USS Columbus (1819)
USS "Columbus" was a 90-gun ship of the line in the United States Navy. She was launched on 1 March 1819 by Washington Navy Yard and commissioned on 7 September 1819, Master Commandant J. H. Elton in command. Enslaved laborer and diarist, Michael Shiner recorded the event "the United States Ship Columbus 74, constructed and built by Colonel William Doughty and launch on the 4 of March 1819 on Monday at Washington Navy Yard the United States Ship Columbus 74." History. Clearing Norfolk, Virginia on 28 April 1820, "Columbus" served as flagship for Commodore William Bainbridge  in the Mediterranean until returning to Boston on 23 July 1821.In 1825 enslaved seaman James Hutton through his attorney Francis Scott Key brought a freedom suit against Lt. William J. Belt, USN. Judge William Cranch of the District of Columbia Court, in his verdict, found that Lt. Belt by his action in enrolling James Hutton as an Ordinary Seaman aboard USS Columbus, and USS Spark (1813) was sufficient evidence of "implied manumission" and subsequently accorded Hutton his freedom. in reaching a decision, the court relied on muster rolls of both vessels and the letter of Commodore William Bainbridge dated 6  June 1825, see thumbnail. Serving as a receiving ship after 1833, she remained at Boston in ordinary until sailing to the Mediterranean on 29 August 1842, as flagship for Commodore Charles W. Morgan. On 24 February 1843, she sailed from Genoa, Italy, and reached Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 29 July to become flagship of the Brazil Squadron, Commodore Daniel Turner. She returned to New York City on 27 May 1844 for repairs. After embarking Commodore James Biddle, Commander, East India Squadron, she sailed on 4 June 1845 for Canton, China, where on 31 December Commodore Biddle exchanged ratified copies  of the first American commercial treaty with China. "Columbus" remained there until April 1846, when she sailed for Japan to attempt opening that country to American commerce. She raised Uraga Channel on 19 July in company with , but achieved no success. Recalled at the outbreak of the Mexican–American War "Columbus" reached Valparaíso, Chile, in December and arrived off Monterey, California, 2 March 1847. Too large to be useful in the California operations, the ship sailed from San Francisco on 25 July for Norfolk, arriving on 3 March 1848. In 1845 the writer, Charles Nordhoff joined the ship as a  boy (aged 15), and served for 3 years. He would write later of his adventure in his book. "Man-of-War Life: a Boy's Experience in the U. S. Navy, largely autobiographical (Cincinnati, 1855)". At Norfolk Navy Yard, "Columbus" lay in ordinary until 20 April 1861, when she was sunk by withdrawing Union forces to prevent her falling into Confederate hands.