To James Madison from William Jones, 8 June 1814
From William Jones
Navy Department June 8. 1814
Dear Sir
Will you be pleased to1 name the three 74s now building one of which is to be launched on the 20 Instant at Charlestown Massts. and the other two are in great forwardness. I am very respectfully your Obdt Servt
W Jones
RC (DLC); letterbook copy (DNA: RG 45, LSP). RC docketed by JM.
1. JM inserted an asterisk here and wrote below Jones’s signature: “*1. Independence / 2. Union / 3. Franklin (the Constitution wd. have been the name for the 3d. but for the Ship already of that name) / 4. Washington.” The Independence was launched at Charlestown in July 1814, the Washington at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in October 1814, and the Franklin at Philadelphia in August 1815 (Dudley, Naval War of 1812, 3:135 n. 2).