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USS Dolphin (1836)
Encyclopedia
The third USS Dolphin was a brig
in the United States Navy
. Her plans were the basis of other brigs of that time. She was named for the aquatic mammal
.
She was launched
on 17 June 1836 at New York Navy Yard, and commissioned
on 6 September 1836. She sailed on 6 October under the command of Lieutenant
W. E. McKenney to join the Brazil Squadron
after a short cruise on the coast of Africa. She joined her squadron on 21 February 1837 and was employed in the waters along the Atlantic coast of South America to protect the rights and property of American citizens. She set sail from Bahia
, Brazil
on 17 April 1839, and arrived at New York City
on 16 May, where she was decommissioned on 25 May.
Dolphin made two cruises off the coast of Africa to suppress the slave trade from 18 December 1839-14 July 1840 and again from 5 November 1840-25 May 1841. On 7 September, she sailed to join the newly organized Home Squadron
cruising on the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies. Aside from a repair period at New York from 31 December 1841-4 March 1842, she served with the Home Squadron until October 1843.
Dolphin lay at Norfolk, Virginia
until 13 November 1845, when she sailed to join the African Squadron, returning to New York on 5 November 1847. She got underway on 6 May 1848 to join the East India Squadron
, protecting American citizens in Asiatic waters. She called at the Island of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean for repairs suffered during a gale and arrived at Whampoa, China
in February 1849. Dolphin cruised in Chinese waters until 22 July 1850, when she sailed for New York by way of the California
coast and Cape Horn
, arriving on 24 June 1851.
Out of commission at New York until 10 September 1852, Dolphin put to sea on 30 September on a special cruise to test and perfect discoveries made by Lieutenant M. F. Maury in his investigation of the winds and currents of the ocean, sailing as far as the English Channel
. She arrived at Hampton Roads
on 12 November 1853, then returned to New York where she was placed in ordinary during 1854.
Recommissioned at Norfolk on 23 April 1855, Dolphin put to sea on 8 May for another African cruise. She arrived on station 16 June and patrolled to suppress the slave trade until 28 June 1857, when she stood out for the United States
, arriving at Boston, Massachusetts on 21 July. She went out of commission on 27 July.
Placed back in commission she cruised in the West Indies to intercept slave ship
s between June and September 1858. On 21 August she captured the slaver Echo with 318 Africans on board and sent her into Charleston, South Carolina
. Those thus saved from slavery were later sent back to Africa.
Dolphin sailed from Boston on 16 October 1858 for duty on the Brazil Station, taking part in the Paraguay expedition
to Paraguay
to obtain redress for the unprovoked firing upon the American ship and to settle diplomatic difficulties from December 1858-February 1859. Dolphin returned to Norfolk on 22 December 1860 and was laid up at the Navy Yard. She was burned there on 21 April 1861 by Union forces to prevent her falling into Confederate
hands.
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Her plans were the basis of other brigs of that time. She was named for the aquatic mammal
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
.
She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 17 June 1836 at New York Navy Yard, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 6 September 1836. She sailed on 6 October under the command of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
W. E. McKenney to join the Brazil Squadron
Brazil Squadron
The Brazil Squadron, the Brazil Station, or the South Atlantic Squadron was an overseas military station established by the United States in 1826 to protect American commerce in the South Atlantic during a war between Brazil and Argentina...
after a short cruise on the coast of Africa. She joined her squadron on 21 February 1837 and was employed in the waters along the Atlantic coast of South America to protect the rights and property of American citizens. She set sail from Bahia
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
on 17 April 1839, and arrived at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 16 May, where she was decommissioned on 25 May.
Dolphin made two cruises off the coast of Africa to suppress the slave trade from 18 December 1839-14 July 1840 and again from 5 November 1840-25 May 1841. On 7 September, she sailed to join the newly organized Home Squadron
Home Squadron
The Home Squadron was part of the United States Navy in the mid-19th century. Organized as early as 1838, ships were assigned to protect coastal commerce, aid ships in distress, suppress piracy and the slave trade, make coastal surveys, and train ships to relieve others on distant stations...
cruising on the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies. Aside from a repair period at New York from 31 December 1841-4 March 1842, she served with the Home Squadron until October 1843.
Dolphin lay at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
until 13 November 1845, when she sailed to join the African Squadron, returning to New York on 5 November 1847. She got underway on 6 May 1848 to join the East India Squadron
East India Squadron
The East India Squadron, or East Indies Squadron, was a squadron of American ships which existed in the nineteenth century, it focused on protecting American interests in the Far East while the Pacific Squadron concentrated on the western coasts of the Americas and in the South Pacific Ocean...
, protecting American citizens in Asiatic waters. She called at the Island of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
in the Indian Ocean for repairs suffered during a gale and arrived at Whampoa, China
Huangpu District, Guangzhou
Huangpu District is one of the ten districts in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.-History:...
in February 1849. Dolphin cruised in Chinese waters until 22 July 1850, when she sailed for New York by way of the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast and Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, arriving on 24 June 1851.
Out of commission at New York until 10 September 1852, Dolphin put to sea on 30 September on a special cruise to test and perfect discoveries made by Lieutenant M. F. Maury in his investigation of the winds and currents of the ocean, sailing as far as the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. She arrived at Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on 12 November 1853, then returned to New York where she was placed in ordinary during 1854.
Recommissioned at Norfolk on 23 April 1855, Dolphin put to sea on 8 May for another African cruise. She arrived on station 16 June and patrolled to suppress the slave trade until 28 June 1857, when she stood out for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, arriving at Boston, Massachusetts on 21 July. She went out of commission on 27 July.
Placed back in commission she cruised in the West Indies to intercept slave ship
Slave ship
Slave ships were large cargo ships specially converted for the purpose of transporting slaves, especially newly purchased African slaves to Americas....
s between June and September 1858. On 21 August she captured the slaver Echo with 318 Africans on board and sent her into Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. Those thus saved from slavery were later sent back to Africa.
Dolphin sailed from Boston on 16 October 1858 for duty on the Brazil Station, taking part in the Paraguay expedition
Paraguay expedition
The Paraguay Expedition was a United States Naval mission sent to Asunción, Paraguay in 1858 to demand indemnity and apology from the Paraguayan Government for the 1 February 1855 firing on the US Navy vessel...
to Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
to obtain redress for the unprovoked firing upon the American ship and to settle diplomatic difficulties from December 1858-February 1859. Dolphin returned to Norfolk on 22 December 1860 and was laid up at the Navy Yard. She was burned there on 21 April 1861 by Union forces to prevent her falling into Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
hands.