USS CONSTITUTION LOG
1 FEBRUARY - 15 JULY 1879
IN NATIONAL ARCHIVES
| 1 Feb 1879 | Stowaway Chas Hadden, of Bridgeport, CT, discovered. |
| 3 Feb 1879 | Ordinary Seaman Olif Thompsen and Peter Neilson rated Seamen, and Landsman Christopher McWhorter rated Ordinary Seaman, as of 1 Feb -- 10 kts (2 hrs). |
| 5 Feb 1879 | Strong squalls. |
| 6 Feb 1879 | Barometer 29.56 -- rough. |
| 7 Feb 1879 | Barometer 29.35 -- rough -- rolling deeply but easily. |
| 8 Feb 1879 | Barometer 28.97 -- heavy squalls. |
| 9 Feb 1879 | Barometer 28.70 -- "A remarkable instance of pleasant weather with an exceedingly low barometer" -- preparing to ride out a gale -- occasional heavy lurches. |
| 10 Feb 1879 | Barometer 28.36 -- lying to on a starboard tack -- very heavy swells from the NW -- force 8 wind from the SE. |
| 11 Feb 1879 | Barometer 29.84 in PM -- moderate swells. |
| 12 Feb 1879 | Barometer 29.32 -- "...vivid flashes of lightning..." |
| 13 Feb 1879 | [Wednesday] Barometer 29.30 -- "Frequent heavy thumps caused by seas striking stern and rudder" -- blowing a gale – 0930 "...discovered that the rudder head had been twisted off Made preparations to get spare topsail yard across the poop for steering with a hawser..." -- led lines inboard from the rudder chains -- ran line around stern and through gangway ports to hold rudder steady -- 1300 sent crossjack yard down to use as a fair leader for the rudder pennants -- upper gudgeon showed strain -- first try at jury rig parted chain and hawser chafed through -- tried again. |
| 14 Feb 1879 | "Rudder thumping badly at intervals..." --0830 managed to steady the rudder – prepared o put over a "raft rudder" -- 1100 hailed British barque SAGITTA and asked her to send a steamer -- spent afternoon building and fitting a jury rudder -- 2005 tried out jury rig with chains coming through #26 gun ports -- "...steering easily..." |
| 15 Feb 1879 | Paralleled hawsers with wire pendants -- rigging 2 spare flying jibbooms to hold the rudder amidships, should it become necessary -- going SWbS. |
| 16 Feb 1879 | Barometer 30.16. |
| 18 Feb 1879 | Smooth and steady -- 0845 sighted land -- 1000-1130 fired 3 times to alert shore to need for pilot -- got pilot and 3 tugs in the late afternoon -- 1945 arrived at Lisbon. |
| 21 Feb 1879 | Captain of the Afterguard Michl Mugavin fell overboard in Tagus River from spanker boom; rescued by 2 Portuguese boatmen. |
| 22 Feb 1879 | Dressed ship at sunrise -- 0800 Portuguese warships did the same with Stars and Stripes at their main trucks. |
| 24 Feb 1879 | Unshipped the rudder and sent it ashore. |
| 3 Mar 1879 | Muster found that stowaway Hadden had left the ship at Lisbon. |
| 10 Mar 1879 | Sent powder and shot ashore -- 1105 shifted upriver to the dockyard under tow -- 1540 in drydock, pumping down. |
| 11 Mar 1879 | Landsman Johann Jantson shipped at Lisbon, Portugal. |
| 12 Mar 1879 | Landsman Thos Kerrigan mentioned. |
| 15 Mar 1879 | Seaman Thos O'Neill declared a deserter as of this date. |
| 17 Mar 1879 | Seamen Chas Williams #2 and Philip Harris mentioned. |
| 21 Mar 1879 | Received a new main topgallant yard. |
| 22 Mar 1879 | Coppering the rudder -- shipped the rudder. |
| 24 Mar 1879 | 1430 Undocked by 3 tugs. |
| 28 Mar 1879 | Completing rigging of rudder -- jibboom found bad. |
| 1 Apr 1879 | New jibboom received on board. |
| 11 Apr 1879 | 0715 Sailed without assistance. |
| 12 Apr 1879 | Discovered 3 stowaways from Lisbon: Antonio Mendes, Joao Pedro Cardozo, and Jose Ferreira, all boys -- put them in irons for 4 days. |
| 17 Apr 1879 | "Emptied and recharged fire extinguishers..." |
| 15 May 1879 | Sergeant Jno O'Brien mentioned. |
| 24 May 1879 | [Saturday] 1300 Arrived at Martin's Dock, Brooklyn, New York. |
| 26 May 1879 | First Lieutenant B. R. Russell and Marine Guard sent to Marine Barracks, New York Navy Yard. |
| 27 May 1879 | Offloaded the New York cargo in about 6 hours. |
| 28 May 1879 | Shifted to an anchorage in the morning -- Midshipmen Dodge, Orchard, Bronaugh, and Jordan detached. |
| 29 May 1879 | Lieutenant H. T. Stockton transferred to "Torpedo instruction, Newport, RI." |
| 30 May 1879 | 0800 Sailed in tow of steamer CATALPA. |
| 2 Jun 1879 | Standing up the Delaware River in tow of steamer FORTUNE. |
| 3 Jun 1879 | 1125 Arrived off the Philadelphia Navy Yard. |
| 5 Jun 1879 | Shifted to Moro Philips' Wharf for offloading -- Orderly Sergeant E. A. Clark mentioned. |
| 6 Jun 1879 | Commenced offloading -- Seamen Jno Curnow and Olif Thomsen sent to Naval Hospital, Philadelphia -- Chief Quartermaster H. West; Quartermasters Geo F. Williams and R. T. Ferguson; Boatswain's Mates Jno Brockington and C. H. Collins; Carpenter' Mates F. W. Nieman, Jno Thompson, and H. Williams; Sailmaker's Mate Jno Hutchins; Captains of the Top Wm Reed, J. J. Burke, and Jno Hickey; Captain of the Forecastle Francis Evans; Captains of the Afterguard Wm Davis and Michl Mugavin; Quarter Gunner Danl Eldridge; Cooper W. H. Flatten; Ship's Writer Jno J. Stewart; Paymaster's Yeoman F. P. Tighe; Ship's Corporal Wm Robinson; Armorer J. B. Smith; Coxswain Thos F. Grady; Cabin Steward Robt Cornell; Wardroom Steward Jas E. Beaston; Steerage Steward Jno W. Bowling; Cabin Cook R. P. Freeman; Steerage Cook Robt B. Masluff; Warrant Officers' Cook Geo T. Spencer; 2/cPainter J. McLane; Jack of the Dust Chas M. Sherwin; Seamen Jno Bates, Jno Smith, E. D. Handlin, A. Robinson, and Augustus Kerns; Ordinary Seaman Jno A. Haley; Landsmen Chas E. Malloy, Jno C. Browning, S. P. Thomas, H. L. Davis, Jno J. Patterson, L. Thompson, J. H. Baker, Chas McCarthy, Jno Eckert, Jas L. Durrigan, A. T. Richardson, Chas Bonner, Wm Conway, A. B. Ackerman, J. Hayes, F. G. Sullivan, J. W. Prettyman, Jno H. Backney, Wm Jacobs, Thos Kerrigan, and Jas Guy; and M. G. Dix discharged at Philadelphia |
| 7 Jun 1879 | Finished offloading -- Landsmen Robert Cornell, Jas E. Beaston, Allen Richardson, Jacob Hayes, and Lewis Thompson shipped over at Philadelphia to be officers' servants. |
| 9 Jun 1879 | [Monday] Landsman Robt Beaston rated Warrant Officer's Steward, Landsman Robt Cornell rated Cabin Steward, and Landsman J. W. Thomas rated as Warrant Officers' Cook -- 1500shifted berths to a wharf at the Navy Yard; arrived at 1700 under tow of steamer PILGRIM. |
| 10 Jun 1879 | Landsman Chas Albert Rhodes shipped at Philadelphia to be officers' servant. |
| 12 Jun 1879 | Seaman Philip Harris, Ordinary Seaman C. G. J. Kuhlman, and Landsman Jno J. Foy discharged at Philadelphia. |
| 13 Jun 1879 | Ordinary Seaman Theo A. McMahon discharged at Philadelphia. |
| 14 Jun 1879 | Seaman Andrew Parker, under general court martial sentence, transferred to the Navy Yard. |
| 15 Jun 1879 | Drummer Herbert Langley mentioned. |
| 17 Jun 1879 | 0820 Commenced offloading Government exhibits -- done before 1600. |
| 18 Jun 1879 | Seaman August Riebe and Ordinary Seaman Jno Osterberg discharged at Philadelphia. |
| 19 Jun 1879 | Ordinary Seaman Jno Thranberg discharged at Philadelphia. |
| 20 Jun 1879 | Shifted berths within the Navy Yard. |
| 21 Jun 1879 | Took aboard 18 32-pdr long guns. |
| 25 Jun 1879 | Seamen Jno B. Smith, Wm Reed, and Geo Bailey joined from ST LOUIS. |
| 26 Jun 1879 | Seaman Jno Smith and Landsman Henry Williams joined from ST LOUIS -- Captain of the Mizzen Top Jas Horton, Seaman Benj J. Seon, and Ordinary Seamen Christopher McWhorter and Geo Rodgers discharged at Philadelphia. |
| 27 Jun 1879 | Seamen Henry Davis, Karl [ ? ], Joshua Winslow, and Stephen Dolores; Ordinary Seamen Robt Kolm [?], T. C. Marsval, Carl Nielson, Henry Swartz, Jno W. Smith, Chas Williams #1, Candido Del Rosario, and Danl Lyons; Landsmen R. J. Campbell, Jno Gabel, Jno Jantsen, L. H. Keller, Jno Pingel, and C. E. Pohl discharged at Philadelphia. |
| 28 Jun 1879 | Landsman Wm E. Price joined from ST LOUIS -- Seaman Robt Conley sent to ST LOUIS and discharged. |
| 30 Jun 1879 | Seaman Wm Emery and Ordinary Seaman Lars Anderson mentioned -- Wardroom Cook Mathurin Guehennic discharged at Philadelphia. |
| 1 Jul 1879 | Seaman Jno Conners declared a deserter as of this date. |
| 2 Jul 1879 | Landsman Allen T. Richardson rated Cabin Cook from 8 Jun -- Seaman Jno Shugero declared a deserter as of this date -- Landsman Chas McCarthy joined from ST LOUIS. |
| 3 Jul 1879 | Landsman Josp Fassett shipped at Philadelphia. |
| 5 Jul 1879 | Seaman Francis Evans joined from ST LOUIS -- Landsman Wm D. Bartley rated Jack of the Dust from 7 Jun. |
| 8 Jul 1879 | Paymaster's Yeoman Francis Tighe shipped to date from 7 Jun. |
| 9 Jul 1879 | Landsman Henry Swartz joined from ST LOUIS --Lieutenant Karl Rohrer detached on leave awaiting orders. |
| 10 Jul 1879 | Seaman Jno B. Smith rated Chief Boatswain's Mate; Seamen Alex J. Turner and Geo Bailey, Boatswain's Mates; Seamen Jno Smith and Matthew Whalen, Quarter Gunners; Captain of the Mizzen Top Jno Williams, Coxswain Chas Hart, and Seaman Peter Neilson, Quartermasters; Landsman Henry Williams, Carpenter's Mate; Seaman A. P. Boardman, Carpenter/Caulker; Seaman Francis Evans, Sailmaker's Mate; Seaman Joshua Hardie, Ship's Cook; Seaman Alex Gallington, Captain of the Hold; Seamen Jno Jacobson, Wm Ruse, Wm Johnson, and Geo Helson, Captains of the Top; Seamen Chas Williams and Otto R. Lockhardt, Coxswains; and Ordinary Seamen Fredk Wilson and Jas Munn, Seamen; all to rate from 1 Jul. |
| 11 Jul 1879 | Landsmen Wm Wash and A. B. Ackerman joined from ST LOUIS. |
| 14 Jul 1879 | Seaman Jno Hutchins, Landsman H. S. Davies, and Private Jno H. Nash joined from ST LOUIS. |
| 15 Jul 1879 | Landsman Geo E. Brady joined from ST LOUIS. |
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