The USS Jefferson was a brig built in 1814 at Sackett’s Harbor, New York. It was commissioned by the U.S. Navy and had a distinctive design, equipped with 20 guns consisting of 16 carronades and 4 long guns. The ship was constructed using wood and was under the ownership of the U.S. Navy.
The dimensions of the USS Jefferson were recorded as follows: a length of 108 feet 9 inches, a beam (width) of 33 feet 2 inches, and a depth of 10 feet 5 inches. Its tonnage, measured in the old style, was reported as 500.
During its history, the USS Jefferson encountered some notable events. On April 13, 1814, the ship was launched at Sackett’s Harbor. In September of the same year, while sailing on Lake Ontario, it experienced leakage during a gale.
In 1825, the USS Jefferson was placed in ordinary, which means it was taken out of active service and allowed to decay over time. Eventually, it sank at Sackett’s Harbor.
The wreck of the USS Jefferson was rediscovered in 1984 by Kevin Crisman and Arthur Cohn. Their research focused on examining the ship’s deck lights. This discovery provided valuable insights into the historical significance of the vessel.
