USRC Virginia (1797)
Encyclopedia
The second USRC Virginia was a schooner built in 1797 for the United States Revenue Cutter Service
at Portsmouth, Virginia
. At the outset of the Quasi-War
in 1798, the only ships available to the Navy were the 10 ships of the Revenue cutter service, the largest of which was the Virginia. She was transferred to the Navy in 1798 and served in the Quasi War until 1800, when she was returned to the Revenue Cutter Service, recommissioned in 1802 and sold in 1807.
at Portsmouth, Virginia
. At the outset of the Quasi-War
in 1798, the only ships available to the Navy were the 10 ships of the Revenue Cutter Service, the largest of which was the newly built Virginia. She was transferred to the United States Navy
and commissioned on 25 June, Capt. Francis Bright in command.
In August 1798, the USS Virginia received orders to join the frigate off the eastern seaboard of the United States for operations against suspected French
warships and merchant ships. She remained on this station until December, when she was assigned identical duty in the West Indies between St. Kitts and Puerto Rico
as part of the squadron commanded by Commodore Thomas Truxtun
. In addition to cruising with the Navy squadrons, Virginia guarded convoys and relayed messages between fleets. While helping to defend American interests in the Caribbean
, Virginia, assisted by and , captured the armed French schooner Louis and her cargo on 26 April 1799.
Despite this success, in June 1799, the fragile vessel was declared unfit for further naval service and was returned to the Revenue Cutter Service. She was refitted and commissioned in the Revenue Cutter service in 1802. She was sold in 1807.
United States Revenue Cutter Service
The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 as an armed maritime law enforcement service. Throughout its entire existence the Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury...
at Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
. At the outset of the Quasi-War
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. In the United States, the conflict was sometimes also referred to as the Franco-American War, the Pirate Wars, or the Half-War.-Background:The Kingdom of France had been a...
in 1798, the only ships available to the Navy were the 10 ships of the Revenue cutter service, the largest of which was the Virginia. She was transferred to the Navy in 1798 and served in the Quasi War until 1800, when she was returned to the Revenue Cutter Service, recommissioned in 1802 and sold in 1807.
History
The revenue cutter Virginia was a schooner built in 1797 for the United States Revenue Cutter ServiceUnited States Revenue Cutter Service
The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 as an armed maritime law enforcement service. Throughout its entire existence the Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury...
at Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
. At the outset of the Quasi-War
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. In the United States, the conflict was sometimes also referred to as the Franco-American War, the Pirate Wars, or the Half-War.-Background:The Kingdom of France had been a...
in 1798, the only ships available to the Navy were the 10 ships of the Revenue Cutter Service, the largest of which was the newly built Virginia. She was transferred to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and commissioned on 25 June, Capt. Francis Bright in command.
In August 1798, the USS Virginia received orders to join the frigate off the eastern seaboard of the United States for operations against suspected French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
warships and merchant ships. She remained on this station until December, when she was assigned identical duty in the West Indies between St. Kitts and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
as part of the squadron commanded by Commodore Thomas Truxtun
Thomas Truxtun
Thomas Truxtun was an American naval officer who rose to the rank of commodore.Born near Hempstead, New York on Long Island, Truxtun had little formal education before joining the crew of the British merchant ship Pitt at the age of twelve...
. In addition to cruising with the Navy squadrons, Virginia guarded convoys and relayed messages between fleets. While helping to defend American interests in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Virginia, assisted by and , captured the armed French schooner Louis and her cargo on 26 April 1799.
Despite this success, in June 1799, the fragile vessel was declared unfit for further naval service and was returned to the Revenue Cutter Service. She was refitted and commissioned in the Revenue Cutter service in 1802. She was sold in 1807.