Log of the United States Ship Macedonian, 1865: Finding Aid

History of U.S.S. Macedonian (Frigate)

The second U.S.S. Macedonian, a 36‑gun frigate, was rebuilt from the keel of the first Macedonian at Gosport Navy Yard beginning in 1832, and was launched and placed in service in 1836, under the command of Captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones.

Macedonian was assigned to the West India Squadron to cruise in the West Indies and along the west coast of Africa from 1839 to 1847 as a deterrent to Caribbean pirates.

A Joint Resolution of Congress of March 3, 1847 placed Macedonian and U.S.S. Jamestown (Sloop-of-war) in civilian hands to carry food to Ireland during the Great Famine. Under the command of Captain George C. DeKay and with a volunteer crew, Macedonian departed New York on June 15 with 12,000 barrels of provisions for Ireland donated by private citizens. Afterward, she returned to Brooklyn Navy Yard to resume Navy service.

From 1852 to 1854, Macedonian was docked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to be converted to a sloop‑of‑war for the expedition to Japan. Assigned to Commodore Matthew C. Perry's East India Squadron and under the command of Captain Joel Abbott, she was one of the American ships to arrive off Uraga, Japan on February 13, 1854 during Perry's second visit to negotiate the opening of Japan to foreign trade.

Following the signing of the Treaty of Kanagawa on March 31, 1854, Macedonian patrolled the North Pacific for three years. Then, from 1857 to 1861, she served with the Home Squadron in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

With the Civil War on the horizon, Macedonian departed Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for Pensacola, Florida, on January 12, 1861 to join Brooklyn in preventing a possible Confederate attack on the harbor. On February 11, she sailed for Vera Cruz, Mexico, where she then began patrol operations along the gulf coast and the coast of South America. On December 3, she got underway with U.S.S. Dacotah (Steam sloop) from St. Thomas for the east coast, arriving at the Boston Navy Yard on January 16, 1862. Macedonian spent most of the next two years with the West India Squadron. In July 1863, she cruised along the coast of Portugal with U.S.S. Kearsarge (Sloop-of-war) hunting C.S.S. Southerner.

From the end of 1863 through 1870, Macedonian served as school and practice ship for midshipmen at the Naval Academy, first at Newport, Rhode Island, then after the Civil War at Annapolis. In 1871, she was laid up in ordinary at the Norfolk Navy Yard, where she remained until December 31, 1875 when she was sold to Wiggin and Robinson for merchant service.

Description of Contents

The Log of the United States Ship Macedonian, comprising 0.1 linear feet of documentation in a single volume of 101 leaves, spans from June 13 to December 11, 1865. The log was kept while the Macedonian was attached to the Naval Academy at Newport, Rhode Island and Annapolis, Maryland as a school ship.

The log records weather/sailing ship's location, communications with other vessels, and midshipman activities, and includes entries during Macedonian's cruise from Newport to Annapolis following the end of the Civil War.

Arrangement

The Log of the United States Ship Macedonian comprises a single volume.

Access and Use

Access

Patron use restricted to microfilm.

Copyright and Permission

The Log of the United States Ship Macedonian 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.

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

Unknown.

Related Materials

Location of Copies or Alternate Formats

This collection also available on microfilm.

Related Archival Material

Additional documentation pertaining to U.S.S. Macedonian in this repository can be found in the John Amos Guion Diaries, 1838-1842, MS 523.

Official logbooks of U.S.S. Macedonian 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.

Materials Cataloged Separately

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

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Log of the United States Ship Macedonian, MS 136

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Selected Bibliography

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

"Macedonian II (Frigate)." Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Washington: Naval History and Heritage Command, 2015, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/macedonian-ii.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

• Macedonian (Frigate)
• Naval education -- United States
• Training-ships -- United States
• United States Naval Academy -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
• United States Naval Academy -- School ships
• United States. Navy -- History -- 19th century -- Sources

Genre Terms

• Manuscripts
• Ships' logs