(28) Manuscript Letters from Edward Coale Hopkinson (1814-1831) (son of Joseph Hopkinson, 1770-1842) his account on the sole voyage of USS Hudson 1828-1830, international stampless folded letters, some with wax seals, written from the U.S. Ship Hudson / the U.S.. Frigate Hudson / USS Hudson during its only mission. Included with the letters are two pencil sketches of the ship drawn by Edward Coale Hopkinson. "The first USS Hudson was a wooden hulled, three-masted sailing frigate in the United States Navy. Hudson, formerly Liberator, was built in 1826 for the Greek government by Smith & Dimon of New York. When Greece was unable to pay for her, she was purchased by the Navy and commissioned at New York. In 1828, Hudson began fitting out for what was to be her only cruise, and during this period was inspected by President John Quincy Adams and his entourage. The frigate sailed from New York on 28 September 1828 to serve as Commodore John Orde Creigton's flagship in the Brazil Squadron. In company with Erie, she touched at New London, Connecticut for supplies and ammunition before turning south to reach Rio de Janeiro on 29 November to help eradicate the insidious traffic in slaves along those shores. Hudson was constructed of unseasoned white oak, rather than seasoned live oak which was preferred by the U.S. Navy. As a result, Hudson began to decay soon after her completion and was returned to the United States. Hudson departed on 13 June 1831 and reached New York via Bahia on 5 August. She remained at New York as a receiving ship until 1844, when she was broken up and sold." Before the ship could return to New York in 1831, a tragedy occured on February 1st 1831, when "Midshipman Edward Hopkinson fell and expired." From the Francis Hopkinson Family Archives