Connect

Dark History, Haunted Ship:

Inside Baltimore's Historic USS Constellation

USS Constellation

Baltimore, Maryland

View Haunted Events
USS Constellation
The USS Constellation, permanently docked in Baltimore, MD’s Inner Harbor, is a historic 22-gun sloop-of-war commissioned in 1855. Active for 100 years, this legendary Civil War ship served in multiple military conflicts and remains the only surviving naval vessel from the Civil War era.
 
Beyond wartime battles, the vessel played a pivotal role in ending the transatlantic slave trade. While patrolling the West Africa Squadron, the crew captured three slave ships and liberated 705 enslaved Africans, including 199 women and children. The USS Constellation then transitioned to the Union Navy to protect American interests abroad during the Civil War, famously aiding in the capture of the Confederate steam cruiser CSS Sumter. After a century of service, the warship was decommissioned in 1955.
 
Today, the historic ship is equally famous for its dark history and haunted ship reputation. Numerous gruesome deaths occurred on board, leaving behind a legacy of USS Constellation ghost stories:

The Execution of Neil Harvey branded a traitor for abandoning his gun during battle, Harvey was stabbed by Lieutenant Starrett and executed by being tied to a cannon and blown to pieces.

The Cabin Boy Murder, in an act of senseless maritime madness, two sailors stabbed an 11-year-old surgeon’s assistant to death.

The Sailor’s Suicide, driven insane by hallucinations at sea, another crew member hanged himself from the rigging.

Due to this violent past, paranormal activity is frequently reported on the vessel. Visitors claim to see a phantom crew peering out of the ship’s windows, accompanied by the sudden smell of gunpowder. A ghostly officer in an old Navy uniform—believed by many to be Captain Thomas Truxtun, the first commander of the original Constellation franchise—is often spotted on the forecastle deck. Disembodied sounds of clattering pots and pans also echo through the decks at night.

The USS Constellation welcomes you aboard to explore its historic decks and discover for yourself why it is considered one of the most haunted ships in the U.S.