Definitions for "USS Kearsarge"
USS Kearsarge (BB-5), the lead ship of her class of battleships, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named, by act of Congress, in honor of the famous American Civil War sloop-of-war Kearsarge. Her keel was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia on 30 June 1896. She was launched on 24 March 1898, sponsored by Mrs.
USS Kearsarge, a Mohican-class sloop-of-war, is best known for her defeat of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama during the American Civil War. The Kearsarge was the only ship of the United States Navy named for Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire. Subsequent ships were named Kearsarge in honor of this ship, not of the mountain.
USS Kearsarge has been the name of four commissioned ships of the United States Navy (and another ship that was renamed during construction). The first was named for Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire; the later ones were named in honor of the first. Ship 11 at Recruit Training Command is also named Kearsarge in honor of the first ship.