ship spike

Copper spike, hand wrought at the Paul Revere Foundry under a contract for the Brd. of Navy Commissioners. This ship spike was used in construction of 3-masted, square-rigged, 74 gun battleship of the line ALABAMA. Keel laid at Portsmouth, NH Navy Yard in 1819; completed 10/28/1863, when her name was changed to NEW HAMPSHIRE. She was a supply ship during the Civil War. In 1891 she was used as a receiving ship at New London, CT. June 1892 she became a training ship. Sold out of service in 1922, and in July, while being towed to Maine, she caught fire and sank. Divers removed this spike from the wreck off Halfway Rock, in Massachusetts Bay. Mounted on display board.