The article on Commodore Bainbridge in the June, 1957 Proceedings Page from the Old Navy mentions his 1814 construction supervision of the old Independence, once the pride of our Navy. Many readers may be surprised to learn that there are still men in the service who saw duty aboard her. For until well into 1912 she was the busy receiving ship at Mare Island—with hospital, training, and brig facilities aboard as well. And thousands of San Franciscans remember how vividly the night sky lighted up when “Old Guardo,” as she had long been affectionately called, was finally ordered to be burned down near the present location of the San Francisco Naval Shipyard.
Bainbridge more than just supervised her building. He testified as to the need for such big vessels to break the tightening blockade, helped with her plans, as commandant of the Charlestown Navy Yard closely inspected the work daily, and even christened her. The launching was scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 1814, and an enthusiastic crowd came over from Boston. But the big craft only slid partly down the ways, a not too-unusual occurrence of those times; and another attempt the following day was also unsuccessful. However at three o’clock on the afternoon of the 22nd1 she “Was safely launched, with the surrounding hills, houses, boats and c., covered with anxious spectators who testified with loud shouts their delight in beholding our first ship-of-the-line enter the water.” She cost $421,810, was 188 feet long with a beam of 50, carried a complement of 750 officers and men, and, although nominally a 74, was evidently outfitted with 64 long 32-pounders, twenty regular 32’s, and a pair of carronades, for a total of 86 guns. Later she was even pierced for 102. Her tonnage varied over the years from 3,270 to 2,257, with the greatest change in 1836 when our need for a fast frigate caused most of her upper deck to be cut away to leave her a two-decker with poop and forecastle. She then carried 54 guns.
Although the war was over before Bainbridge could get the “Navy’s hope” ready to meet the British, he soon thereafter took her as flagship of a powerful squadron against the Barbary powers. Thanks to the vigorous activity of Decatur’s squadron, they decided to capitulate before the larger force arrived, and were mighty glad they did upon seeing it. The Independence next became the guard ship at Boston until stringent budget cutting in 1819 placed her in ordinary. During 1833 there she narrowly missed sinking during a storm when only a chance inspection by a very cautious young officer disclosed water pouring in through a broken sea-cock. After her 1836 alteration to a frigate, she took our minister to Russia, breaking an Atlantic speed record on the way. From late the next year to 1840 she was flagship of the Brazil station. Then came other Atlantic duty followed by a trip, around Cape Horn to lead in the capture of Mazatlan and Guaymas during the Mexican War. Hawaii saw her on the return trip in 1848, and a year later she headed our Mediterranean force. After an 1855 overhaul at New York, she again headed for the Pacific to soon become the beloved San Francisco guard ship. Two years later she started the longest single tour of duty in our Navy’s history, as Mare Island’s receiving ship. Of the 55 year total however, sixteen months were spent off San Francisco in the late 1860’s. Minor remodelling of quarters eventually expanded to a building-up of her sides to a little above their original height, plus a very unshiplike gabled roof with skylights. Little else out of the usual routine occurred until 1907, when quick and determined work was necessary to save her from being destroyed from an accidental fire aboard. As it was, many old charts and records perished.
Although being decommissioned in 1912, she was still partially used for some months. And after several more spent in vain efforts to find a city or organization financially able to keep her as a marine museum, she was sold for a junk value of $3,518 and stricken from the register September 13, 1913. Upon being towed to San Francisco early the next year her demise was again held up while local people worked on a plan to exhibit and use her at the approaching Panama Pacific International Exposition. Especially after it was found that most of her timbers were as sound as when placed a hundred years previously. But the needed money could not be raised on top of the huge Fair amount. So after salvage of her ready fittings, $1,900 worth of pig-iron ballast, and many valuable orlop deck ship-knees, she was towed to the Hunter’s Point mud flats one high tide to be burned for the copper sheathing and timber bolts.
For several days she rested in tranquil meditation, and then on the evening of September 30,1915, a squat little tug approached; oil was sloshed aboard, a match applied— and the old Independence was transformed into a memory by a roaring blaze that swirled mast-high until nearly dawn.
(The Naval Institute will pay $25.00for each illustrated Page from the Old Navy accepted for publication in the Proceedings.)
1. In his 1846 naval history Cooper mistakenly says the final event did not take place until July 22nd, and as nobody bothered to look up the official and newspaper records until this present writing, the error is still being compounded in all pertinent texts.