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USS MORRIS (Torpedo Boat # 14, TB-14)
later renamed Coast Torpedo Boat # 6

CLASS - Morris As Built.
Displacement 155 Tons.
Dimensions 139' 6" (oa) x 15' 4" x 4' 1".
Armament 3 x 1 pdr., 3 x 18" tt.
Speed 23 Knots, Crew 26.

Operational and Building Data
Builder Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Bristol, RI (YN 190p)
Laid down 19 November 1897.
Launched 13 April 1898.
Commissioned 11 May 1898.
Renamed Coast Torpedo Boat #6, 01 August 1918.
Decommissioned 24 March 1919.
Stricken 24 January 1924.
Fate sold at public auction to Frank B. Jones of Wilmington, DE 10 October 1924.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Morris 101kCommodore Charles Morris was born in Woodstock, Conn. July 26 1784 and died in Washington, D.C. January 27 1856. Appointed Midshipman July 1 1799; Captain March 5 1813. As one of the officers of the Intrepid he took part in the recapture and destruction of the Philadelphia in the harbor of Tripoli February 17 1804. He took a prominent part in the engagement between the Constitution and Guerriere, being severely wounded while in the act of boarding the latter vessel. For his gallantry on this occasion he was advanced one grade by the President. In 1825 he commanded the Brandywine while taking Gen. Lafayette back to France after his last visit to the United States. He was Commandant, Boston Navy Yard, 13 June 1827 to 12 May 1833. From 1851 to 1856 he was Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. The photo is from the Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-7249. Note that the DANFS history is in error and this vessel was not named for Robert Morris, the correct data is listed in the 1924 edition of Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels.Bill Gonyo/Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Morris 87kUndated photo of the Morris firing a Whitehead torpedo. From the technical publication A Brief History of U.S. Navy Torpedo Development published in 1978.HNSA
Morris 40kUndated, location unknown. Photo from Jane's Fighting Ships 1914.Robert Hurst
Morris 209kUndated postcard, location unknown.Arnold A. Putnam
Morris 146kUndated, location unknown.Mike Mohl
Morris 185kUndated, USS Morris firing a Whitehead torpedo broadside while underway. Period postcard. Image and text from Building The Mosquito Fleet: The U.S. Navy's First Torpedo Boats, by Richard V.Simpson.Robert Hurst
Morris 126kUndated, USS Morris at the Naval Torpedo Station at Newport, Goat island. NTS photograph. Image and text from Building The Mosquito Fleet: The U.S. Navy's First Torpedo Boats, by Richard V.Simpson.Robert Hurst
Morris 164kUndated, Bluejackets aboard USS Morris demonstrate how to load a Whitehead torpedo. Period postcard. Image and text from Building The Mosquito Fleet: The U.S. Navy's First Torpedo Boats, by Richard V.Simpson.Robert Hurst
Morris 128kUndated, U.S. Navy torpedo boats at dock in Newport Harbor at Goat Island. from left to right are USS Winslow, USS Stiletto, USS Morris and USS Porter. The Fall River - New York overnight steamer Pilgrim is in the far left background. NTS Photograph. Image and text from Building The Mosquito Fleet: The U.S. Navy's First Torpedo Boats, by Richard V. Simpson.Robert Hurst
Morris 25kA starboard side line drawing by A.D. Baker III of USS Morris (Torpedo Boat # 14) as she appeared in 1898. Image scanned from U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.Robert Hurst
Morris 55kCirca 1898, location unknown. NHC photo 67082.Terry Miller, Executive Director, Tin Can Sailors Inc.
Morris 174kFoote (TB # 3), Ericsson (TB # 2), Morris (TB # 14) Cushing (TB # 1) and Porter (TB # 6) (or Dupont TB # 7) at Norfolk Navy Yard, circa early 1900s. Period postcard. Image and text from Building The Mosquito Fleet: The U.S. Navy's First Torpedo Boats, by Richard V. Simpson.Robert Hurst
Morris 210kUSS Morris (Torpedo Boat # 14) launches an 18-inch Whitehead torpedo off Newport. Photo from Scientific American, 10 March 1900. Image and text from Building The Mosquito Fleet: The U.S. Navy's First Torpedo Boats by Richard V. Simpson.Robert Hurst
Morris 155kPostcard of USS Morris (Torpedo Boat # 14) underway in Narragansett Bay, 1901.Dave Wright
Morris 15kJanuary 1904, location unknown. From Army & Navy Magazine.Ron Reeves

USS Morris TB-14 History
View This Vessels DANFS History entry at the Naval History and Heritage Command website

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Ron Reeves & Wolfgang Hechler


LT Charles Eben Fox     May 11 1898 - ? (Later RADM)

LT Samuel Brown Thomas    ? 1907 - ?


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website


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Last Updated 08 June 2018