page_title: HMS Macedonian
section_title: As USS Macedonian
hierarchical_section_title: HMS Macedonian / As USS Macedonian
caption_attribution_description: English: Commodore James Biddle to Sec Nav dtd 3 August 1822 reporting 76 deaths aboard the USS Macedonian of yellow fever. Enclosure first page list of dead.
context_page_description: HMS Macedonian was a 38-gun fifth-rate Lively-class frigate in the Royal Navy, later captured by USS United States during the War of 1812.
context_section_description: Decatur was careful to preserve Macedonian, sending over a detail to help repair her.  This took a full two weeks. Decatur then brought the captured ship into Newport, Rhode Island as a prize on 4 December 1812, causing an immediate national sensation. USS Constitution had previously beaten HMS Guerriere, but Guerriere had been too badly damaged to save. Macedonian was a sizable and welcome addition to the then tiny US Navy.
  Macedonian was immediately taken into the United States Navy, retaining the name as Macedonian under the command of Captain Jacob Jones.
  Early in May after receiving needed repairs Macedonian, along with United States and the sloop Hornet hoped to make their way to sea from the anchorage of Staten Island by way of Sandy Hook but were because of the British Blockade, two ships of the line and three frigates guarding that passage Decatur, determined, took his squadron and crossing New York harbor made his way up the East River by way of Hell Gate, New York, 24 May 1813. While sailing along Long Island Sound on the night of 24 May the flagship United States was struck by lightning, causing damage to the main mast, which came crashing down and causing serious damage to the vessel. Macedonian, being close by, immediately distanced herself from the periled United States. After hasty repairs the fleet continued on their way eastward along the Sound. Because of unfavorable winds and a passage not favorable to heavy vessels, the fleet finally reached Montauk Point, the easternmost point of Long Island. The open sea was now before them but the British had blockading vessels there lying in wait. Outmatched, the fleet had  no alternative but to turn back, making their way to the Thames River (Connecticut), where Macedonian and the rest of the fleet remained until the end of the war.
  On 20 May 1815 she departed for the Mediterranean to join Commodore Decatur's 10-ship squadron in the Second Barbary War in Algeria, a renewal of naval action against the Barbary powers, to stop harassment of American shipping. On 17 June the frigate assisted in the capture of the Algerian flagship, the frigate Mashuda, by frigates Constellation and Guerriere, the sloops-of-war Epervier and Ontario.
  The signing of a treaty with Tunis and Tripoli on 7 August, following that with Algeria in June, won maritime freedom in the Mediterranean. The next three years Macedonian patrolled there and off the East Coast.
  From January 1819 to March 1821 the frigate operated off the Pacific coast of South America, giving aid and protection to the commercial ships in the area during the disorders following the Latin American colonial revolts, before returning to Boston in June 1821.
  During this period she worked as a banking ship, doing business with privateers of every kind. Captain Downes often kept his midshipmen and other trusted aides busy counting specie. Many deposits were made, with many single deposits of over 100,000.
  The men complained bitterly about their treatment, writing of how they were forced to eat mealy grain while counting hundreds of thousands of dollars in specie. Many of the men felt that Captain Downes was doing this for the "good of the Captain" and wondered when they would be used for the purpose they joined the Navy for rather than for the Captain's personal enrichment.
  
  On 2 April 1822 the Macedonian left Boston as part of Commodore James Biddle's West Indies Squadron. Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson had assigned the squadron to guard United States merchant shipping and suppress piracy. During their deployment seventy six of the Macedonian officers and men died. Seventy four of these deaths were by yellow fever. Biddle reported another fifty two of his crew were on sick-list. In their report to the Secretary of the Navy, Commodore Biddle and Surgeon's Mate Dr. Charles Chase  state the cause as  "fever". As a consequence of this loss Biddle noted his squadron was forced to return to Norfolk Navy Yard early. The Macedonian crew upon arrival were provided medical care and quarantined at Craney Island 
  She next cruised in
caption: A page from Commodore James Biddle's list of the seventy six dead aboard USS Macedonian 3 August 1822
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