated on Fort Hatteras. The range was two miles, and the 15-second fuses exploded the shells perfectly. The garrison was forced to take shelter in the bombproofs. But even there the men were not safe, for a shell struck a ventilator and went through, spreading consternation among the 300 soldiers that were packed within. Further resistance meant only a useless sacrifice of life. So the white flag was run up over the fort, and the works were surrendered to the navy.
After the battle the Minnesota returned to Hampton Roads, where she maintained her station unchallenged throughout the fall and winter. In the spring of 1862, however, an event occurred which was destined to revolutionize naval warfare. In one hour the "mighty battery" of the proud frigate was "rendered use less." For on March 8, 1862, the much-heralded "iron-plated steam battery Merrimac" made her appearance and, in six hours, sunk one frigate, set fire to another, and caused three others to run aground. "I fired upon the Merrimac with my pivot 10-inch gun without apparent effect," wrote Captain Van Brunt. "The tremendous firing of my broadside guns crowded me farther upon the mud bank, into which the ship seemed to have made for herself a cradle. At 2 a. m. the iron battery Monitor, Commander John L. Worden, came alongside and reported for duty, and then all on board felt that we had a friend that would stand by us in our hour of trial." The next day the Merrimac returned to complete the destruction of the wooden fleet. But the Monitor ran out to meet her and fired gun after gun, "which was returned with whole broadsides from the rebels with no more effect, apparently, than so many pebblestones thrown by a child. The Merrimac, finding that she could make nothing of the Monitor, turned her attention once more to me. I opened upon her with all my broadside guns and 10-inch pivot, a broadside which would have blown out of the water any timber-built ship in the world." But the little Monitor once more placed herself between the Minnesota and her terrible antagonist, and compelled her to change her position.
On March 10 the Assistant Secretary of the Navy wrote: "The Minnesota is now getting ready for sea; she is no use here." But by the following day it was reported that, "by the great exertions of her people, she was again in condition for fighting, with her steam power uninjured," with Captain Dahlgren proposing that she "should have all her masts and spars out of the way except the lower yards, from which shells should be dropped into the funnel of the Merrimac if they come in contact." Once more the Confederate ironclad made her appearance, but she withdrew without coming to close quarters, and shortly after was destroyed by her own crew to prevent her capture by the Union troops that were threatening Norfolk from the rear.
After a brief visit to the recaptured navy yard at Norfolk, the Minnesota returned to Newport News, Va. There she remained as flagship of Rear Admiral S. P. Lee until October 20, 1862, when her commanding officer, Commander N. B. Harrison (September 30, 1862), received orders to proceed north for docking and for a change of battery. Besides, there was the question of liberty for her crew, which "the fleet surgeon verbally and earnestly represented was necessary" after their arduous service of the past 16 months.
In March, 1863, the Minnesota rejoined the squadron at Hampton Roads and Admiral Lee transferred his flag to her. "This is the only man-of-war in this squadron," wrote the admiral, "with cabin accommodations for more than her commander. Hence the detail of this vessel for the blockade of Wilmington necessarily makes like disposition of me." So when the ship was ordered to reinforce the vessels stationed off Cape Fear, the admiral went along too. But it was not for long. Within two months the Minnesota was back in Hampton Roads as "stationary flagship," the admiral's mind was again at rest on the subject, and the ship's company were attending to their duties under the direction of Lieut. Commander J. H. Upshur, who, on December 9, 1863, had relieved Commander Harrison in command. The Confederates, however, were determined to interrupt the peaceful scene. Early in the morning of April 9, 1864, they sent the torpedo boat Squib to make an attack upon the flagship. A charge was exploded, and the" David "made her escape, but the Minnesota was not seriously injured and was able to maintain her station.
Under Commodore Joseph Lanman (September 30, 1864), the Minnesota participated in the two attacks upon Fort Fisher at the entrance of the Cape Fear River, North Carolina. During the first attack, December 24 and 25, 1864, the ship occupied a station one mile from the fort and her rapid firing was "of the most terrific character," while on January 15, 1865, she contributed 240 officers and men to the assaulting party and covered their advance with a heavy fire from her powerful battery. After this, Commodore Lanman was ordered to assume charge of the naval force in Hampton Roads, and later directed to proceed to Portsmouth, N. H., where he arrived on February 9, 1865, and on the 16th placed the Minnesota out of commission.
On June 3, 1867, the Minnesota was again placed in service under Commodore James Alden, and made a cruise to Europe with the midshipmen from the Naval Academy. Upon the completion of this special service she was placed in ordinary at New York on January 31, 1868. On June 12, 1875, she was again commissioned at the New York Navy Yard, where she was maintained until October 8, 1895, as gunnery ship and training ship for apprentices. Her commanding officers during this period were:
Captain Andrew W. Johnson (June 12, 1875), Captain Stephen B. Luce (January 1, 1878), Captain Ralph Chandler (February 15, 1881), Lieut. Commander George T. Davis (August 10, 1881), Commander H. L. Howison (November 17, 1881), Captain James H. Gillis (February 22, 1882), Captain A. V. Reed (November 29, 1884), Commander Theodore F. Kane (January 15, 1886), Captain Gilbert C. Wiltse (April 4, 1888), Lieut. Commander E. S. Houston (February 4, 1891), Captain E. E. Potter (April 1, 1891), Captain J. R. Bartlett (January 14, 1893), Lieut. Commander J. C. Rich (May 15, 1893), Commander E. M. Shepard (July 17, 1893), and Captain Henry F. Picking (November 21, 1894). In 1895 the Minnesota was transferred to the Massachusetts Naval Militia, to which she remained assigned until August, 1901, when she was sold at Boston to Thomas Butler & Co., for $25,738.38.
CONNECTICUT
CONNECTICUT.-One of the original thirteen states of the Union. It was settled by the English in 1633-36, and received a charter from Charles II in 1662.
The battleship Connecticut is the sixth ship of our navy to bear the name of the Nutmeg State. She was authorized by the Act of Congress approved July 1, 1902, and was launched at the New York Navy Yard on September 29, 1904, her cost of construction being $4,212,000. Her principal dimensions are: length, 450 feet; breadth, 76 feet 10 inches; draft, 24 feet 6 inches, and displacement, 16,000 tons. Her hull is steel throughout, and is protected at the water-line by a complete belt of armor 9 feet 3 inches wide, having a maximum thickness of ii inches for about 200 feet amidships. Forward and aft of this the thickness .of the armor is gradually decreased to 4 inches at the stern and stem. The casemate armor around the 7-inch guns on the gun deck is 7 inches thick, while protection to the 3-inch battery is afforded by 2 inches of nickel steel. The 12-inch barbettes consist of Jo inches of armor in front and 7 ½ inches in the rear, and the turrets themselves have a front plate of 12-inch armor. The 8-inch turret guns have 6.1 inches of armor. There is also a protective deck of 3-inch armor extending the entire length of the ship.
The main battery of the Connecticut includes four 12-inch B. L. R.'s mounted in pairs in turrets forward and aft, eight 8-inch rifles in pairs in four turrets placed at the corners of the superstructure, and twelve 7-inch B. L. R.'s in broadside. The secondary battery includes twenty 3-inch rapid fire guns, twelve semi-automatic 3-pounders, and the usual field pieces and boat guns. There are also four torpedo tubes.
The propelling machinery of the Connecticut consists of two sets of vertical, four-cylinder, triple-expansion engines, of a combined horse power of 20,525. There are 12 Babcock and Wilcox boilers, Her trial speed was 18.78 knots. The Connecticut carries a complement, as flagship, of 41 officers and 840 men.
The Connecticut was commissioned at New York on September 29, 1906, and made her first cruise under Captain William Swift, sailing on December 15. Under Captain Hugo Osterhaus (April 4, 1907), she became flagship of the commander-in-chief of the Atlantic fleet, and, after attending the Presidential review in June, 1907, she left Hampton Roads on December 16 for the cruise around the world, returning to home waters in February, 1909. Subsequent to this the Connecticut continued with the fleet, as flagship, until December, 1912, when the Wyoming joined the fleet and became the fleet flagship. From December, 1913, to July, 1914, the Connecticut was stationed off the coast of Mexico on duty in connection with the revolution in that country. The commanding officers of the ship, from 1909 to 1915, were Lieut. Commander Louis R. de Steiguer (March 21, 1909), Captain John M. Bowyer (April 21, 1909), Captain Walter C. Cowles (June 2, 1909), Captain Albert W. Grant (November 1, 1909), Captain William R. Rush (March 15, 1910), Captain Hugh Rodman (January 3, 1912), Captain John J. Knapp (October 24, 1912), Lieut. Commander I. C. Wettengel (October 24, 1914), and Captain Edward H. Durell (December 28, 1914).
The fifth Connecticut was one of the single-turret, harbor defence monitors authorized by Congress on May 4, 1898. Her principal dimensions were: length, 252 feet; breadth, 50 feet; draft, 12 feet 6 inches, and displacement, 3228 tons. She carried a battery of two 12-inch B. L. R.'s mounted in a turret forward, four 4-inch R. F.'s, and three 6-pounders. The Connecticut was laid down at Bath, Me., on April 17, 1899, and launched on November 24, 1900. Previous to this date, however, her. Mire was changed to Nevada. The ship is still in service, but now of the Connecticut by Lieutenant M. Haxtun (August 21, 1862). On November 15, 1862, the Connecticut returned to the New York Navy Yard for repairs. In the middle of December she was again placed in service, under Commander G. H. Cooper (December 15, 1862), for the purpose of assisting in the convoy of the mail steamers for Aspinwall, from which cruise she returned to port on June 6, 1863.
Under Commander J. J. Almy (August 3, 1863), the Connecticut made a cruise off the North Carolina coast for the interception of blockade runners. She left New York on August 12, 1863, and, after a most successful cruise, in the course of which she made seven prizes, she was placed out of commission at Boston on October 7, 1864. Her last cruise before the close of the Civil War was made under Captain C. S. Boggs (February 17, 1865), and lasted from February 21 to August 3, 1865. On August ii the Connecticut was placed in ordinary at Philadelphia, and, on September 21, 1865, she was sold at auction to D. B. Allen for $137,000.
The second Connecticut was a 24-gun ship of 492 tons constructed under authority of the Act of Congress of June 30, 1798. She was built by contract at Middletown, Conn., by S. Overton, and was launched in May, 1799. Her cost of construction was $57,260. She carried a battery of 24 guns, of which the 12-pounders were mounted on her gun deck, and the 6-pounders on the quarter deck. Her crew consisted of 220 men.
In 1799 the Connecticut was commanded by Captain Moses Tryon. She was ordered to Porto Rico in September, after which she proceeded to St. Christopher, where she joined Captain Morris' squadr.on in the middle of December. "We left there immediately for the island of Guadeloupe," wrote an officer of the. Connecticut, "and on the 29th of the same month, off that island, captured the copper-bottomed French privateer L'Italie Con queste of 12 guns and pierced for 18." And in addition to this valuable prize, the Connecticut also recaptured two American vessels and chased a French ship ashore. Later in the year the Connecticut was assigned to Commodore Truxton's St. Kitts squadron. The Connecticut also made a cruise in command of Captain R. Derby.
During the last year of the war with France, it was the intention of the Navy Department to send the Connecticut on a cruise to the East Indies, in company with the Ganges, but, with peace in prospect, the vessels did not sail. Instead, the entire naval establishment was placed upon a peace footing and the majority of the vessels- sold. The Connecticut was not among the ships retained in the navy, and she was in consequence sold at New York in 1801, for $19,300.
The first Connecticut was a wooden gondola built at Skenesborough, N. Y., in 1776, for service on Lake Champlain. She carried three long guns and eight swivels. Her crew included 45 men. Under Captain Grant the Connecticut formed part of the flotilla which, under General Benedict Arnold, disputed the advance of the British army of invasion in the fall of 1776. Americans lost all their vessels, but "never," to quote from Clowes' great history of the Royal Navy, had any force, big or small, lived to better purpose or died more gloriously." The southward march of Burgoyne's army was delayed another year, and the colonists were allowed twelve months more in which to complete their preparations and make possible their victory at Saratoga.