16 x 8 inch (203 mm) shell guns, 104 x 32 pounder (15 kg) guns
The second USS Pennsylvania was a four-decked 120 gun ship of the line of the United States Navy. She was the largest sailing warship ever built for the Navy, and the equivalent of any ship to be found in any other navy of the time, but her only cruise was a single trip from Delaware Bay to Chesapeake Bay.
One of the "nine ships to rate not less than 74 guns each" authorized by the US Congress29 April1816. She was designed and built by Samuel Humphreys in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Her keel was laid in September 1821, but tight budgets slowed her construction, preventing her being launched until 18 July1837. She had four complete gun decks of which three were covered, and her hull was pierced for 136 guns.
Exploding shell guns were replacing solid shot by the time Pennsylvania was fitting out. A Bureau of Ordnance Gun Register for 1846 records her armament as follows: Spar deck: two 9 pounder (4 kg) cannons and one small brass swivel. Main deck: four 8 inch (203 mm) chambered cannons received from Norfolk in 1842, and thirty-two 32 pounder (15 kg) cannons. Middle deck: four 8 inch (203 mm) chambered cannons received from Norfolk in 1842, and thirty 32 pounder (15 kg) cannons. Lower deck: four 8 inch (203 mm) chambered cannons and 28 x 32 pounder (15 kg) cannons.
Pennsylvania shifted from her launching site to off Chester, Pennsylvania, 29 November 1837 and was partially manned there the following day. Only 34 of her guns were noted as having been mounted 3 December 1837. She stood downriver for Newcastle, Delaware, 9 December, to receive gun carriages and other equippage before proceeding to the Norfolk Navy Yard for coppering her hull. She departed Newcastle 20 December 1837 and discharged the Delaware pilot on the 25th. That afternoon she sailed for the Virginia Capes. She came off the Norfolk dry dock 2 January1838. That day her crew transferred to Columbia.
Pennsylvania remained in ordinary until 1842 when she became a receiving ship for the Norfolk Navy Yard. She remained in the yard until 20 April1861 when she was burned to the waterline to prevent her falling into Confederate hands.
Reference
Howard Chapelle, The History of the American Sailing Navy: the Ships and their Development (New York: Norton, 1949)
External link
Images of Pennsylvania (http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-p/penna.htm)
USSPennsylvania, a 3241-ton (burden) 120-gun ship of the line, was built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Pennsylvania was finally commissioned during the final months of 1837 and, at year's end, undertook her only sea voyage, a trip from Delaware Bay to Chesapeake Bay.
On 20 April 1861, as Confederate forces threatened the Norfolk Navy Yard, USSPennsylvania was burned to the waterline to prevent capture.
USSPennsylvania (BB-38) was the lead ship of her class of United States Navy "super-dreadnought" battleships.
On 14 June, Pennsylvania took part in the bombardment of Saipan preparatory to the assault landings made the next day while she cruised off the northeastern shore of Tinian, conducting heavy bombardment of that island to neutralize any enemy batteries which might have opened fire on the landing beaches of Saipan.
Pennsylvania and five other battleships, with cruisers and destroyers of Rear Admiral Oldendorf's force, steamed south and by nightfall were steaming slowly back and forth across the northern entrance of Surigao Strait, awaiting the approach of the enemy.
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