USS Philadelphia (1799)

History
United States
Name	USS Philadelphia
Cost	$179,349
Laid down	November 14, 1798
Launched	November 28, 1799
Commissioned	April 5, 1800
Fate	Captured October 31, 1803, re-captured and burned by the U.S. Navy February 16, 1804
General characteristics
Class and type	Philadelphia-class frigate
Tonnage	1240
Length	157 ft (48 m) between perpendiculars[1]
Beam	39 ft (12 m)
Depth	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Complement	307 officers and crew
Armament	28 × 18-pounder guns 16 × 9-pounder long guns (replaced with 16 × 32-pounder carronades in 1803)

USS Philadelphia, a 1240-ton, 36-gun frigate, was the second vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Philadelphia. Originally named City of Philadelphia, she was built in 1798–1799 for the United States government by residents of that city. Funding for her construction was raised by a drive that collected $100,000 in one week, in June 1798.^[2] She was designed by Josiah Fox and built by Samuel Humphreys, Nathaniel Hutton and John Delavue. Her carved work was done by William Rush of Philadelphia.^[3] She was laid down about November 14, 1798, launched on November 28, 1799, and commissioned on April 5, 1800, with Captain Stephen Decatur, Sr. in command.^[4] She was captured by Barbary pirates in Tripoli with William Bainbridge in command. Stephen Decatur led a raid that burned her down, preventing her use by the pirates.