badbobby Loc: Humble Texas

The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (I.e. Fresh water distillers).

However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "On July 27, 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 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.

Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 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 26 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 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water.

GO NAVY!!!

Jeremy Loc: America

Must of left it on shore somewhere to go back and get from land

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

It is a wonder they were able to find their way either to England or back home, considering the liquid refreshment they were consuming. Just Sayin...RJS

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

Now that is one history lesson i would have stayed awake for.

Jeremy Loc: America

So we know where the song originated " What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor "

badbobby Loc: Humble Texas

that was a song?
knew I had heard the words before

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

"Shave his belly with a rusty razor" There are many verses Almost as many as The Streets of Laredo!....Just Sayin...Rjs

dbed Loc: POMME DE TERRE LAKE MISSOURI

sounds like a really fun trip

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

LOL, good one BB

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

Purely medicinal

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

I don't know how many crew was onboard, just says 475 officers. HOWEVER, they would have had to consume/ use 1,211.53 gallons of liquor a DAY, all 208 days of their trip, for that to be possible.

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

For those who enjoy reading and want to find out a little about OUR history, I recommend you read a Non-Fiction book "SIX FRIGATES". This was about the start of our NAVY, and the first Man-o-War ships we had. It talks about their design, and the woods used in their construction. It talks about how they stood up to British designed/built ships. Old "IRON SIDES" was one of them and earned that name because it was constructed of "LIVE OAK" a species of Oak that wasn't very plentiful, only growing in small areas and was extremely hard so with the tools they had was very hard to work. it is said that the Cannon balls literally bounced off the hull hence the name for the USS CONSTITUTION "OLD IRON SIDES" It almost reads as a novel. I highly recommend it!

Kerry

badbobby Loc: Humble Texas

that is way too much rithmatic for me saw
LOL

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

I KNOW ! That's a lot of liquor too.

Big A Loc: Mesa, Arizona

Hi, Saw ! Sorry, but please
re-read - mine read a total of
475 officers AND MEN !

Yep ! Swabbies do have a reputation for being 'able-bodied drinkers' ! WHA-A-AT ?!? - Drink water ? No ! No ! Anything but water ! - (Which I'd bet they
saved for last and consumed
the rum, wine and scotch first, leaving the water strictly as a
last resort !)