Ship model, Frigate USS President

Description:

The frigate President was built by Christian Bergh of New York; William Doughty of Philadelphia was the naval constructor. It measured 175 feet in length, 44 feet 4 inches in beam, 13 feet 11 inches in depth of hold, and 1,576 tons. The ship was launched on April 1, 1800, sister ship of Constitution and United States. Famous for its speed and appearance, contemporary accounts credit President with being a faster ship than USS Constitution. It served as a flagship in the Mediterranean in 1801-02 and 1804-05. It was on the American coast from 1809 to the War of 1812. During the War of 1812, President served as flagship for Commodores John Rogers and Stephen Decatur. It was captured by the British in 1815 after being disabled and grounded in battle. It was then taken into the Royal Navy but was never serviceable. Its lines were taken off in the Portsmouth Dockyard in 1815, and it was broken up there in 1817. Subsequently, the British built a frigate on its lines, slightly modified and with the same name. It became part of the Royal Navy in 1847.

In all but size, President represented the highest development in frigate design, for it combined the desired features of its class to such a degree that no marked changes were made from its model in the best of the later frigates.

The President model was probably built at Dartmoor Prison, 14 miles from Plymouth, England, where many of American prisoner-of-war models were built.

Date Made: ca 1815

Maker: unknown

Location: Currently not on view

Subject: Maritime

Subject:

See more items in: Work and Industry: Maritime, Transportation

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 2005.0279.089Accession Number: 2005.0279Catalog Number: 2005.0279.089

Object Name: ship model

Physical Description: wood (overall material)Measurements: overall: 18 in x 27 in x 7 in; 45.72 cm x 68.58 cm x 17.78 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-1c94-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1315846

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