USS Philadelphia

Scuttled

United States Navy, then Navy of Tripoli

Type	Frigate
Rate	Fifth rate
Guns	36 guns
War	First Barbary War

Service

to 1803	Philadelphia	USA
from 1803	Philadelphia Captured aground on the Kaliusa reef	Tripoli

Frigate built by subscription in Philadelphia. Chasing a blockade runner off Tripoli on 31 October 1803 under William Bainbridge, she ran hard aground on the uncharted Kaliusa reef and was surrendered with her crew of over 300, who were held prisoner until the end of the war. The Tripolitans refloated her, but on 16 February 1804 Stephen Decatur's men boarded her in the harbour and burned her.

U.S. Frigate Philadelphia (1800-1803) entering the Tripoli harbor, where two British ships-of-the-line lie at anchor. Photo: Wells., Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Armament and specifications

Armament

28 × 18-pounder guns
16 × 9-pounder long guns (replaced with 16 × 32-pounder carronades in 1803)

Laid down	November 14, 1798
Launched	November 28, 1799
Commissioned	April 5, 1800
Length	157 ft (48 m) between perpendiculars Keel;130 feet
Complement	307 officers and crew

As built, from the ship's Wikipedia article. Figures there may cover later refits too.

Career

Launched

November 28, 1799

Loss of USS Philadelphia

Captured

31 October 1803

William Bainbridge

Joined the Navy of Tripoli

31 October 1803 · Captured aground on the Kaliusa reef

Burning of the Philadelphia

Scuttled

16 February 1804

Boarded and burned in the harbour