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Peter (Pierre) St. Medard, a native of France, immigrated to Boston and entered the American service. In 1798, as the United States’ Quasi-War with France escalated, he joined USS Constitution and served as the ship's first naval surgeon. This oil on canvas portrait was completed in 1803 when St. Medard was 48 years old. Learn more about the ship's first surgeon on our website: bit.ly/3596xky
Portrait of Peter St. Medard - USS Constitution Museum
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Born in 1755 on the Ile d’Oléron, off the west coast of France, Peter (née Pierre) St. Medard’s childhood was filled with stories of medicine and the sea. The son of a merchant and nephew of nav...As one of the first frigates of the early U.S. Navy, USS Constitution was equipped with a new type of fire engine modified for shipboard use. The engine was designed by Naval Constructor Joshua Humphreys and manufactured by Bostonian Ephraim Thayer, a former apprentice of Paul Revere. Learn more about the navy's first fire engines on our blog: bit.ly/3gYWp2e
First Fire Engines - USS Constitution Museum
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USS Constitution‘s surgeon, Amos Evans, put it best when he wrote, “The cry of fire is dreadful on shore, but ten thousand times more distressing. . .This week we are celebrating some of USS Constitution's many firsts! In 1986, Rosemarie Lanam joined USS Constitution as the first female crew member. Here she is at the Ship's helm with Commander Joseph Z. Brown. Today, women comprise approximately 30 percent of the Ship’s crew.
