USS Princeton (1843)

From Freepedia

Career	Image:USN-Jack.png
Image:USS Princeton (1843).jpg
Ordered:
Laid down:	20 October 1842
Launched:	5 September 1843
Commissioned:	9 September 1843
Decommissioned:
Fate:	broken up, 1849
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:	954 tons
Length:	164 ft
Beam:	30 ft 6 in
Draft:	17 ft
Propulsion:	Sail and steam
Speed:	7 kts
Range:
Complement:	166 officers and enlisted
Armament:	2 12" Sg., 12 42-pdr. car.

The first Princeton was the first screw steam warship in the United States Navy. An accident onboard her in 1844 killed Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Secretary of the Navy Thomas Gilmer and others.

Princeton was laid down 20 October 1842 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard as a 700-ton corvette. The designer of the ship and main supervisor of construction was the Swedish inventor John Ericsson, who later designed the USS Monitor,. The construction was partly supervised by Captain Robert F. Stockton who had secured the political support for the construction of the ship. The ship was launched on 5 September 1843; and ordered commissioned 9 September 1843, Capt. Robert F. Stockton in command.

Her two vibrating lever engines were built by Merrick & Towne, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and designed by John Ericsson. The latter burned hard coal and drove a six-bladed screw 14 feet (4.3 meters) in diameter. The engine was small enough to be below waterline. Ericsson also designed a collapsable funnel, an improved range-finder, and improved recoil systems for the main guns.

Princeton made a trial trip in the Delaware River 12 October, 1843. She departed Philadelphia 17 October for a sea trial, proceeded to New York where she engaged in a speed contest with the British steamer Great Western and returned to Philadelphia 20 October to finish outfitting. On November 22 Captain Stockton reported "Princeton will be ready for sea in a week"; 28 November he dressed ship and received visitors on board for inspection. On 30 November she towed Raritan down the Delaware and later returned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Princeton sailed 1 January 1844 for New York where she received her two big guns named Peacemaker and Oregon.

The “Oregon”, originally name “The Orator”, was a 12-inch smooth bore muzzle loader made out of wrought iron capable of firing a 225 pound shot 5 miles using a 50 pound charge. It was designed by Ericsson and manufactured in England at the Mersey Iron Works and shipped to the U.S. in 1841. The design was revolutionary in that it used hoop construction which pre-tensioned the gun and greatly increased the charge the breech could withstand.

The “Peacemaker” was another 12-inch ML made by Hogg and Delamater, New York, New York under the direction of Capt. Stockton. Not understanding the importance of hoop consruction, it was instead heavily reenforced at the breech, weighing more than 27,000 pounds. This produced a gun that had the typical weakness of a wrought iron gun, the welds were unable to withstand the transverse forces of the charge. This meant it was almost certain to burst at some point. Stockton only allowed for a few test charges before putting it aboard the Princeton.

Princeton was sent to Washington, D.C. in late January 1844, arriving 13 February. Washingtonians displayed great interest in the ship and her guns. She made trial trips with passengers on board down the Potomac River February 16, 18 and 20, during which the Peacemaker was fired several times.

On February 28, she departed Alexandria, Virginia on a pleasure and trial trip down the Potomac with President John Tyler, his Cabinet and approximately two hundred guests on board. Against the better judgement of Captain Stockton, the Secretary of the Navy, desiring to please the distinguished company, allowed the Peacemaker to be fired. The gun burst, killing Secretary Upshur; Secretary Gilmer; Captain Beverly Kennon, Chief of the Bureau of Construction, Equipment and Repairs; Virgil Maxey of Maryland, Charge d'Affaires to Belgium, 1837–42; David Gardiner of New York, the father of Julia Gardiner who later married President Tyler; and a servant of the President. It also injured about 20 people, including Captain Stockton. A Court of Inquiry exonerated Capt. Stockton due to his political influence (he supported Tyler’s campaign), blaming the explosion on Ericsson (despite the fact Ericsson did not design the gun), and “bad luck”.

Princeton was employed with the Home Squadron from 1845 to 1847. She later served in the Mediterranean from 17 August 1847 to 24 June 1849. Upon her return from Europe she was surveyed and condemned to be broken up at the Boston Navy Yard 17 July 1849.

During construction and in the years following Stockton attempted to claim complete credit for the design & construction of the Princeton. Although it is true he was a strong advocate of the ship and certainly helped bring it into existance, the engineering genius was all Ericsson's. As a result of his shameful treatment Ericsson developed a long-lasting hatred of the Navy.