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, "On 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 550pounds 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.
H/T Shelly
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
LITTLE KNOWN NAVAL HISTORY
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7 comments:
Did not take water with any of the Booze then!
And now you know why she is still commissioned in the US Navy: She's preserved in alcohol!
http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/
She and her sister ships were beautiful frigates. The best in their class.
It still amazes me that the US was able to build world class frigates with such design innovations nearly 200 years ago.
Even then the Navy had its priorites straight. (And took its booze in the same manner.)
I wonder what it's like to take a bath in malt whiskey? Each crew member consumed over 3 gallons a day on the way back from the Clyde!!
Thank God they didn't drink much more of that infestation-laden water; it might have inhibited their fighting abilities.
Picking up booze is the time honor reason for visiting your fair isle.
I put this post up on UCV last year. Many shot it down. Darn those "fact" things.
I reject their reality and substitute this story. Good post.
Very amusing. You had me going there, for a moment, until I remembered that we were not at war with the British in either 1798 or 1799. We did have a dust-up with the French sometime in the 1790's (the Quasi War) and fought the Barbary Pirates shortly afterwards, but we did not go to war with the British until 1812, and the Constitution did not have such a cruise as described.
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