# Java-class frigate (1863)

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Not to be confused with the War of 1812 era [Java-class frigate](/source/Java-class_frigate_(1813)).

The ***Java* class** was a series of ten wooden-hulled [steam frigates](/source/Steam_frigate) ordered by the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) during the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War). Construction of the ships was significantly delayed with the war's end, and ultimately, only four ships were [launched](/source/Ceremonial_ship_launching). Of those, only three went to sea and served brief careers due to poor wood quality and a lack of funding. The ships were designed with the ability to attack mechant shipping at sea, which was planned to deter a war with European powers in the post-war era.

## Development

Despite the United Kingdom's official stance of neutrality during the American Civil War, British assets were used to support the rebelling [Confederacy](/source/Confederate_States_of_America), particularly in the development of its [navy](/source/Confederate_Navy). [Shipyards](/source/Shipyard) in [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool) indiscreetly constructed [blockade runners](/source/Blockade_runner) and [privateers](/source/Privateer) for the Confederates, exploiting a legal loophole by ensuring the vessels were not armed until they reached Portugal. Among these ships were [CSS *Alabama*](/source/CSS_Alabama), [CSS *Florida*](/source/CSS_Florida_(cruiser)), and [CSS *Alexandra*](/source/CSS_Alexandra), which wreaked havoc on Union shipping; *Alabama* alone was responsible for destroying 65 merchant vessels.[1][2][3]

The Union Navy was alarmed by these developments, as the disruption of American trade routes drove up domestic prices, damaged the economy, and forced the reassignment of ships from [blockade duties against the South](/source/Anaconda_Plan). By 1863, the Union, already provoked by these developments, feared that Britain might intervene to support the Confederates directly - a scenario that would have left the Union Navy hopelessly outmatched by the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy). Faced with that prospect, the Union Navy began planning for a possible war with the United Kingdom. While the Union fleet could not match the Royal Navy in conventional battles, the plan called for employing tactics similar to those used by the Confederacy: [commerce raiding](/source/Commerce_raiding). By using cruisers to launch hit-and-run attacks on British [ports](/source/Port) and merchant shipping, the Union hoped to make a war too costly for Britain to justify, ultimately forcing it back into neutrality.[4][5][6]

For the new role, the Navy developed a breed of warship known as "commerce destroyers" that had the range and speed to intercept enemy ships at sea. Twenty-seven such ships were ordered by Congress in 1863, split into three classes varying in size, speed, and armament. The smallest was the [*Contoocook*-class sloop](/source/Contoocook-class_sloop), largest and fastest was the [*Wampanoag*-class frigate](/source/Wampanoag-class_frigate), and the most well armed was the *Java*-class frigate.[4][7]: 295, 296

The new ships were built according to a new [doctrine](/source/Doctrine) of the Navy planned for the post-war era. [Congress](/source/US_Congress) was only interested in a Navy that could directly protect the United States, not one that could rival the [Royal](/source/Royal_Navy) or [French Navies](/source/French_Navy). Instead of large, costly, ocean-going ironclads such as [USS *Dunderburg*](/source/USS_Dunderberg), the legislator wanted the Navy to only consist of costal [ironclads](/source/Ironclad_warship) that would protect the shoreline and "commerce destroyers" to operate out at sea and deter aggression from said navies.[7]: 295[8]: 121

## Design

The class was designed and [laid down](/source/Keel_laying) in the final years of the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War), and incorporated the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy)'s wartime experience and technological advancements.[9] The design was based on the *Contoocook*-class, with a larger emphasis on armament at the cost of speed.[8]: 129[7]: 296

While dimensions varied slightly between ships, they typically displaced 3,953 long tons (4,016 t) and measured 312.5 feet (95.3 m) at the [waterline](/source/Waterline_length), with an [overall length](/source/Length_overall) of 316.5 feet (96.5 m), a [beam](/source/Beam_(nautical)) of 46 feet (14 m), and a [draft](/source/Draft_(hull)) of 17.25 feet (5.26 m). Each ship was powered by a single-shaft [steam engine](/source/Steam_engine) driven by four [boilers](/source/Boiler), two of which featurered [superheaters](/source/Superheater). They were capable of speeds between 12 and 13 knots (22 and 24 km/h; 14 and 15 mph), with a coal capacity of 480 long tons (490 t). The class was crewed by 325 officers and enlisted personnel. Aside from their [rigging](/source/Rigging), the ships were also fitted with two [funnels](/source/Funnel_(ship)).[10]

Armament varied by vessel. *Guerriere* and *Minnetonka* carried two 6.4-inch (16-centimetre) [Parrott rifled](/source/Parrott_rifle) [muzzle-loading](/source/Muzzle-loading) (RML) guns, one 5.3-inch (13-centimetre) Parrott RML, 18 9-inch (23-centimetre) [Dahlgren smoothbore](/source/Dahlgren_gun) (SB) guns, and two to four 4-inch (10-centimetre) RML boat guns, the difference was that *Guerriere* was fitted with only six Dahlgren guns. *Piscataqua* was instead armed with twenty 9-inch SB guns.[10]

### Armored frigate variant

The last two ships in the class, *Hassalo* and *Watauga*, were planned on being built as [armored frigates](/source/Armored_frigate) with a layer of steel armor fitted on the hull and around the gun mounts.[8]: 129 The ships had a higher displacement, measuring at 3,365 short tons (3,053 t; 3,004 long tons) [burthen](/source/Ton_burthen) compared to 3,177 short tons (2,882 t; 2,837 long tons) of the original design.[11]: 18 They were listed as being armed with either 13 or 25 guns of unspecified type.[12][13] Neither ship was laid down and were later canceled.[11]: 13, 18

## History

See also: [History of the United States Navy#Decline of the Navy (1865–1882)](/source/History_of_the_United_States_Navy#Decline_of_the_Navy_(1865–1882))

Following the end of the Civil War, the Navy was stripped of funding, which left many construction projects abandoned. Of the four frigates which managed to enter service, the use of [unseasoned (green) wood](/source/Green_wood) in their hulls ensured brief careers due to war-time supply shortages of high-quality material and the need to have the ships in service as early as possible. While *Illinois*, *Java*, *Kewaydin*, and *Ontario* were broken up at the [shipyard](/source/Shipyard) after sitting on their [stocks](/source/Stocks) for decades, only *Guerriere*, *Minnetonka*, and *Piscataqua* went to sea, with *Antietam'*s hull used as a [storage hulk](/source/Hulk_(ship_type)). After several of the ships were renamed after states, *California* (ex-*Minnetonka*) served as the [flagship](/source/Flagship) of the [US Pacific Fleet](/source/United_States_Pacific_Fleet) while *Delaware* (ex-*Piscataqua*) went to the [Asiatic](/source/United_States_Asiatic_Fleet) and *Guerriere* served in the [Atlantic](/source/Atlantic_Fleet_(United_States)). After less than ten years of service, the three operable ships were sold off due to degraded and rotten wood.[9][8]: 122, 132 *Antietam*, which was never commissioned, was also used as floating barracks at [League Island, Pennsylvania](/source/League_Island,_Pennsylvania), before she was sold off in 1888.[14]

## Ships in class

Below is a list of every ship of the class along with key information about each one.[10]

Name Builder Laid Launched Commissioned Fate Notes Guerriere Boston Navy Yard 1863 1865 1867 Sold, 1872 Completed as a sloop Minnetonka Portsmouth Navy Yard 1863 1867 1870 Sold, 1875 Renamed California Piscataqua Portsmouth Navy Yard 1863 1866 1867 Sank after decommissioning, 1876 Renamed Delaware Antietam Philadelphia Navy Yard 1863 1875 1876 Sold, 1888 Launched without engines, used as hulk Illinois Portsmouth Navy Yard 1864 Broken up, 1872 Java New York Navy Yard 1863 Broken up, 1884 Kewaydin Boston Navy Yard 1864 Broken up, 1884 Renamed Pennsylvania Ontario New York Navy Yard 1863 Broken up, 1888 Renamed New York Hassalo Canceled Armored frigate varrient Watauga Canceled Armored frigate varrient

## References

1. ["Supplying Warships · Liverpool's Abercromby Square and the Confederacy During the U.S. Civil War ·"](https://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/liverpools-abercromby-square/britain-and-us-civil-war/supplying-warships#:~:text=Confederates%20used%20the%20CSS%20Alabama,other%20British-made%20Confederate%20ships.). *ldhi.library.cofc.edu*. Lowcountry Digital History Initiative. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240719215801/https://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/liverpools-abercromby-square/britain-and-us-civil-war/supplying-warships) July 19, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-03-14.

1. Quarstein, John V. (2021-08-21). ["Roll, Alabama, roll! - Sinking of CSS Alabama"](https://www.marinersmuseum.org/2021/08/roll-alabama-roll-sinking-of-css-alabama/). *The Mariners' Museum and Park*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240623202011/https://www.marinersmuseum.org/2021/08/roll-alabama-roll-sinking-of-css-alabama/) June 23, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-03-14.

1. ["Liverpool's Abercromby Square and the Confederacy During the U.S. Civil War"](https://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/liverpools-abercromby-square/britain-and-us-civil-war). *ldhi.library.cofc.edu*. Lowcountry Digital History Initiative. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241214173438/https://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/liverpools-abercromby-square/britain-and-us-civil-war) 14 December 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-03-14.

1. Caiella, J.M. (April 2016). ["The Wampanoag: 'Germ Idea' of the Battlecruiser"](https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2016/april/historic-ships-wampanoag-germ-idea-battlecruiser). *Naval History Magazine*. **30** (2). Retrieved 2025-03-14.

1. Small, Stephen C. (August 2002). ["The Wampanoag Goes on Trial"](https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2002/august/wampanoag-goes-trial). *Naval History Magazine*. **16** (4). [United States Naval Institute](/source/United_States_Naval_Institute)

1. Sloan, III, Edward W. (December 1965). ["Isherwood's Masterpiece"](https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1965/december/isherwoods-masterpiece). *Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute*. **91** (12)

1. Kinnaman, Stephen Chapin (2022-06-07). [*John Lenthall: The Life of a Naval Constructor*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/John_Lenthall_The_Life_of_a_Naval_Constr/3CJnEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1). Vernon Press. ISBN 978-1-64889-437-4.

1. Canney, Donald L. (1990). [*The Old Steam Navy: Frigates, sloops, and gunboats, 1815-1885*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Old_Steam_Navy_Frigates_sloops_and_g/fvJPAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=The%20Old%20Steam%20Navy:%20Frigates,%20Sloops%20and%20Gunboats). Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-004-4.

1. Silverstone, Paul H. (2006). [*Civil War Navies, 1855-1883*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Civil_War_Navies_1855_1883/x-XcAgWYTMMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Java-class+frigate&pg=PA13&printsec=frontcover). Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-415-97870-5.

1. [*Conway's all the world's fighting ships, 1860-1905*](https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2/mode/2up). New York : Mayflower Books. 1979. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-8317-0302-8. – via Internet Archive.

1. Silverstone, Paul H. (2006). ["Unarmored Steam Vessels"](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Civil_War_Navies_1855_1883/x-XcAgWYTMMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Java-class+frigate&pg=PA13&printsec=frontcover). *Civil War Navies, 1855-1883*. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-415-97870-5.

1. [*Register of the Commission and Warrant Officers of the Navy of the United States, Including Officers of the Marine Corps*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Register_of_the_Commission_and_Warrant_O/DBDvj9CUyCoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Hassalo). Secretary of the Navy. 1865. p. 287.

1. [*The American Neptune*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_American_Neptune/N2rVAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Hassalo-class+frigate&dq=Hassalo-class+frigate&printsec=frontcover). Vol. 27. Peabody Museum of Salem. 1967. p. 44.

1. ["Antietam I (Screw Sloop of War)"](https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/antietam-i.html). *[Naval History and Heritage Command](/source/Naval_History_and_Heritage_Command)*. [Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships](/source/Dictionary_of_American_Naval_Fighting_Ships). 17 June 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2026.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Java-class frigate (1863)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java-class_frigate_(1863)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java-class_frigate_(1863)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.