AH-WR-1002

USS Congress

Frigate · United States · Lost 1777 · Hudson River

A Continental Navy frigate built at Poughkeepsie, never fully outfitted before her own crew burned her to keep her out of British hands in 1777.

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Interpretive Reconstruction, drawn to convey the vessel's era, type and general form. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Congress was one of thirteen frigates authorized by the Continental Congress in December 1775, built at Poughkeepsie, New York, and launched in 1776. She was still being outfitted when the British advanced on the Hudson River defenses in autumn 1777. To prevent her capture after the fall of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, the Continental Navy burned Congress in October 1777. She never saw active naval combat.

Vessel

Built: 1776
Builder: Lancaster Burling
Yard: Poughkeepsie, New York
Material: Wood
Length: 126 ft
Beam: 34.8 ft
Tonnage: 682
Propulsion: Sail
Owners: Continental Navy

Loss

Date: October 1, 1777
Cause: Intentional sinking
Location: Hudson River near Kingston/Rondout, above the Hudson Highlands
Water: Hudson River
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Not established
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established

Position

Coordinates: Not established
Accuracy: Position not established
Nearest: Kingston, New York
Region: Hudson River

Sources describe the general vicinity of the burning as the upper Hudson near the Kingston/Rondout area, but no precise position is published.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Partially documented (55/100)

The precise location where Congress was burned and any surviving remains are not established in the sources reviewed.

Naval History and Heritage Command, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Build details, launch, and fate.
Sea History magazine (National Maritime Historical Society)
Context on Congress and Montgomery's construction and loss during the 1777 Hudson Highlands campaign.