From AdamC: Piper's Peak USS Boston Quasi-War Frigate (50 points)
In the late 1790s French privateers (and some warships) operating from bases in the French or Spanish Colonies were doing a great damage to American trade. This hit Merchants in America's coastal cities hard causing both financial hardship and moral indignation.
Then came the XYZ affair where American envoys sent to Paris to address the situation were told that they would have to bribe French officials if they wanted any official attention. This touch the Nations honor and citizens of the cities of Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island Massachusetts and New Hampshire responded by starting subscription campaigns to design build and fit out warships. Five Frigates and Four sloops of war were built this way. Its interesting to note several of these ships were started before Congress had officially responded to the XYZ affair and before the government had offered to buy the ships in exchange for government bonds.
The USS Boston was one of the ships built by this combination of Patriotic zeal and anger. She was officially a 32 Gun frigate making a small 5th rate by the system used at the time. She was also lightly armed for a frigate in that era carrying a main battery of Twenty-four Nine pounders and Eight Six pounders. Still she was made of the same Sothern Live Oak that made the Constitution so tough and her sailing qualities were remarked apon by several officers. She had a very successful career in the Quasi-War taking eight French vessels including the Le Berceau a large French corvette. This last capture happened after the never entirely official war had ended and was marred by members of the Boston’s crew pilfering the belongings of their French counterparts.
After the Quasi War the Boston carried the New Ambassador to France then did a turn with squadron dealing with the Barbary pirates before returning her name sake port. Then a final voyage to Washington where she was laid up in ordinary (mothball in modern terminology) sadly she was not well maintained and was deemed damaged and not worth rearming for the War of 1812. This is too bad as she would probably have done well as a commerce raider.
As you can see, I did some dressing of the stern and bow. The Blue and White is meant to echo the Massachusetts state flag's colors and seal. The ship is too small for me to do detail work on by I wanted to do something to suggest her identity.
Points should be 18 for ship and 30 for Pipers Peak with some possible additions for flags etc.
Finaly here is the US Sqadron as it stand so far Two Frigates, On Sloop of War and two Brigs.
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From DaveD - another fine addition to US fleet there Adam - lets call it 50 points
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