Station Bills of the U.S. Ship Concord, 1831-1833 (approximate): Finding Aid

History of U.S.S. Concord (Sloop-of-war)

The first U.S.S. Concord, a sloop-of-war, was launched on September 24, 1828 at Portsmouth Navy Yard and commissioned on May 7, 1830 under the command of Master Commandant Matthew C. Perry.

Concord cruised in the Mediterranean from 1830 to 1832, in the West Indies from 1836 to 1837 and in 1838, and on the Brazil Station in 1841 and 1842. On June 28, 1842, she was ordered to proceed to the island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic, then on to Madagascar and the east coast of Africa for the protection of American whaling interests. On October 2, 1842, she ran aground on a sand bar at the mouth of the Loango [Ligonha] River in the Mozambique Channel. Her crew made determined efforts to save her, but when her captain, Commander William Boerum, was drowned while crossing the bar, Lieutenant J. M. Gardner who succeeded to command, made the decision to leave the ship in the river, and chartered the Portuguese brig Union to take the men to Rio de Janeiro.

Description of Contents

The Station Bills of the U.S. Ship Concord, comprising 0.11 linear feet of documentation in a single volume of 68 leaves, were compiled approximately between 1831 and 1833, while the ship was on its initial cruises to the Mediterranean under the command of Matthew C. Perry.

Also referred to as The Watch-, Quarter-, and Station-Bill of the U.S.S. Concord, the volume includes subsections for the quarter bill, fighting bill, fire bill, sail trimmers bill, watch bill, loosing and furling, mooring and unmooring, making sail and getting underway, reefing and hoisting, tacking and veering, mess bill, bill for cleaning guns, and inspections. At the end of the volume is a section of various calls and their musical notes, including color illustrations.

Arrangement

The Station Bills of the U.S. Ship Concord comprise a single volume.

Access and Use

Access

Patron use restricted to microfilm.

Copyright and Permission

The Station Bills of the U.S. Ship Concord are 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.

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.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Provenance and Acquisition

Accessioned on September 14, 1874. Accession No. 16639.

Related Materials

Location of Copies or Alternate Formats

This collection also available on microfilm.

Related Archival Material

Additional materials pertaining to U.S.S. Concord in this repository include an October 14, 1842 letter from Concord's commanding officer William Boerum to Lieutenant Z. Holland, Lieutenant C. Hunter, Acting Master Van Alstine, and Acting Gunner C. Fales instructing them to make attempts to recover the Concord's guns and anchors (MS VF 105).

Official logbooks of U.S.S. Concord may be available in Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships, ca. 1801 - 1940, Record Group 24: Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, 1798-2007 at the National Archives and Records Administration.

Additional materials from the career of Matthew C. Perry in this repository include a Report on the Navies of Europe submitted by Captain M. C. Perry U.S. Navy, 1839, MS 224; and A Thermometrical Journal Kept by Lieutenant Matthew C. Perry on Board the United States Ship Cyane, 1820, MS 526.

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Station Bills of the U.S. Ship Concord, MS 55

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Selected Bibliography

The following sources were consulted during preparation of the biographical note:

"Concord I (sloop-of-war)." Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Washington: Naval History and Heritage Command, 2015, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/concord-i.html.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Mary R. Catalfamo. Finding aid written by David D'Onofrio in April 2020.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Concord (Sloop-of-war)
• Perry, Matthew Calbraith, 1794-1858
• United States. Navy -- History -- 19th century -- Sources

Genre Terms

• Manuscripts
• Ships' logs