USS Congress (1777)
| Career (US) |  |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | 1775 |
| Builder: | Lancaster Burling |
| Laid down: | date unknown |
| Out of service: | 1777 |
| Struck: | 1777 (est.) |
| Fate: | burned to prevent capture by the British in 1777 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | 28-gun frigate |
| Length: | 126’ (between perpendiculars) |
| Beam: | 34' 10" |
| Depth of hold: | 10' 6" |
| Propulsion: | sail |
| Speed: | not known |
| Complement: | not known |
| Armament: | 26 x 12-pounders guns 2 x 6-pounders guns |
USS Congress (1777) was a 28-gun frigate of the Continental Navy that was scheduled to participate in the American Revolutionary War against the British. However, while being outfitted prior to her first sailing, the British approached and the Americans set her afire in order to prevent her capture.
Ordered by Act of the Second Congress
Congress was a sailing frigate built by Lancaster Burling at Poughkeepsie, New York, under authority of an act of the Second Continental Congress, dated 13 December 1775. One of the first 13 ships authorized to be built by the new government, she was placed under the command of Captain Grenell in the summer of 1776.
Burned to prevent capture
Before her outfitting was completed, the British occupied the approaches to the Hudson River and extended their control of the environs throughout 1777. The infant Continental Navy suffered the destruction of Congress in October 1777 to prevent her seizure by the enemy.
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.