The U. S. S. Constitution (Old Ironsides)
The USS Constitution was a combat vessel with a crew of 475 officers and men, launched in 1797. She carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water and was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She had no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers).
Note her ships log “On July 27th, 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 6th October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there on 12th November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.
On 18th 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 rum aboard each. By 26th 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 20th February 1799, with no cannon balls, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water!
