Langdon, John

Autograph letter signed ("John Langdon"), 3 pages bifolium (12 x 7 5/8 in.; 305 x 194 mm), Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 14 June 1776, to Josiah Bartlett, expressing frustration at not receiving guns and canvas in a timely fashion for the completion of the U. S. frigate Raleigh, also includes a list of proposed officers for the ship (not present), discusses the appointment of officers to the New Hampshire battalion; 2 small seal tears one touching text. Blue cloth folding case, blue morocco spine lettered gilt.

The infant United States Navy thwarted. The first completed frigate of thirteen ordered by Congress meets with delay in setting to sea for lack of guns and canvas. John Langdon, formerly a delegate from New Hampshire to the Continental Congress, complains to current delegate Josiah Bartlett: "My Spirits are a little down ... if the guns had been on the spot and orders for to Enter hands and provide provision the 1st day of June the Ship should have been ready to Sail in all the month but when she'll go now I know not ... " Congress had ordered the construction of thirteen frigates on 13 December 1775. Langdon, a sea captain by profession, owned a shipyard on Rising Island (now Badger's Island) that had been constructing and repairing commerce vessels from the 1760s. While still a delegate of Congress, he secured contracts to build three ships at Portsmouth, the first of these was the Raleigh, a 32-gun frigate commanded by Thomas Thompson. She was launched on 21 May 1776 but did not set to sea until 12 August 1777. Langdon also directed the construction of the Ranger (1777), commanded by John-Paul Jones, and the America.