“We pronounce her to be the Non Pareil”: The launching of USS Congress

Editor’s note: On May 10, 2022, Naval History and Heritage Command announced its commemoration of the 225^th anniversary of the launch of the first of the U.S. Navy’s six frigates, which began the new United States Navy, including: United States (launched May 10, 1797), Constellation (September 7, 1797), Constitution (October 21, 1797), Congress (August 15, 1799), Chesapeake (December 2, 1799), and President (April 10, 1800).
 
USS Congress was the fourth frigate of the new United States Navy, authorized by “An Act to provide a Naval Armament,” (commonly known as the “Naval Armament Act”) signed by President George Washington into law on March 27, 1794.  Originally known as “Frigate F” (each of the six frigates was first known by a letter designation until names were assigned), the construction of the 36-gun ship was halted in 1796 when terms of peace were signed between the United States and the north African state of Algiers, as stipulated by Section 9 of the Naval Armament Act.  However, as tensions mounted between the U.S. and France in the Caribbean Sea, the construction of the final three of the six original frigates was resumed.
 
Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert confirmed in his early 1799 letter to Jacob Sheafe, Naval Agent in Portsmouth, that Frigate F was to be named Congress[1] as “was originally intended…”[2]  Confusion persisted as to the correct name of the frigate because Stoddert again addressed the issue in his March 28, 1799 letter to Josiah Fox who was overseeing the 36-gun frigate building in Norfolk, VA.  Stoddert noted: “…[in] a letter lately received from you on the Subject of a [figure] head for the Ship building at Norfolk, wherein you call her the Congress.

            In my Instructions to M^r Jacob Sheafe respecting the Ship building at Portsmouth Newhampshire [sic], he is directed to call that Ship the Congress… The Frigate at Norfolk must therefore be called the Chesapeake as was originally intended.”[3]

The flawless launch of Congress on August 15, 1799 from Col. James Hackett’s shipyard, Portsmouth, NH was enthusiastically described in the August 20^th edition of the New Hampshire Gazette.  Excerpts of the description of the launch are here provided:
 
            “On Thursday the 15^th … Col. [James] Hacket [sic], …proceeded to prepare for the positive launch of the Frigate Congress, one of the most beautifully modelled and elegantly finished ships in the service of the Union.”
 
The governor of New Hampshire, John Taylor Gilman, himself a shipbuilder, was in attendance for the spectacle.  The launch description continued:
 
            “Orders…were expedited to hasten the knocking away of the blocks….  Precisely at 12, a few blocks still remaining… the ship, as if self moved [sic] by the independent spirit of that illustrious body, whose name she bears, majestically moved off the ways; made one graceful plunge into her future element, and instantly raising her stern in equilibrio [sic] with her head …, swung round, and was brought up…  Reiterated cheers proclaimed the sincere pleasure of an immense number of spectators; a federal [cannon] salute bore the joyous tidings to distant plains, and the huzzas and salutes were returned with animation from the opposite wharves and town hills.”[4]
 
The New Hampshire Gazette also noted that two “Chiefs” of “the Eastern tribes” were present at Congress’ launch.

The newspaper then recapitulated statistical information concerning the building of Congress for its readers.
 
            “Exactly 258 working days were employed in the building of this noble ship.  The number of shipwrights never exceeded 100, and frequently did not average more than 60 per diem.  The regular working hours were from sun to sun; One half hour being allowed for breakfast and 1 hour for dinner…   The inside and outside work of the Congress is pronounced vastly superior to any European ships, and equal to the very first stile [sic] of American building.  We pronounce her to be the Non Pareil. [sic]”[5]
 
James Sever was Congress’ first captain.  Born in Kingston, MA in 1761, he was a Continental Army veteran and became a merchant ship captain after the American Revolution.  When appointed in 1794 to oversee Congress’ construction, he had no naval experience.[6]
 
Charles Morris, a newly minted midshipman served under Sever and described him thus:
 
            “[Sever] was well-educated , very austere and distant in his manner, not very amiable in temper, rigid in his discipline, and very punctilious in all matters of military etiquette. I believe he was rather deficient in seamanship, but remarkable coolness and self-possession in trying situations enabled him to decide and direct what was proper to be done better than most of his officers who better understood their profession practically.”[7]

During Congress’ first voyage the ship lost the main mast in a gale.  Morris became entangled in the main topgallant brace, as the main mast went over and was “carried up by [the brace line] nearly as high as the mizzentop, and when disengaged [sic] fell upon deck, striking my head.”[8] 
 
Sever was ordered to face a court of inquiry concerning the dismasting of Congress, but the court martial never convened.  He was, however, the only one of the original six frigate captains not retained in the U.S Navy after the close of the Quasi-War with France in 1801.[9]
 
USS Congress’ career, in comparison to the successes of Constellation, United States, and Constitution was rather undistinguished.  However, Capt. Edward Preble’s assessment of Constellation and Congress in early 1805 noted that they were both “well constructed [sic] ships, and fast sailers [sic]… [and that] Congress is the best Ship of the two.”[10]