LITTLE KNOWN NAVAL HISTORY..........
One of the Great Military Stories. This was when the Navy had
iron men, wooden ships and their priorities straight.
The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel,
carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and
men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at
sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers!).
However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "July
27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full
complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400
cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."
Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."
Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and
68,300 gallons of rum.
Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She
provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese
wine.
On 18 November, she set sail for England. In the ensuing days
she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12
English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each.
By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless,
although unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in
Scotland. Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred
40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed
home.
The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799,
with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and
38,600 gallons of water.
GO NAVY!!!
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
One of the Great Military Stories. This was when the Navy had
iron men, wooden ships and their priorities straight.
The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel,
carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and
men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at
sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers!).
However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "July
27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full
complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400
cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."
Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."
Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and
68,300 gallons of rum.
Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She
provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese
wine.
On 18 November, she set sail for England. In the ensuing days
she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12
English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each.
By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless,
although unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in
Scotland. Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred
40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed
home.
The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799,
with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and
38,600 gallons of water.
GO NAVY!!!
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
