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America and Constitution leave Newport, for Annapolis, on the Naval Academy cruise in the summer of 1865. | The painting depicts the departure of the vessels, early in the morning,
from Newport, Rhode Island, on the Naval Academy cruise of the summer
of 1865 to Annapolis, after the finish of the Civil war.
In the foreground is the famous yacht America. She was carrying a large
jibboom, with the jib still furled on the jibboom. Crew can be seen catting
the anchor on the port side of the bow. Just astern of America is the
famous frigate Constitution . She has been towed from her anchorage, off
Goat Island, up to windward to near the docks at Newport so she can make
sail and head downwind to the entrance to Newport Harbour. She has
recently dropped her tow from the paddlewheel tug, seen on the right hand
side of the painting. Other vessels on the cruise that are shown on the left
hand side of the painting are the steam gunboat USS Marblehead and the
sloop of war Macedonian.
During the cruise to Annapolis Constitution
was reported to have hit 13.5 knots. This was about the last voyage of that
length that the Constitution did under sail.
It is a beautiful morning with a light breeze. Sunlight is reflecting off the
water on the right hand side of the painting and off the port topsides of the
vessels. In the right hand background of the painting, a coastal trading
schooner is also making sail | | Dimensions | 900mm x 1200mm | | Media | Oil on linen |
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