"NOTES OF A CRUISE ON BOARD THE UNITED STATES SHIP CONSTITUTION"

KEPT BY LIEUTENANT DAVID GEISINGER,

12 MAY 1821 ‑ 9 APRIL 1824,

IN MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 

 

13 May 1821 Sailed from Boston.

 

 3 Jun 1821 Arrived at Gibraltar ‑‑ Captain Jacob Jones relieved Commodore William Bainbridge as squadron commander ‑‑ USS ONTARIO only other unit in squadron.

 

11 Jun 1821 Sailed.

 

19 Jun 1821 Arrived at Port Mahon ‑‑ ship visited by a Dutch admiral and a Spanish admiral.

 

27 Jun 1821 Sailed.

 

30 Jun 1821 Arrived at Genoa.

 

 4 Jul 1821 "Had an Oration from the Revd Mr Searle."

 

18 Jul 1821 Sailed.

 

 ? Jul 1821 Arrived at Leghorn ‑‑ Dr. Boyd ill.

 

20 Jul 1821 Sailed.

 

16 Aug 1821 Arrived at Gibraltar.

 

 5 Sep 1821 Sailed.

 

12 Sep 1821 Arrived at Port Mahon ‑‑ Captain Booth left the ship to return to the US.

 

 9 Oct 1821 Sailed.

 

20 Oct 1821 Off Tripoli ‑‑ American consul Anderson aboard overnight.

 

21 Oct 1821 Sailed.

 

14 Nov 1821 Off Algiers.

 

22 Nov 1821 Arrived at Gibraltar.

 

18 Dec 1821 Sailed.

 

21 Dec 1821 Arrived at Port Mahon to winter over ‑‑ schooner NONSUCH joined squadron.

 

 4 Feb 1822 Midshipman Worthington "fell in a duel."

 

 5 Feb 1822 Worthington buried "in the site of old Fort St. Phillip."

 

13 Feb 1822 Court martial convened on board for Midshipman Paine ‑‑ adjourned sine die on the 27th.

 

12 Mar 1822 Sailed for Gibraltar.

 

17 Mar 1822 Arrived.

 

24 Mar 1822 Sailed to Cadiz.

 

26 Mar 1822 Moored with 4 anchors in heavy gale.

 

 9 Apr 1822 Sailed.

 

11 Apr 1822 Arrived at Gibraltar.

 

18 Apr 1822 Sailed.

 

30 Apr 1822 Arrived at Leghorn ‑‑ ship visited by Lord Byron during this inport period.

 

24 May 1822 Sailed.

 

28 May 1822 Arrived at Naples.

 

 3 Jun 1822 Sailed.

 

 6 Jun 1822 Arrived at Messina.

 

11 Jun 1822 Sailed.

 

14 Jun 1822 Passed Cape Matapan.

 

17 Jun 1822 Off Milo.

 

19 Jun 1822 "At 2 o'clock this morning having charge of the Deck saw an explosion which was also seen by the Officers of the watch in the direction of the straits of Scio which we suppose to be one of the Turkish fleet ‑ who was laying there.‑‑ At noon we were at the entrance of the straits ‑ but the wind would not admit of our going through, saw the Turkish fleet under sail standing on a wind from side to side ‑‑ apparently in some confusion ‑‑.distinguished their Red Banners and hoisted ours ‑ but they took no notice of us‑‑ toward evening spoke an Austrian who informed us that at the time we saw the explosion ‑‑ the Greeks sent two fire vessels among the Turkish fleet‑ one of which grappled the Captain Pacha's ship a 74‑ set fire to her so effectually, that she soon blew up with all on board ‑‑ the other fire Vessel was not so fortunate. The brave Greeks escaped unhurt."

 

20 Jun 1822 "The wind being still ahead this morning, we passed round the Island ‑‑ and soon got in amidst the wreck of the Admiral's Ship."

 

22 Jun 1822 Arrived at Smyrna.

 

25 Jun 1822 Sailed.

 

27 Jun 1822 "...Lieut Breese..."

 

28 Jun 1822 Arrived at Milo.

 

29 Jun 1822 Sailed.

 

 1 Jul 1822 Off Hydra Island.

 

 2 Jul 1822 Sailed.

 

11 Jul 1822 Arrived at Malta.

 

13 Jul 1822 Sailed.

 

 1 Aug 1822 Arrived at Gibraltar.

 

 7 Aug 1822 Sailed.

 

12 Aug 1822 Arrived at Port Mahon.

 

26 Aug 1822 Sailed.

 

 3 Sep 1822 Arrived at Gibraltar.

 

27 Sep 1822 Sailed.

 

 8 Oct 1822 Arrived at Leghorn.

 

21 Oct 1822 Lieuts. Breese and McKeever left ship to winter in France.

 

23 Oct 1822 Sailed.

 

31 Oct 1822 Arrived at Port Mahon.

 

12 Nov 1822 Sailed.

 

19 Nov 1822 Arrived at Gibraltar.

 

 4 Dec 1822 Sailed.

 

 20 Dec 1822 Arrived at Port Mahon. "From the time of our Sailing from Boston to our arrival at Mahon this winter we have passed over 22,821 miles and 2 fathoms."

 

 9 Apr 1823 Sailed.

 

11 Apr 1823 Struck by British schooner Pictou, which sank; all crew rescued except master.

 

14 Apr 1823 Off Algiers.

 

20 Apr 1823 Arrived at Gibraltar ‑‑ Lieuts Breese and McKeever rejoined the ship, "also Mid: Rutledge."

 

 8 May 1823 Sailed.

 

 9 May 1823 Arrived at Malaga.

 

14 May 1823 Sailed.

 

22 May 1823 Off Algiers.

 

27 May 1823 Arrived at Tunis.

 

 2 Jun 1823 Sailed.

 

 3 Jun 1823 Off Malta.

 

 ? Jun 1823 Arrived at Syracuse ‑‑ watered.

 

19 Jun 1823 Arrived at Valletta, Malta.

 

26 Jun 1823 Sailed.

 

 4 Jul 1823 Arrived at Leghorn.

 

19 Jul 1823 Sailed.

 

25 Jul 1823 Arrived at Port Mahon.

 

 6 Aug 1823 Sailed.

 

10 Aug 1823 Arrived at Gibraltar ‑‑ carried away the crossjack yard.

 

14 Aug 1823 American Minister to Spain Nelson visited the ship.

 

 8 Sep 1823 Sailed, Mr. Nelson aboard.

 

23 Sep 1823 Arrived at Port Mahon, after spending a week off the entrance due to adverse winds.

 

10 Oct 1823 Sailed with American Consul at Tunis Stith and family aboard.

 

21 Oct 1823 Arrived at Gibraltar.

 

 2 Nov 1823 Sailed ‑‑ Major Stith died ashore.

 

 3 Nov 1823 Arrived at Cadiz.

 

 4 Nov 1823 Mr. Nelson left the ship.

 

11 Nov 1823 Sailed.

 

16 Nov 1823 Arrived at Gibraltar.

 

 9 Apr 1824 "The Cyane arrived from France to relieve this Ship."

 

11 Apr 1824 Sailed

 

19 May 1824 Arrived at New York.

 

Note: The original document is not, in fact, a journal, but rather a collection of notes Lieutenant Geisinger appears to have made, sometimes immediately after an occurrence, sometimes later.