I am always pleased to hear of new research about a ship.  Last month Edward C. Zimmerman, Jr. wrote and told me about a project he is working on.  It took a while for me to get to his E-mail but once I read about it I was excited.  Below is some of Mr. Zimmerman's research.

History of USS United States

By Edward C. Zimmerman, Jr.

U.S.S. UNITED STATES FOUNDATION

The following is the culmination of at least 25 years of research on the frigate USS UNITED STATES to include sources wherever the information was found. It is meant by this author to bring to light truths and lay to rest false and erroneous wide spread beliefs and statements about the frigate which have existed since as far back as the 1930’s.  It is meant to bring the reader, historians, and students of naval history up to speed on the history of this grand “OLD WAGGON” and First Ship of the United States Navy.

As representative of this frigate, I have used all the resources at my disposal, preferring statements from original documents and forsaking all other sources wherever possible, to present the truth in my research since 03 September 1978. I assume full responsibility of this report to be as best in accuracy as history may allow, and inserting my own thoughts and reasoning's.

History of USS UNITED STATES

The tonnage of the frigate USS UNITED STATES was in excess of 1,576 tons. This was due to two construction differences between herself and her sisters PRESIDENT and CONSTITUTION. One difference was that Captain John Barry had a poop deck and roundhouse on the stern. The structure passed over the spar deck from the mizzen mast to the transom. This poop deck is mentioned by various sources including, but not limited to, Chappell's plan of the UNITED STATES and Herman Melville’s observations (author of Moby Dick), who served on UNITED STATES from 1842 to 1844. 

UNITED STATES was also reported to have “diagonals” within her design. These were massive timbers of six pairs that extended from the ends of the ship, down to the keel in diagonal lines. They were there to prevent the ship from hogging The length of USS UNITED STATES, between perpendiculars seems to be consistent with 175 feet.   Her width seems to vary from 41 feet to 46 feet. However, the most commonly accepted width seems to be 43’. Her speed is said to be of 11 knots. However, there is an old entry in the log book of the USS CONSTITUTION that gives 13 ½ knots. Yet, in the journal of LT John Mullowney onboard the frigate UNITED STATES during the Quasi War With France, he repeatedly mentions about pulling away from the CONSTITUTION, or slackening sail for her to catch up with the UNITED STATES. So it appears as witnessed, that UNITED STATES was considerably faster than CONSTITUTION and was quite capable of doing in excess of 13 ½ knots.

Her Armament consisted of 32 24 pounders plus bow chaser(s). She carried 32 pounder carronades at first, but was increased to 42 pounder carronades going into the War of 1812. The USS UNITED STATES was the first of six frigates to be launched and commissioned into the United States Navy under the Acts of Congress of 1794, Provisions for Naval Armament. Captain John Barry was commissioned as the first officer in the United States Navy on 22 February 1797, by the order of George Washington. In this order it specifies that Barry was “appointed as Captain in the Navy of the United States, and Commander of the Frigate called United States”. The left margin of the document declares, “No. One” status. Therefore, when Barry was commissioned, so was the UNITED STATES, thereby being the First Ship of the United States Navy. She was not just one of, or the first launched. In fact, she was commissioned before she was launched by the order of George Washington himself. The claims commissioning the UNITED STATES on July 11 is not true and cannot be found.

The remainder of the research has not been scrutinized at this time

Most Sincere Respects

Edward C. Zimmerman, Jr.