oil, 30" x 40"
$55,000

In 1863, the famed Schooner America served as a United States Naval Academy training ship for midshipmen. In that summer she visited Boston together with the sloops of war Marion and Macedonian. In this painting Schooner America, distinguished by her unique round cockpit, with all her sails pulling hard in the fresh breeze sails across the bow of Marion. Marion is still busy lowering her foresail and mainsail and hoisting one of her jibs. She is sailing under a reduced rig with no yards "crossed' on the topmast sections. On board America can be seen the 24 pounder Dahlgren deck guns that she carried to apprehend Confederate blockade runners. Sections of her deck are wet from water splashing aboard. Crew are hauling in the jib sheet on the port side for'ard. A cloud casts a shadow on the foreground water but sunlight lights up the water around America. and Marion, and creates a wonderful glow through America's cotton sails. The old North Church, in the background is also sunlit but a shadow passes over the buildings and ships along part of the waterfront Trees can be seen on Cropp's Hill, behind the Marion. On the right-hand side, a schooner's sails flap as she tacks. She has furled her jib in preparation for anchoring.

America was scuttled by the Confederates in Dunn's Creek approximately 70 miles up St John's River from Jacksonville in March 1862. Thomas H. Stevens, a Lieutenant in the Union Navy, found her, raised her and she was taken to Port Royal, South Carolina where she was dried out, masts re-stepped and she was put to blockade duty. near Rattlesnake Shoal, Charleston from June 1862 to March 1863. She captured or forced ashore three Confederate blockade runners during that time. Next she was ordered to Newport, Rhode Island, to serve as a training Ship. America remained in the Navy until 1873. when she was sold to Benjamin Frank Butler. The sloop of war Marion was a small ship rigged warship carrying guns on her spar deck only. Five sloops were built in 1839 (one in Boston) with the Dale lasting until 1905.

“As a general characteristic, small American Naval vessels suffered from being over sparred, over gunned and over canvassed.” (Quoted from Howard I. ChapeJle- ‘The History of the American Sailing Navy’).