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USS Severn (II)
ex
 USS Chesapeake (II) (1900 - 1905)

International Radio Call Sign, 1912:
Nan - Sail - Jig
 NSJ
Three-masted, sheathed, wooden bark with auxiliary steam power:
  • Laid down, 2 August 1898, as Chesapeake by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME.
  • Launched, 30 June 1899
  • Commissioned USS Chesapeake, 12 April 1900, LCDR. C. E. Colahan in command.
  • Following commissioning, USS Chesapeake was towed to Annapolis, MD., assuming duties as station ship and practice ship for midshipmen at the Naval Academy
  • Renamed USS Severn, 15 June 1905
  • Refitted as a submarine tender and assigned to the 3rd Submarine Division in New England and Chesapeake Bay, assuming duty in mid-May 1910
  • Reassigned to the 1st Submarine Division at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone, assuming duty 12 December 1913
  • Towed to Norfolk, VA. for decommissioning, 3 October 1916
  • Struck from the Naval Register and sold to F.G. McDonald, Ardmore, PA., 7 December 1916, fate unknown.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,175 t.
    Length 224' 3"
    Beam 37'
    Draft 16'
    Speed unknown
    Complement
    Crew 113
    Midshipmen 122
    Armament
    six 4" guns
    four 6-pdrs
    two 1-pdrs
    Propulsion Sail and Steam
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Chesapeake

    091906126    		 136k
    Namesake
    Severn - is a tidal estuary river 14 miles long, located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
    Photo - U.S. Naval Academy Bridge crossing the Severn River in Annapolis, MD., by David Podgor, 3 August 2007 Ravens326 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
    Map - Maryland Department of Natural Resources Severn River Restoration Project    		 Tommy Trampp
    Severn 130k USS Chesapeake serving as a practice ship at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD., before being renamed Severn in 1905. Note the cadets handling sails on her yards.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo # NH 55105    		 Mike Green
    Severn 101k USS Chesapeake serving as a practice ship at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD., probably before being renamed Severn in 1905. Her 4-inch guns were behind the open ports in her side.
    US. Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 67524    		 Mike Green
    Hartford
    0946013107    		 156k USS Hartford, USS Chesapeake; and USS Santee at dockside, circa early 1905. Probably taken at US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 64846    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Severn
    Severn 132k Ex-USS Chesapeake underway as Naval Academy practice ship with all sails set, probably after being renamed USS Severn in 1905.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 92049    		 Mike Green
    Severn
    098600314    		 250k Bow on view of the United States training ship USS Severn underway under full sail, circa 1907, location unknown.
    New England magazine, Authors unknown. pub. The New England Publishing Co., Boston., 1887. File:The New England magazine (1907) (14796285863).jpg - Wikimedia Commons    		 Robert Hurst
    Severn 310k USS Severn serving as practice ship at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, circa 1905-1910.
    Post card photo published by Geo. W. Jones, Annapolis, MD.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Severn 229k USS Severn serving as practice ship at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, circa 1905-1910. Tommy Trampp
    Severn 145k Post card image of USS Severn underway during a training cruise with midshipmen aboard, circa 1905-1910. Tommy Trampp
    Severn 137k USS Severn serving as a practice ship at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD. Note the cadets furling sails on her yards.US Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 85847, courtesy Shipscribe.com. Robert Hurst
    Severn 108k USS Severn after conversion to a submarine tender, probably at Baltimore, MD., 30 October 1910. The submarine alongside is probably USS Bonita(SS-15) while the three pierside ahead of their tender are probably USS Stingray (SS-13), USS Tarpon (SS-14), and USS Snapper (SS-16).
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 92954    		 Mike Green
    Castine 84k USS Severn is moored inboard of USS Castine which has three submarines moored on her starboard side while at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD., in February 1911.
    US Navy photo # NH 102764 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, collection of Chief Boatswain's Mate John E. Lynch, USN. Donated by his son, Robert J. Lynch, in April 2000.    		 Naval History and Heritage Command
    Severn 60k USS Severn with one C-class submarine alongside., circa 1911 - Nov. 1913, either during the summer in New England or during the winter in Chesapeake Bay. Severn was always towed from place to place after 1910. Ric Hedman
    Severn
    NNY photo # 21-12-1    		 532k USS Severn in Dry dock # 2 Navy Yard Norfolk, VA., 24 February 1911. Also in the drydock are submarines:
    USS Snapper (SS-16),
    USS Tarpon (SS-14),
    USS Bonita(SS-15),
    USS Salmon (SS-19) and
    USS Stingray (SS-13)
    Time to prepare dock 8 hours: Dock commenced to flood 8:30 AM. Yard workmen taking off manhole plate 12:30 PM.
    Moored across foot of the drydock is USS South Carolina (BB-26)
    US National Archives photo from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, MD.    		 Sean Hert
    Severn
    NNY photo # 21-12-3    		 636k
    Severn 132k USS Severn in the Panama Canal while serving as a submarine tender, probably between 1913 and 1916.
    US Library of Congress, Photo No. LC-B2-4251-11    		 Mike Green
    Severn 245k USS Severn preparing to enter the upper lock at the Gatun Locks, Panama Canal Zone, with four 1st Submarine Division submarines alongside, 14 April 1914. Tommy Trampp
    C-boats 1.10k USS Severn leaving Gatun Locks, lower lock, Panama Canal, 15 April 1914, under tow of the electric locomotives. Photo by Ernest Hallen, from the digital collection of Ron Armstrong, author of The Panama Canal, the Invisible Wonder of the World
    C-boats 884k USS Severn being towed by electric locomotives in the upper east chamber of Gatun Locks, 15 April 1914. All five of the Navy's Class "C" submarines:
    USS Octopus (SS-9),
    USS Stingray (SS-13),
    USS Tarpon (SS-14),
    USS Bonita (SS-15) and
    USS Snapper (SS-16) following (Severn) are under their own power.    		Photo by Ernest Hallen, from the digital collection of Ron Armstrong, author of The Panama Canal, the Invisible Wonder of the World
    USS Severn (II)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Submarine Tenders of the United States Navy
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    Last Updated 20 December 2023