| Name | Rate | Where built | When | Where employed |
| Constellation | 36 | Baltimore | 1797 | In commission (West Indies) |
| Macedonian | 36 | Norfolk (rebuilt) | 1836 | Ready for sea at Norfolk |
Sloops of War
| Name | Rate | Where built | When | Where employed |
| John Adams | 20 | Norfolk (rebuilt) | 1820 | Ready for sea at New York |
| Cyane | 20 | Boston (rebuilding) | ||
| Boston | 20 | Boston | 1825 | At sea |
| Lexington | 20 | New York | 1825 | At sea |
| Vincennes | 20 | New York | 1826 | In ordinary at Norfolk |
| Warren | 20 | Boston | 1826 | Do. do. |
| Natches | 20 | Norfolk | 1827 | In commission (West Indies) |
| Falmouth | 20 | Boston | 1827 | At sea |
| Fairfield | 20 | New York | 1828 | On the coast of Brazil |
| Vandalia | 20 | Philadelphia | 1828 | In commission (West Indies) |
| St. Louis | 20 | Washington | 1828 | Do. do. |
| Concord | 20 | Portsmouth | 1828 | In commission (West Indies) |
| Erie | 18 | New York (rebuilt) | 1820 | At Boston |
| Ontario | 18 | Baltimore | 1813 | At sea |
| Peacock | 18 | New York | 1813 | In ordinary at Norfolk |
Schooners
| Dolphin | 10 | Philadelphia | 1821 | On the Coast of Brazil |
| Grampus | 10 | Washington | 1821 | In commission (West Indies) |
| Shark | 10 | Washington | 1821 | In the Mediterranean |
| Enterprise | 10 | New York | 1831 | In commission (East Indies) |
| Boxer | 10 | Boston | 1731 | In the Pacific |
| Porpoise | 10 | Boston | 1836 | Atlantic coast |
| Experiment | 4 | Washington | 1831 | Employed near New York |
| Fox (hulk) | 3 | Purchased | 1823 | At Baltimore (condemned) |
| Sea Gull (galliot) | Purchased | 1823 | Receiving vessel at Philadelphia |
Exploring Vessels
| Relief | Philadelphia | 1836 | ||
| Barque Pioneer | Boston | 1836 | New York (nearly ready for sea) | |
| Barque Consort | Boston | 1836 | ||
| Schooner Active | Purchased | 1837 |
The ratings of these vessels will, however, very much mislead people as to the real strength of the armament. The 74’s and 80’s are in weight of broadside equal to most three-decked ships; the first-class frigates are double-banked of the scantling, and carrying the complement of men of our 74’s. The sloops are equally powerful in proportion to their ratings, most of them carrying long guns. Although flush vessels, they are little inferior to a 36-gun frigate in scantling, and are much too powerful far any that we have in our service, under the same denomination of rating. All the line-of-battle ships are named after the several states, the frigates after the principal rivers, and the sloops of war after the towns, or cities, and the names are decided by lot.
It is impossible not to be struck with the beautiful architecture in most of these vessels. The Pennsylvania, rated 120 guns, on four decks, carrying 140, is not by any means so perfect as some of the line-of-battle ships.
Note. The following are the dimensions given me of the ship of the line Pennsylvania:—