Model Shipways US Frigate Confederacy 1778 User manual

Manufactured by Model Shipways, Inc - Hollywood Florida
Download the full color version of these instructions - www.modelexpo-online.com
Kit No. MS ????
Scale: 3/16" = 1 ft.
Overall Length: 35"
Height: 8 1/2”"
Instructions and model prototype prepared by Chuck Passaro
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Modeling The
US Frigate
Confederacy
1778

A Short History of the
Continental Frigate
Confederacy
An introduction by Naval Historian
Russell Barnes
Among the frigates built for the American
Continental Navy was a 36 gun frigate built at
Norwich Connecticut during 1777-78. On
January 23, 1777, Congress "Resolved, That two
frigates, one of 36, and the other of 28 guns, be
immediately undertaken in the state of
Connecticut." Construction began in February
1777 with Joshua Huntington overseeing the
building of the new frigate. On February 18,
Huntington's papers note "began to work".
Although the designer is unknown, it is possible
to speculate who actually built the ship. Three
names have been mentioned over the years.
Howard Chapelle credited Jedidiah Willets,
although he did not quote a source for that claim.
Douglas Robinson believed that Joshua
Huntington was the builder, because it was his
shipyard where the ship was built. However, a
1779 Continental Congress Marine Committee
report refers to a "Mr. Tolman who built the
Confederacy…." Dr. Robinson also mentioned
that Benjamin Talman's widow credited him as
the builder. Although Robinson gave no source
for the widow's claim, a Rhode Island shipbuilder
named Benjamin Tallman was possibly the "Mr.
Tolman" in the Marine Committee report, building
the ship under Joshua Huntington's supervision.
As construction continued into the summer and
fall of 1778, Congress made several decisions
regarding the new ship. Congress declared "That
the new frigate building at Norwich, in
Connecticut, and now nearly ready to be
launched, be named the Confederacy." The
choice of captain followed quickly. In late
September, Richard Henry Lee wrote
Connecticut Governor Trumbull that his friend,
Seth Harding, was chosen "for the command of
the Continental ship of war building at Norwich,
in Connecticut." In early November, the Norwich
Packet reported, "The ship CONFEDERACY, of
36 guns, built at Norwich River, was launched on
Saturday last. By the best judges she is pro-
nounced the finest ship yet built on the conti-
nent." The ship was launched on November 7,
1778, after nearly two years of construction.
Modern observers have studied the
Confederacy's design and agree that she was an

interesting vessel. Chapelle called her "a
remarkable vessel", noting she was "very long
for her rate" with a "narrow beam and shoal draft
"and was "an ornate ship, profusely carved." She
measured nearly 160 feet on the gun deck, 23
feet longer than a comparable British 36. John F.
Millar wrote, "Although the hull form was quite
sharp, making her potentially fast, she still
retained the beakhead bulkhead which had been
discarded by other frigate designers a long time
previously." Robert Gardiner called "this highly
unusual ship" a "throwback to the galley-frigates
of the previous century" because of her numer-
ous lower deck row ports.
Confederacy 's active career did not begin until
the spring of 1779. In May, Captain Clarke of the
brig Joseph reported seeing Confederacy and
that "the frigate sails admirably well." Although
her fitting out had been delayed, Confederacy
was given a series of important missions
throughout the remainder of the year. In August,
she was ordered to meet the American brig
Eagle and escort her into port, the brig carrying
a cargo "of much consequence to the public." In
October, she was tasked with carrying a political
delegation to Europe on an important diplomatic
mission. John Jay and his family sailed in
Confederacy only to see the ship dismasted by a
hurricane near Newfoundland on November 7.
Captain Harding managed to work the ship
southward. She made Martinique in mid
December with six feet of water in the hold and
"in the midst of perils." She would remain at
Martinique for several months trying to make
repairs.
The following year proved difficult for Captain
Harding and his ship. After an extended stay at
Martinique, on March 17, 1780, the ship's chap-
lain reported to Benjamin Franklin that "the
frigate Confederacy is now sparred, and rigged,
and almost ready for sea." However, even after
making jury repairs at Martinique, Confederacy
was hardly in condition for any further action.
Upon reaching Philadelphia on April 20, it
became obvious that she would need extensive
repairs. She did not return to sea for several
months. She was reported in action in August
when she captured several vessels near
Newfoundland. In October, she was damaged in
a collision with the newly launched ship Shelaly,
"having her head carried away" in Philadelphia
harbor

.
The year 1781 began with some success
when, in March 1781, Confederacy and the
sloop Saratoga captured a 32 gun ship. The
Connecticut Journal reported that this ship was
the Stag, carrying 200 slaves "and a large quan-
tity of plunder" from St. Eustatius. However, bad
luck soon followed. In April, she was escorting a
convoy of 32 merchant ships bound for
Philadelphia when they encountered a British
warship off the American coastline. Captain
Harding ordered the merchant ships to scatter
and he cleared for action, sailing straight for the
British ship. Soon, another British ship appeared
and Confederacy was now hopelessly outnum-
bered. Captain Harding ordered Confederacy's
surrender. The first ship he encountered was
the 44 gun Roebuck, while her consort was the
new Amazon class 32 gun frigate Orpheus.
The initial reports of Confederacy's capture indi-
cated that she would be a useful addition to the
Royal Navy. Vice Admiral Arbuthnot reported
that the ship "is well constructed and propor-
tioned, and only two years old." The ship was
taken into the Royal Navy under the name
Confederate. The suggestion was made to add
to her upper works to make her a two-decker
since she had the necessary keel length.

However, a subsequent survey found extensive
rot and other problems in her hull and suggested
breaking her up. Dr. Robinson wrote that green
timber used in her construction was the cause
for her poor condition upon her capture.
Although a very attractive ship, Confederacy's
career was typical of the American naval effort
during the Revolution. There were great plans
and beautiful ships, but in the end, it was a fail-
ure. She was, as Dr. Robinson noted a "beauti-
ful, but unlucky ship." Fortunately for future gen-
erations, the British took her lines and preserved
them. We can now study these designs and build
models of these ships to celebrate the history
they represent as well as the ingenuity of the
American colonial shipwright and their unbound-
ed faith in the American dream of freedom.