U S S Constituion

[Airpark]

The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (I.e. Fresh water distillers).

However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S.Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."

Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."

Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.

Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships, salvaging only the rumaboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland . Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.

The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water.

[klondike]

In reading the "Master and Commander" series by Patrick O'Brian, I was struck with the amount of alcohol that was consumed. But, it was probably the only comfort for a seaman offered as the food certainly was not.

[Stevie]

Source?

I've read the above story about the USS Constitution's huge appetite for booze before. Always in somebody's post...but really!?...Izzit true?

[Alpo]

From July 27 of one year to February 20 of the next year is 208 days. 475 crew times 208 days is 98,800 "man-days".

27 July, 79,400 gallons of rum
6 October, 68,300 gallons of rum.
12 November, 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.
18 November, "unknown amount" of rum
26 January 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch


The amount KNOWN equal 252 THOUSAND gallons of liquor. That doesn't include the unknown amount taken on 18 November.

252000 gallons divided by 98,800 "man-days" comes to 2.55 gallons of alcohol, per day, per man every single day for 7 months. Every man aboard, from the Captain to the cabin boy - 2 1/2 GALLONS of booze a day. And since she engaged in at least 17 battles, it stands to reason that they lost SOME crew members, which would mean that the average alcohol consumption was higher than the 2 1/2 gallons per day.

I gotta fling the BS flag on this one.


And even if they were bone-dry out of booze, which was why they hit the distillery. 26 days from the raid to home. 40,000 gallons in 26 days is 1600 gallons a day, divided by 475 men is 3 1/3 gallons per day per man.

[Ivan the Butcher]

Nobody was suffering from scurvy or just plain suffering. Ivan

[pharmer]

1798: No CocaCola, juice boxes, milk, slushees, frappe's, mochachino, etc. Nobody wanted to drink out of a barrel after a few days. If you wanted to stay well, alcohol was about the only safe beverage before refrigeration. Read up on the founding fathers and you'll find they drank "legendary" volumes of alcohol. Joe

[JcMack]

I am shocked.

[Rangerpat]

Hey, I read that on the internet so it must be true... ah, bonjour!

[tops]

Originally Posted by Alpo

From July 27 of one year to February 20 of the next year is 208 days. 475 crew times 208 days is 98,800 "man-days".

27 July, 79,400 gallons of rum
6 October, 68,300 gallons of rum.
12 November, 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.
18 November, "unknown amount" of rum
26 January 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch


The amount KNOWN equal 252 THOUSAND gallons of liquor. That doesn't include the unknown amount taken on 18 November.

252000 gallons divided by 98,800 "man-days" comes to 2.55 gallons of alcohol, per day, per man every single day for 7 months. Every man aboard, from the Captain to the cabin boy - 2 1/2 GALLONS of booze a day. And since she engaged in at least 17 battles, it stands to reason that they lost SOME crew members, which would mean that the average alcohol consumption was higher than the 2 1/2 gallons per day.

I gotta fling the BS flag on this one.


And even if they were bone-dry out of booze, which was why they hit the distillery. 26 days from the raid to home. 40,000 gallons in 26 days is 1600 gallons a day, divided by 475 men is 3 1/3 gallons per day per man.

Whew! Talk about a bunch of drunk sailors! Larry

[PALADIN85020]

No wonder those guys were fearless sailors. They were in too much of a stupor to give a damn...!!! I wonder if they spent money like drunken sailors...

John

[Faulkner]

I heard that the USS Constitution story was true while I was standing at the ammo counter at Walmart.

[rwsmith]

That's a nice piece of history and I'll bet there was no higher moral in the Navy. They must have done all of their big drinking on 'off' days' to be so effective.

[GyMac]

I had no idea that the crew was so large. I believe that the Royal Navy continued the rum ration until fairly recently. I should probably google it.

[GyMac]

Originally Posted by GyMac

I believe that the Royal Navy continued the rum ration until fairly recently. I should probably google it.

I did. 1970, which tracks with what I remember reading.