- Paraguay expedition
The Paraguay expedition was a
United States Naval mission sent toAsunción ,Paraguay in1858 to demand indemnity and apology from the Paraguayan Government for the1 February 1855 firing on the US Navy vessel USS "Water Witch". This was an example of USgunboat diplomacy .In
1858 , theUS Congress authorized a Naval Squadron be sent to Paraguay to seek redress from Paraguay for the shelling of the "Water Witch" in1855 , which had resulted in the death of the ship's helmsman. PresidentJames Buchanan appointedJames Butler Bowlin , a formerMissouri congressman, as the American commissioner to conduct the negotiations.To lend credibility and force to Bowlin's demands, Buchanan ordered the Navy to establish a force which could compel compliance. However, only a couple of sailing ships were then assigned to the
Brazil station , and few light-draft, naval steamers were available elsewhere. To meet the needs of the expedition, the Navy chartered seven steam-propelled merchant ships. The "Sabine", which conveyed Commissioner Bowlin toBuenos Aires , was not considered part of the expedition fleet, "as she was not designed to act against Paraguay, not being able to ascend the river" [Expenses - Paraguay Expedition, House of Representatives, 36th Congress, 1st Session, Mis. Doc. No. 86 (May 11, 1860), p. 142] .The expedition was lead by
Flag Officer William B. Shubrick . The task force departedNew York City on17 October 1858 ; but, for the most part, its 19 ships proceeded southward independently. The ships of the expedition formed up atMontevideo ,Uruguay . The slowest ship, USS "M. W. Chapin", arrived on29 December . All but two vessels of Shubrick's fleet got underway from Montevideo on30 December and ascended theRío de la Plata , the Paraná and the Paraguay rivers. Upon reachingRosario , USS "Water Witch" and USS "Fulton" left their companions behind and continued on to Asunción with Bowlin and Shubrick. They arrived off Asunción on25 January 1859 .Bowlin went ashore to conduct negotiations with the dictator
Carlos Antonio López , which were completed in afortnight . As a result of the expedition, Paraguay extended an apology to the United States, indemnified the family of the slain "Water Witch" crewman, and granted the United States a new and highly advantageous commercial treaty.hips of the expedition
*USS "Argentina"
*USS "Atlanta" (subsequently USS "Sumpter"; may actually have been USS "Atalanta")
*USS "Bainbridge"
*USS "M. W. Chapin" (subsequently USS "Anacostia" and "Alexandria")
*USS "Dolphin"
*USS "Falmouth"
*USS "Fulton"
*USRC "Harriet Lane" (subsequently USS "Harriet Lane")
*USS "Memphis" (formerly "Mount Savage"; subsequently USS "Mystic" and "General Custer")
*SS "Caledonia" (subsequently USS "Mohawk" and SS "Alliance")
*USS "Metacomet" (subsequently USS "Pulaski")
*USS "Perry"
*USS "Release" (formerly "Eringol") supply ship
*USS "St. Lawrence"
*USS "Sabine"
*USS "Southern Star" (subsequently USS "Crusader")
*USS "Supply" supply ship
*USS "Water Witch"
*USS "Western Port" (formerly SS "Western Port"; subsequently USS "Wyandotte")References
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