- USS Relief (1836)
The first USS "Relief" was a
supply ship in theUnited States Navy ."Relief" was laid down in
1835 at thePhiladelphia Navy Yard and launched14 September 1836 . Designed bySamuel Humphreys , she was built along merchant vessel lines and included trysail mast and gaffsail on all three masts to enable her to work to windward in strong winds. Her hull was pierced for 16 small guns, but she usually carried only four to six 18-pounder and two 12-pounders.In early December 1836, "Relief", commanded by Lieutenant
Thomas A. Dornin , leftPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania forNorfolk, Virginia to join the ships assigned to the United States South Sea Surveying and Exploring Expedition. However, that expedition, held up by lack of money, ships, equipment, and trained personnel - and by administrative feuding since its first authorization in 1828 - continued to be delayed until the summer of 1838. During her 19-month wait, "Relief" remained at Norfolk or engaged in runs along the east coast.On 19 August 1838, the squadron, commanded by Lt.
Charles Wilkes , clearedHampton Roads and set a course forRio de Janeiro . Sailing with the prevailing winds - westerlies and northeast trades - their planned course took them across the Atlantic toMadeira ; then straight toBrazil . However, "Relief", under Lt.A. K. Long , proved to be a slow sailer. She soon fell behind and was detached with orders to rejoin the other five vessels in theCape Verde Islands . The rendezvous was accomplished in early October and the squadron sailed for Brazil. "Relief", the last to arrive, reached Rio on 26 November.On 6 January 1839, the squadron sailed for the Río Negro and
Cape Horn . "Relief", bypassing the former where surveys were conducted, rounded the Cape and reachedOrange Harbor , on theHardy Peninsula , Hoste Island, on the 30th. There for almost 3 weeks, her crew kept hourly registers of the tides, placed navigation lights, and cut wood. On 18 February, the others arrived and toward the end of the month they were dispersed on various missions. Two followedJames Weddell 's course toAntarctica ; others tracedJames Cook 's path. "Relief" was ordered north to theStraits of Magellan , via theCockburn Channel , to survey harbors in the straits. Caught in storms, however, she was unable to penetrate the channel and, in mid-March, was almost wrecked offNoir Island . The loss of her anchor during her battle with the sea off Noir, prohibited further attempts to enter the channel and she headed forValparaíso .On 15 April she entered the anchorage to make repairs and await the remainder of the squadron which by mid-May was reunited. In June, they moved on to
Callao , where the ships were refitted and replenished. When "Relief" was unloaded and smoked, her dead rats filled three barrels.Because of her slowness, "Relief" was ordered to proceed from Callao to
Sydney , then sail home - carrying the sick and malcontents with her. Sailing in mid-July, she spent 2 weeks in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaiian Islands ) and 3 months after leavingPeru , put into Sydney. She discharged her remaining cargo, took on water, wood, and rock ballast and headed east. En route home, she again doubled Cape Horn and on 28 March 1840 she reachedNew York .At the end of the year, "Relief", repaired and overhauled, sailed again for the
Pacific , where she remained for 5 years operating primarily off the west coast ofSouth America . She returned to New York in April 1846. In May, war withMexico broke out; and, in July, "Relief" joined theHome Squadron . From then until June 1848, she cruised in theGulf of Mexico , attempting to maintain a steady supply line to the ships engaged in the blockade of the Mexican coast despite the distance to supply bases and the scarcity of ships of her type.In July 1848, "Relief" returned to New York and in the fall sailed from Norfolk for the
Brazil Station . The following spring, she was back at Norfolk, but, with the autumn, she headed east. She operated in theMediterranean Sea until she returned to the United States in July 1850, and engaged in resupply runs to Brazil until placed out of commission for overhaul 20 November 1855. She recommissioned 19 February 1856 and resumed her runs to the Brazil Station and continued them through 1857.In late 1858 she rejoined the Home Squadron and cruised in the Gulf of Mexico. In 1861, she crossed the Atlantic again, resupplied the
African Squadron and, with the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War , returned to the United States to resupply the ships of theSouth Atlantic Blockading Squadron . In July 1862, she returned to the Gulf of Mexico and, until the fall of 1863, served primarily as station store ship atShip Island inMississippi Sound .Then ordered to
Boston, Massachusetts for overhaul, she was decommissioned 5 December 1863. Recommissioned 29 April 1864, she was ordered back to the Pacific. In July she delivered supplies at Rio de Janeiro, whence she continued on toChina , arriving at the Portuguese colony ofMacau in December. After service on theAsiatic Station , she returned to New York in late 1866 and was placed in ordinary. In 1871 she was ordered toWashington, D.C. , where she served asreceiving ship until 1877. The following year she was laid up, at Washington, and on27 September 1883 she was sold toJ. B. Agnew .See USS "Relief" for other ships of this name.
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