JOHN ADAMS
Ship Name and Designation History
This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during its lifetime. The list is in chronological order.
Built 1799 - Launched June 5 1799 |
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Postmarks
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Postmark Type |
Postmark Date |
Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image |
Thumbnail Link To Cover Image |
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Brooklyn NY |
c1838 |
 |
Incoming to ship at Norfolk VA
Other Information
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons...
Civil War Medal
JOHN ADAMS sailed on or about October 1 1799 to operate against French privateers in the Caribbean
Early in January 1800, the Frigate began to make her presence known
taking an unidentified Caribbean off San Juan, P.R., recapturing Brig DOLPHIN and Brigs HANNIBAL and ATLANTIC in March
French Privateer Schooner LA JASON surrendered to her April 3
In May she retook Schooners DISPATCH and WILLIAM
In the late spring or summer she recaptured American Brig OLIVE, and on June 13 she took French Schooner DECADE
John Adams was dispatched to the United States 5 December escorting a convoy
Operated with Mediterranean Squadron from January 5 to May 3 1803
On May 3 she was ordered to cruise independently off Tripoli
At Tripoli, the Frigate attacked the forts and the gunboats anchored under their protection, capturing the 20-gun TRIPOLITAN cruiser MESHOUDA
Reinforced by USS NEW YORK, and USS ENTERPRISE, she engaged a flotilla of enemy gunboats off Tripoli May 22 sending them scurrying back into the harbor to safety
On May 27 the squadron again bested a group of pirate gunboats
On June 21 JOHN ADAMS and ENTERPRISE captured a 22-gun vessel belonging to Tripoli thus reducing the threat from that state
Throughout the summer and early fall continued operations against the Barbary pirates of Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco before returning home
Rejoined the Mediterranean Squadron August 1804 to participate in the bombardment of Tripoli
During the War Of 1812 she was in laid-up status at New York until 1814 due to the British blockade and a critical shortage of seamen
Sailed under a flag of truce carrying peace commissioners Henry Clay and Jonathan Russell to Europe
She returned to the United States September 5 bringing dispatches from the American commissioners at Ghent
In the autumn of 1815 arrived in the Mediterranean to assist frigates USS UNITED STATES and USS CONSTELLATION and Sloops USS ERIE and USS ONTARIO
in maintaining peace and order in the area...Early in 1816 she returned home with dispatches
In 1817 she deployed to the West Indies to suppress pirate activity
On December 22 she demanded and received the surrender of Amelia Island, off the east coast of Florida, the base from which corsairs pounced upon passing merchantmen
In 1819 sailed with COMO. Oliver Hazard Perry to Venezuela to negotiate restitution for United States vessels illegally captured during the countries revolution
Accompanied USS CONSTELLATION on a voyage to the Plata River to continue the negotiations to establish friendly relations with the new Latin American republics
Joined the West India Squadron created in 1822 to cope with continuing pirate activity
Joined the Mediterranean Squadron in 1831
Carried, ex-Commodore Porter, to Constantinople where he became the U.S.'s first charge d'affaires
JOHN ADAMS was kept busy convoying ships in the Mediterranean and in 1833 visited Liberia, being colonized with American Negroes
She sailed from Hampton Roads May 5 1838 on a cruise around the world accompanied by USS COLUMBIA
At the beginning of the Mexican War she was assigned to blockading duty off the east coast of Mexico
Joined the Africa station for action with the English Navy against the slave trade until July 1853
John Adams next operated in the Pacific and the Far East until after the outbreak of the Civil War
In the summer of 1863 she joined the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and took station off Morris Island inside Charleston Bar
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