American Fifth Rate frigate 'Potomac' (1822)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
El Diligente (20) 1740-1755
Spanish 20 Gun
Privateer Packet
Added
Tomas VarelaSpanish
Naval Sailor
Privateer
Service 1749-1750
Added
Sir William Legge George Hoste (2^nd Baronet Hoste, of the Navy)British
Naval Sailor
Service 1830-1866
Update
Henry Negus BurroughesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1845
Update
Thomas Edward HosteBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1810-1828
Update
Sir William Hoste (1^st Baronet Hoste, of the Navy)British
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1824
Update
Veteran (64) 1787-1816
British 64 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Thomas ClarkBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1793-1794
Added
Charles InglisBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1792
Update
Charles InglisBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1814
See more...

Recent Comments

Ganges (74) 1782-1816
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1782)
Henry WickhamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1685-1693
Thomas CamelfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1797-1799
John Clarke SearleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1811
Gunboat No. 7 (14) 1797-1802
British 14 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Sparkler"
(1797)
Swinger (12) 1794-1802
British 12 Gun
Unrated Gun-brig
(1794)
Gunboat No. 23 (12) 1797-1802
British 12 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Furious"
(1797)
Thomas HopperBritish
Marine
Service 1794-1802
Robert WinthropBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1807
Sir John LawfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1777-1832
See more...

Potomac
Nominal Guns	44	DANFS
Nationality	United States of America
Operator	United States Navy
Keel Laid Down	8.1819	DANFS
Launched	3.1822	DANFS
How acquired	Purpose built	DANFS
Shipyard	Washington Navy Yard - Washington, D.C.	DANFS
Category	Fifth Rate	DANFS
Ship Type	Frigate	DANFS
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	DANFS
Sold	24.5.1877	DANFS

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentDANFS
Length of Gundeck177' 10"Imperial Feet53.9496
Breadth46' 2"Imperial Feet14.0293
Depth in Hold20' 6"Imperial Feet6.2484
Burthen1,726Tons BM

Armament

1831Broadside Weight = 672 Imperial Pound ( 304.752 kg)DANFS
Gun Deck42 American 32-Pounder
Gun Deck8 American 8" Shell Gun

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1831480EstablishmentDANFS

2 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1831 - 1834CaptainDANFS1832 - 3.12.1832Commodoreref:824

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
16.2.1831 - 27.5.1834First Lieutenant

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1.1834 - 1834MidshipmanUSNR-18341.1834 - 1834MidshipmanUSNR-1834

Service History

DateEventSource
1831Completed fitting out and first commissionedDANFS
19.8.1831Departed New York for the Pacific station via the Cape of Good HopeDANFS
6.2.1832Shelled the town of Quallah Batoo, Sumatra in punishment for the capture of merchantman Friendship of Salem, Mass. and the massacre of her crew in February 1831DANFS
3.12.1832

In the Pacific

ref:824
23.5.1834Returned to BostonDANFS
20.10.1834Cruise to the Brazil stationDANFS
5.3.1837Returned to the United StatesDANFS
12.5.1840Cruise to the Brazil stationDANFS
31.7.1842Returned to the United StatesDANFS
8.12.1844Patrolled in the West IndiesDANFS
4.12.1845Returned to the United StatesDANFS
14.3.1846Left ot patrol the Caribbean and the GulfDANFS
8.5.1846Landed troops at Port Isabel, Texas in support of General Taylor’s army at the battle of Palo AltoDANFS
3.1847Participated in the seige of Vera Cruz, 9 to 28 March 1847DANFS
20.7.1847Returned to the United StatesDANFS
1855Flagship of the Home squadronDANFS
1856Flagship of the Home squadronDANFS
10.9.1861Left New York to join the West Gulf Blockade Squadron off Vera Cruz as a storeshipDANFS
1862Pensacola Navy Yard as a receiving shipDANFS
1867Sent to Philadelphia as a receiving shipDANFS
13.1.1877DecommissionedDANFS
24.5.1877Sold to E. Stannard & CoDANFS

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1846-1846	American Home Squadron 1846

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

DANFSUnknown, Web Site

USNR-1834Authority, Web Site

ref:824British Foreign Office, Digital Book

Previous comments on this pageno comments to display

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Sunday 14th of June 2026 06:41	Rob Griffith	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Ganges' (1782) (74) 1782-1816 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:20	Jon Miller	Henry WickhamBritish Naval Sailor Service 1685-1693
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:14	Jon Miller	Thomas CamelfordBritish Naval Sailor Service 1797-1799
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:12	Jon Miller	John Clarke SearleBritish Naval Sailor Service 1780-1811
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:09	Jon Miller	British gunboat 'Gunboat No. 7' (1797) (14) 1797-1802 British 14 Gun Unrated Gunboat 1797 Renamed "Sparkler"

GDPR Statement