Little Known Naval History

[hitest]

Little Known Naval History

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 (fresh water distillers).

However, let it be noted that according to her 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 550 pounds 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 merchantmen, salvaging

only the rum aboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Never-

theless, and though unarmed, she made a night raid up

the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing party captured

a whiskey 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 whiskey and 38,600 gallons of stagnant water.

GO NAVY!

[Vile_DR]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....what a crew...what a crew

[martymas]

hey i loved that story.

they must have been hardy souls those days.

marty

[tenmm]

Hummmm??

Wanna bet the crew drank more than the boat displaced??

I know a couple of navy guys,I have no problem believing this