USS Franklin (1864)

USS Franklin figurehead, c. 1853, by Woodbury Gerrish

The ship was laid down at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, in 1854, and built in part of materials salvaged from the previous USS Franklin. For a time housed over, she was launched on 17 September 1864, commissioned on 3 June 1867 at Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to her launching, Woodbury Gerrish was commissioned to build a figurehead for her. Following decommissioning the figurehead was donated to the U.S. Naval Home in Philadelphia, who then passed it onto The Franklin Institute in 1938.[1]

On 28 June 1867 sailed from New York City as flagship of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, who assumed command of the European Squadron. Relieved by USS Ticonderoga, she arrived back in New York on 10 November 1868. Franklin's second tour in the European Squadron, beginning on 28 January 1869, was as flagship for Rear Admiral William Radford. She served with the squadron until 30 September 1871 when she sailed for the United States. On 13 November 1871 she was decommissioned at Boston.

Recommissioned on 15 December 1873, Franklin operated in the North Atlantic Squadron. On 11 April 1874, she stood out to sea to join the European Squadron as flagship until 14 September 1876. On 9 January 1876, while Franklin was at Lisbon, Portugal, Ordinary Seaman Edward Maddin and Seaman John Handran jumped overboard and rescued a shipmate from drowning, for which they were later awarded the Medal of Honor.[2] In the aftermath of the Salonika Incident, the US Ambassador, Horace Maynard, requested Franklin sailed to the Aegean Sea to protect US interests and citizens.[3]

Franklin was placed out of commission at Norfolk, Virginia, on 2 March 1877 and recommissioned the same day as receiving ship for Naval Station Norfolk, On 21 October 1907 her cutter, Cutter No. 2, with a launch lashed to the starboard side, was in a collision with a barge under tow by the tow steamer Pioneer at Norfolk resulting in the capsizing of the cutter and launch. The cutter sank and one occupant of the launch drowned.[4] Franklin continued in this service until 14 October 1915, which marked her final decommissioning. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 26 October 1915 and sold.

• List of steam frigates of the United States Navy
• Bibliography of American Civil War naval history
• Union Navy
• Confederate States Navy

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

• Images of USS Franklin