Series 27. Isaac Hull (1798-1841)
Scope and Content
The series comprises logbooks, letter books, combined journal and letter book volumes, and orders received by Captain Isaac Hull aboard various vessels and while in command of Navy Yards in Boston, Portsmouth, and Washington.
The USS Constitution material includes logbooks while it was under the command of Samuel Nicholson and Silas Talbot (Volume 1), and then under Hull's command, including immediately before its August 1812 engagement with Guerriere. Its 1810-1811 logbook (Volume 3) includes "Commander Rodgers' Rules for Sparring and Rigging Frigates;" dimensions of British vessels built and launched 1809; dimensions of the USF President, a bomb ketch, a gun boat, US Brig Hornet, US Brig Congress, and US Brig Chesapeake, plus "an indent [order or requisition] of articles by various personnel, presumably of a frigate."
The letter books include copies of outgoing correspondence from Hull to Commodore John Rodgers, Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton, and others (Volumes 2 and 4) while Hull was commanding USS Constitution; to Navy Secretaries William Jones and Benjamin W. Crowninshield, Navy agent Samuel Storer, Commodore William Bainbridge (see Series 1), and others (Volumes 6 and 7), while he was commanding Portsmouth Navy Yard; to Navy Secretary Samuel Southard and others (Volume 8), General Simon Bolivar, General Jose Ramon Rodil, Michael Hogan, and other US officials in South America (Volume 9), Secretary of the Navy James K. Paulding and others (Volume 14), and officers in the Mediterranean Squadron (Volume 15) while he was commanding USS Ohio and USS United States. The 1823-1827 order book (Volume 10) includes letters to officers under his command on the Pacific coast of South America while he commanded USS United States.
The 1829-1831 and 1829-1835 letter books (Volumes 12 and 13) include correspondence to the Secretary of the Navy, Navy Commissioners, and others while Hull commanded the Navy Yard in Washington.
Two volumes combine letters with other materials. Volume 11 includes letters sent (August 10, 1824, to March 10, 1837), which are indexed on pp. 69-72, with orders sent (October 1, 1838, to October 12, 1840) to officers commanding vessels in the Mediterranean Squadron under Hull's leadership. Volume 17 includes a range of letters from October, 1838, to July, 1841, while Hull commanded USS Ohio as well as log entries, miscellaneous remarks, and copies of letters dated April 15 to August 2, 1841.
Portions of the collection are available on microfilm.
Biographical Note
1773: Isaac Hull born Derby, Connecticut, March 9
1798: Commissioned fourth lieutenant
1798-1800: Aboard frigate Constitution under Commodores Samuel Nicholson and Silas Talbot
1801: Takes charge of Constitution
1803: Commands USS Enterprise
1804: Promoted master commandant; as commander of brig Argus participates with Commodore Edward Preble's Mediterranean squadron in the war against the Barbary States
1806: Promoted captain; in Connecticut contracts for and superintends building of four gunboats
1809: Aboard USS John Adams and USS Chesapeake
1810: Commands USS Constitution
1811: Conveys Joel Barlow, newly appointed US minister to France, and carries currency to Holland to pay interest on debt
1812: War is declared against Great Britain, June 20
1812: Sails from Annapolis July 12 to join squadron of Commodore Rodgers at New York.
1812: Constitution engages and ruins British frigate Guerriere on August 19 while sustaining minimal damage and earns sobriquet "Old Ironsides"; Hull receives surrender of Captain Dacres
1812: Receives Congressional gold medal; Constitution's crew receives cash awards
1813: Commands Boston Navy Yard and Portsmouth Navy Yard
1815: Appointed to Board of Navy Commissioners
1824-1827: Commodore of Pacific Squadron flagship United States protecting American shipping and commercial interests
1829-1835: Commands Washington Navy Yard
1833: Commands USS Constitution after its reconstruction
1838: Appointed Commodore of Mediterranean Squadron
1839-1841: Commands European Squadron flagship USS Ohio
1841: Retires from active duty
1843: Dies 13 February in Philadelphia