USS Constellation, sloop-of-war
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
USS Constellation, photo credit: Naval History and Heritage Command click image to enlarge I have been volunteering as a docent at the Naval War College Museum for over 10 years. It provides an opportunity to give back, add value and help navy personnel, families, friends and the public understand the importance of the sea in our history and our future. Later in this post I'll tell you a little more about my background and how it intersects with my efforts at the museum and the topic of this article, the Constellation.  Constellation is a sloop-of-war, the last sail-only war ..read more
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The Mediterranean Squadron, USS Constellation Protecting American Interests Abroad
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
After being commissioned on July 28th, 1855, Constellation immediately departed from Norfolk, Virginia for international waters. The ship would be under the command of Captain Charles H. Bell. Bell was born in New York in 1798. He served in the War of 1812, as well as the Second Barbary War, prior to his time at the command of Constellation. With Bell leading the way, the sloop of war began its first duty, a three-year cruise protecting American civilians in the Mediterranean Sea. USS Constellation. Photo credit: Naval History and Heritage Command, NH 55363 click image to enlarge While Conste ..read more
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A Day in the Life: Director of Education and Public Outreach
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
Continuing our series looking at a day in life of staff members at the Naval War College Museum, this week we learn about the role of the Director of Education and Public Outreach. At the Naval War College Museum, the Director of Education and Public Outreach gets to interact with a lot of different organizations and individuals. Online content, group programming, games, and more all flow together under the responsibilities of the museum's current Director of Education and Public Outreach, Blake Ruehrwein. Blake Ruehrwein, Director of Education and Public Outreach click image to enlarge ..read more
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Celebrating in Time of War
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
 Before World War II, the United States military tried its best to make the holiday season a festive time for the uniformed services. Special dinners, concerts, competitions, and religious services all featured in the December activities advertised in base newspapers throughout the 1920s and 30s. At Naval Training Station Newport, service personnel were granted leave to travel home if they lived in the area, a privilege made possible by the relaxed training schedule of a nation at peace. Those who had to remain on base would often write letters or postcards to let their families know they ..read more
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A Day in the Life: Curator
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
What does a museum curator actually do all day? This post kicks off our series called A Day in the Life, revealing the ins-and-outs of various positions and duties at the Naval War College Museum. If you're curious about this industry, how shared history and material culture is cared for, or just what goes on over here, read on and enjoy all the posts in this series.  The work of a curator varies tremendously from museum to museum. Large museums will often employ many curators and assistants, and each one might specialize in a different era or culture or media. Smaller museums, like ..read more
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The Hunted becomes the Hunter: Sloop Providence and the Revolutionary War
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
Sloop Providence, John Paul Jones, pursued by HM Frigate Solebay and Firing a Swivel Cannon oil on canvas, by William Gilkerson, 1984  On the first of September, 1776, the Continental Navy sloop Providence successfully evaded the Royal Navy frigates Solebay and Milford. Her now legendary Captain, John Paul Jones, utilized the speed and skilled crew of the 12 gun sloop to accomplish this feat. Jones, who would go on to captain such famous ships as Ranger and Bonhomme Richard, would later say that Providence and her crew were his favorite command. Following her ..read more
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Planning on the Fly: The Spanish-American War
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
Though the Spanish-American War was brief, lasting just over three and a half months, it was preceded by years of rising tension between the United States and Spain. The latter’s presence in the Caribbean made her a natural rival as the U.S. expanded its overseas reach and built a new navy to enforce the Monroe Doctrine. By the late nineteenth century, Cuba and Puerto Rico were the last remaining Caribbean colonies of the once-formidable Spanish empire. Beginning in the 1860s, armed revolutionary groups in Cuba fought with the colonial government as a response to widespread poverty and harsh S ..read more
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The Short, Tragic Life of ABDACOM
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
When top American and British military leaders met in Washington for the ARCADIA conference in December 1941, one of their immediate tasks was to organize the remaining American, British, Dutch, and Australian military forces in the Pacific for a defense of the resource-rich Dutch East Indies. This new command was organized on the fly, with the Dutch and Australians not even present to take part in the discussions that led to the creation of ABDACOM. With the British in overall command under Sir Archibald Wavell, the naval chief was American, the air chief was British, and the Dutch commanded ..read more
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"You Sank My Aircraft Carrier!" Did a Japanese War Game Predict Defeat at the Battle of Midway?
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
As we prepare to take on the National Naval Aviation Museum in our Battle of Midway war game challenge, it is worthwhile to review the historical events that preceded Midway and examine the role played by war gaming. Japanese planning for Operation MI, the codename for the Midway campaign, began in February 1942. Historians including Craig Symonds, Jonathan Parshall, and Anthony Tully have noted that by the spring of 1942, the Imperial General Staff had become overconfident in the abilities of the Japanese military. Continued success over the first months of the war had expanded Japan's defens ..read more
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Rose Island Lighthouse
Soundings in Narragansett Bay's Naval History
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1y ago
Rose Island is an 18.5-acre sentry in Narragansett Bay just south of the Newport Pell Bridge. It has had numerous lives and is currently a popular tourist venue. There are two National Register properties on the island: the lighthouse and the remains of Fort Hamilton. This article is about the lighthouse.  The lighthouse was built for $7,500 in 1870 based on a design by Vermont architect Albert Dow who was also responsible for two others in Rhode Island: Sabin Point and Pomham Rocks farther up Narragansett Bay. The structure sits atop Fort Hamilton's south battery at the southwestern poin ..read more
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