USS Perry (1843)
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USS ''Perry'' was a
brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
commissioned by the United States Navy prior to the American Civil War. She was tasked by the Navy for various missions, including those related to diplomatic tensions with Paraguay, the Mexican–American War, the slave trade, and the American Civil War. She was probably named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.


Service history

''Perry'' was launched in May 1843 by the Norfolk Navy Yard; and commissioned 13 October 1843, Comdr. Samuel F. Du Pont in command. The new brig departed
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
, 3 December 1843, called at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and proceeded via Cape Town, South Africa, and the
Straits of Sunda The Sunda Strait ( id, Selat Sunda) is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean. Etymology The strait takes its name from the Sunda Kingdom, which ruled the western portion of ...
to Macau, arriving 27 August 1844. There she embarked
Caleb Cushing Caleb Cushing (January 17, 1800 – January 2, 1879) was an American Democratic politician and diplomat who served as a Congressman from Massachusetts and Attorney General under President Franklin Pierce. He was an eager proponent of territoria ...
, the first American Commissioner to China, and sailed via Hong Kong for the coast of Mexico, arriving Mazatlán, 4 November. Four days later she debarked Cushing at San Blas, for an overland journey to
Vera Cruz Veracruz is a state in Mexico. Veracruz or Vera Cruz (literally "True Cross") may also refer to: People * María González Veracruz (born 1979), Spanish politician * Philip Vera Cruz (1904–1994), Filipino American labor leader * Tomé Vera Cruz ...
, to catch a ship home. ''Perry'' then sailed via Honolulu for the Society Islands and the Marquesas where she helped win respect and fair dealing for American whalers. She departed Tahiti 16 April 1845; visited Valparaíso, Chile; sailed "round the Horn", reached Norfolk, Virginia, 17 September; and decommissioned on the 25th. ''Perry'' recommissioned 16 May 1846, three days after war was declared on Mexico, and four days later sailed for the Gulf of Mexico to blockade Mexican ports. However, after leaving Havana bound for
Charleston Charleston most commonly refers to: * Charleston, South Carolina * Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital * Charleston (dance) Charleston may also refer to: Places Australia * Charleston, South Australia Canada * Charleston, Newfoundlan ...
, South Carolina, she endured the hurricane of October 10, 1846 driven over the reefs at Bahia Honda Key with every person on board surviving. She was kedged off (From account of ordeal by Naval Lieutenant Richard Schubrick Trapier who was aboard during that time.) and returned to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for repairs 4 December 1846. ''Perry'' got under way from Philadelphia 16 May 1847 to join the Brazil Squadron protecting American interests between Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Informed that suspected slavers were bound for the coast of Africa under false papers, she seized American bark ''Ann D. Richardson'' off Rio de Janeiro 16 December. Two days later, she took the American brig ''Independence''. Investigation proved that both ships had been engaged in the slave trade and were sent to New York City under prize crews. ''Perry'' returned from the Brazil Squadron to Norfolk 10 July 1849 and decommissioned there four days later. ''Perry'' recommissioned 17 November 1849 and sailed for the west coast of Africa to help suppress the slave trade. But for a period in ordinary in New York City, 26 December 1851 to 27 April 1852, the brig continued this duty until returning to Norfolk 14 July 1854 and decommissioning on the 20th. With the exception of a month in commission, 20 March to 27 April 1855, ''Perry'' remained in ordinary at Norfolk until recommissioning 21 January 1858. She departed
Hampton Roads Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...
15 February to serve in the expedition, commanded by Flag Officer
William B. Shubrick William Branford Shubrick (October 31, 1790 – May 27, 1874) was an officer in the United States Navy. His active-duty career extended from 1806 to 1861, including service in the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War; he was placed on the ret ...
, protesting an unprovoked attack on 1 February 1855. The task force arrived at Asunción, Paraguay 29 January 1859 and quickly won James B. Bowlin, the U.S. Special Commissioner a respectful hearing. Sea power here achieved what four years of diplomacy had failed to obtain: an apology, an indemnity for the family of an American sailor killed in the fight, and a commercial treaty advantageous to the United States. The brig returned to New York 5 June 1860 and decommissioned ten days later.


Civil War

''Perry'' remained inactive until the outbreak of the American Civil War in April 1861, recommissioning on 23 April 1861. Under the command of Commander John J. Glasson she headed south the same day escorting three transports carrying some 3,000 troops to
Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
, where they landed on the 25th to reinforce the 7th Infantry Regiment then moving South to reinforce the nation's threatened capital. She then returned to New York City (where Glasson debarked for rendezvous duty) to prepare for duty as a blockader and steamed into Hampton Roads 18 May to join the newly established Atlantic Blockading Squadron. A week later she stood out from Fort Monroe and headed south for
Fernandina, Florida Fernandina Beach is a city in northeastern Florida and the county seat of Nassau County, Florida, United States. It is the northernmost city on Florida's Atlantic coast, situated on Amelia Island, and is one of the principal municipalities comp ...
. On the last day of May, she captured Confederate blockade runner ''Hannah M. Johnson'' about 15 miles southeast of
Cape Lookout, North Carolina Cape Lookout is the southern point of the Core Banks, one of the natural barrier islands on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina. It delimits Onslow Bay to the west from Raleigh Bay to the east. Core Banks and Shackleford Banks have been designat ...
. The brig took Confederate privateer 3 June, and subsequently turned two British ships away from the Southern coast before reaching her blockade station off the mouth of the St. Mary's River on the 11th. With water running low and needing repairs, ''Perry'' sailed north 8 July, reaching Washington on the 21st, the eve of the Union defeat in the first Battle of Bull Run. When word of the disaster reached the Washington Navy Yard, the brig moved into the Potomac River where her guns could command the approaches to Alexandria, Virginia, against a possible Confederate advance against the federal capital. A score of sailors from ''Perry'' landed to help man the batteries at
Fort Ellsworth Fort Ellsworth was a timber and earthwork fortification constructed west of Alexandria, Virginia, as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War. Built in the weeks following the Union defeat at Bull Run, Fort Ellswort ...
. She continued to serve in the
Potomac Flotilla The Potomac Flotilla, also called the Potomac Squadron, was a unit of the United States Navy created in the early days of the American Civil War to secure Union communications in the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River and their tributaries, and to ...
for the rest of the year and captured sloops ''Blooming Youth'' and ''Ellen Jane''. Late in December, ''Perry'' sailed for Aspinwall, Colombia, where she arrived 14 May 1862. The brig headed home 13 November, and decommissioned at New York 3 January 1863 for repairs. ''Perry'' recommissioned 28 February 1863 and a month later took station off
New Inlet, North Carolina New Inlet was an inlet along the Outer Banks of North Carolina joining Pamlico Sound with the Atlantic Ocean. It had not existed since 1945 before Hurricane Irene temporarily re-opened the inlet in 2011. History New Inlet first opened around 173 ...
. On 31 March she captured
schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...
''Sue'', and on 1 May she took the
blockade runner A blockade runner is a merchant vessel used for evading a naval blockade of a port or strait. It is usually light and fast, using stealth and speed rather than confronting the blockaders in order to break the blockade. Blockade runners usuall ...
schooner ''Alma'' attempting to slip into
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laden with salt and herring from Bermuda. She sailed north 13 August. Following repairs at Boston, Massachusetts, the brig joined the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron at Port Royal, South Carolina 15 November 1863. After serving off Murrell's Inlet, North Carolina, until 15 December and off
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...
, during the siege, she sailed 28 January 1864 to blockade station off
Fernandina, Florida Fernandina Beach is a city in northeastern Florida and the county seat of Nassau County, Florida, United States. It is the northernmost city on Florida's Atlantic coast, situated on Amelia Island, and is one of the principal municipalities comp ...
, where she remained until the end of the Civil War. USS ''Perry'' decommissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 29 April and was sold at
public auction In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
there 10 August 1865.


References

* – British Library
Digital item viewer


https://books.google.com/books?id=qIsFAAAAQAAJ&dq=brig+perry+armament&pg=RA6-PA3 House Documents, Otherwise Publ. as Executive Documents: 31st Congress First Session, Volume 9]

https://web.archive.org/web/20120113075641/http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/medias/planbato/GM05PL0275.tif Historic ship plans of the Atlas du Génie Maritime] {{DEFAULTSORT:Perry 1843 ships American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States Brigs of the United States Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy Mexican–American War ships of the United States Ships built in Portsmouth, Virginia Ships of the Union Navy Maritime incidents in October 1846