This is a list of sailing frigates of the United States Navy. Frigates were the backbone of the early Navy, although the list shows that many suffered unfortunate fates.

The sailing frigates of the United States built from 1797 on were unique in that their framing was made of American live oak, a particularly hardy genus that made very resilient hulls; as a result of this, the ships were known to withstand damage that would have scuppered frigates of other nations. American frigates were also very heavily armed; the USN's 44s carried 24-pound cannon as opposed to the 18-pounders usual in frigates, and like most ships of the period carried more than their nominal rate, 56 guns or more. On the other hand, the USN classed ships with 20 to 26 guns as "third-class frigates", whereas the Royal Navy did not.

Continental Navy Congress authorized 3 frigates of 18, 13 frigates of 12 ( 5 of 32, 5 of 28 and 3 of 24)

Name Class RateNominal rating; actual armament was generally greater Dates of service Fate 36 1778–1785 abandoned near Philadelphia 42 1779–1779 sank after taking Serapis 24 1777–1780 captured by the British Bourbon 28 1783 never completedBricole 36 1764 built in France, Le Havre Confederacy 36 1778–1781 captured by the British Congress (II) 28 1776–1777 never completed Deane 24 1778–1783 built in France, Nantes Delaware 24 1776–1777 captured by the British Effingham 28 1777 never completed Fox Enterprise-class 28 7 June 1777 – 8 July 1777 captured by Hancock and Boston in June 1777, recaptured by HMS Flora 32 1776–1777 captured by the British Montgomery 24 1776–1777 destroyed to prevent capture, Hudson River Protector 26 1779–1781 captured, become HMS Hussar 1781; 20 guns 586 tons Providence 28 1776–1780 captured by the British, Charleston, South Carolina Queen of France 28 1777–1780 sunk to avoid capture by the British Raleigh 32 1776–1778 captured by the British, Matinicus Isle, Maine 32 1776–1778 exploded in battle, 311 killed Roebuck-class 44 1779–1781 transferred to the French South Carolina 40 1777–1782 built in Holland, biggest war-ship Truite 26 1779–1780 built in France, Le Havre Trumbull 28 1776–1781 captured by the British Virginia 28 1776–1778 captured by the British 32 1776–1779 destroyed to prevent capture, Penobscot Expedition Washington 32 1776–1777 destroyed to prevent capture, Philadelphia

United States Navy

Name Type Rate Class Dates of service Fate 2nd class 28 1799–1814 scuttled and burned to prevent capture 3rd class 32 1798–1801 sold 2nd class 28 1799–1814 burned to prevent capture Laid down as Susquehanna 1st class 50 1825–1864 destroyed by fire 2nd class 36 (38) 1800–1813 captured by the British 1st class 44 1813–1814 burned on the stocks to prevent capture 1st class 50 1838–1861 scuttled and burned to prevent capture 2nd class 36 (38) 1799–1834 broken up 1st class 52 1841–1862 burned and sank after action with CSS Virginia 3rd class 24 1799–1801 sold 2nd class 36 (38) 1797–1853 broken up 1st class 44 1797 remains in commission 1st class 50 1842–1855 converted to sloop 1855sunk by CSS Virginia 1862 3rd class 22 Banterer-class 1815–1836ex-HMS Cyane, captured by Constitution 1815 broken up 3rd classPurchased merchant ship 20 1798–1801 sold 2nd class 32 1799–1814 captured by the British 3rd classex-Indiaman 24 1798–1801 sold 2nd class 30 1799–1805 hulked; destroyed by fire 1814 3rd class 24 1798–1802 sold 1st class 44 Java-class 1814–1841 broken up 1st class 44 1828–1844 broken up 1st class 54 1836–1912 Built 1814 as a 90-gun ship-of-the-line, razeed 1836, scrapped 1915 at San Francisco. 2nd class 32 ex-L'Insurgente, captured by Constellation 1799 1799–1800 lost at sea with all hands 1st class 44 Java-class 1814–1842 broken up, Norfolk, Virginia 2nd class 28 1799–1867 razeed to 20-gun corvette 1807; rebuilt as 24-gun frigate 1812 sold 2nd class 38 ex-HMS Macedonian, captured by United States 1812 1812–1828 broken up, Norfolk, Virginia 2nd class 36 1836–1852 razeed to sloop-of war, 1852sold 1871 3rd class 24 1798–1801 sold 2nd class 38 1814–1823 sunk 3rd class 20 1798–1799 sold 2nd class 36 1800–1814 burned by the British 1st class 44 (36)re-rated 1803 1799–1804 captured by Tripoliboarded and burned by Stephen Decatur 1st class 64 1814–1825 sold on ways 3rd class 24 1798–1801 sold 1st class 50 1831–1877 sold 1st class 44 1800–1815 captured by the British 1st class 50 1843–1861 destroyed to prevent capture 1st class 52 1855–1883 sold 1st class 52 1855–1912 sank at moorings 1st class 50 1844–1857 converted to sloop 1857sold 1883 1st class 50 1848–1875 sold 1st class 50 1814–1825 sold 3rd class 24 1799–1801 sold 1st class 44 1797–1861 1862–1866 broken up for scrap 3rd class 24 1799–1801 sold

See also List of sloops of war of the United States Navy List of United States Navy ships Bibliography of early United States naval history Continental Navy Pages that link to this list

References Chapelle, Howard Irving. The History of the American Sailing Navy; The Ships and Their Development. New York: Norton, 1949. Retrieved from "List of sloops of war of the United States Navy"

Citations