Wood engraving from John Frost's The Book of the Navy, 1842.
Guide to the Journal of the U.S.S. Franklin
and the U.S.S. Erie
, 1817-1819
MS 3
A collection in the
Special Collections & Archives Department
Nimitz Library
United States Naval Academy
589 McNair Road
Annapolis, MD 21402-5029
Prepared by Mary R. Catalfamo
May 2004
| Provenance: | The Journal of the U.S.S. Franklin and the U.S.S. Erie was donated to the United States Naval Academy Library by Sophie Madeleine (Mrs Samuel F.) Du Pont. Accession No. 13818. |
| Size: | 1 volume. |
| Access: | Access to the Journal of the U.S.S. Franklin and the U.S.S. Erie is restricted to microfilm. |
| Copyright: | The Journal of the U. S. S. Franklin and the U.S.S. Erie is the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives. |
| Permission: | It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information. |
| Preferred Citation: | Journal of the U. S. S. Franklin and the U.S.S. Erie, MS 3 Special Collections & Archives Department Nimitz Library United States Naval Academy |
Midshipman Samuel F. Du Pont (1803-1865) kept this journal as part of his naval training. About half of the volume covers the first cruise of the Franklin (ship-of-the-line) from the United States to England and then to the Mediterranean during the period 24 November 1817 to 17 November 1818. The Franklin was the flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron and cruised on that station until March 1820. Du Pont served aboard the Franklin with Midshipman Franklin Buchanan, whose journals of the cruise are the Special Collections & Archives Department’s MS 1 and MS 2. On 18 November 1818, Commodore Charles Stewart ordered Du Pont to join the Erie (sloop-of-war), one of the vessels of the Mediterranean Squadron. The portion of Du Pont’s journal related to the Erie spans the dates 18 November 1818 to 1 October 1819.
Du Pont recorded that on 10 July 1819 all hands were mustered and a general order of the commodore was read. On 22 July 1819, the appointment of Lieutenant Robert F. Stockton as commander of the ship was read to the assembled crew. He replaced Master Commandant Henry E. Ballard, who had taken command of the ship in November of the previous year. Commanding officers were supposed to examine the midshipmen’s work, and Stockton’s signature appears in numerous places, indicating that he reviewed Du Pont’s entries. Ballard’s signature does not appear, suggesting that he was not as attentive to this duty.
 |
Comments and Suggestions: Web Systems Management Librarian Last Updated: September 4, 2008 |