USS Cyane (1837)
"USS Cyane Taking Possession of San Diego Old Town July 1846", by Carlton T. Chapman (detail)
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| Name: | USS Cyane |
| Builder: | Boston Navy Yard |
| Launched: | 2 December 1837 |
| Commissioned: | May 1838 |
| Decommissioned: | 20 September 1871 |
| Fate: | Sold, 30 July 1887 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Sloop-of-war |
| Tonnage: | 792 |
| Length: | 132 ft 4 in (40.34 m) |
| Beam: | 26 ft 3 in (8.00 m) |
| Draft: | 16 ft 6 in (5.03 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Complement: | 200 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: |
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The second USS Cyane was a sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War.
Cyane was launched 2 December 1837 by Boston Navy Yard. She was commissioned in May 1838, Commander John Percival in command.
She sailed 24 June 1838 for duty in the Mediterranean, returning to Norfolk, Virginia 16 May 1841. She cleared 1 November 1841 for the Pacific Squadron, returning 1 October 1844. Sailing again for the Pacific 10 August 1845, Cyane served on the west coast during the Mexican War. On 7 July 1846 her commanding officer, Captain William Mervine, led a detachment of Marines and sailors from Commodore John D. Sloat's squadron ashore at Monterey, California, hoisting the American flag at the Customs House and claiming possession of the city and all of present day California.
On 26 July 1846 Lieutenant Colonel John C. Frémont's California Battalion boarded Cyane, now under the command of Commander Samuel Francis Du Pont, and the ship sailed for San Diego, California on 29 July 1846. She landed Marines at nearby La Playa, where they were warmly welcomed by the largely pro-American civilian population. The Marines took abandoned guns from Fort Guijarros and used them to lay siege to Old Town San Diego. A detachment of Marines and sailors from Cyane took possession of the town, raising the American flag. They were followed shortly by the Fremont volunteers and Cyane's detachment returned aboard to sail for San Blas where a landing party destroyed a Mexican battery 2 September.
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