USS Swatara (1865)
| History | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Name: | USS Swatara |
| Builder: | Philadelphia Navy Yard |
| Launched: | 23 May 1865 |
| Commissioned: | 15 November 1865 |
| Decommissioned: | 20 December 1871 |
| Fate: | Dismantled and rebuilt as a new ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Screw sloop |
| Displacement: | 1,113 long tons (1,131 t) |
| Length: | 216 ft (65.8 m) |
| Beam: | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Draft: | 13 ft (4.0 m) |
| Propulsion: | Steam engine |
| Speed: | 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement: | 164 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: |
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The first USS Swatara was a wooden, screw sloop in the United States Navy. She was named for Swatara Creek in Pennsylvania.
Swatara was launched on 23 May 1865 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss Esther Johnson; and commissioned on 15 November 1865, Commander William A. Jeffers in command.
Assigned to the West Indies Squadron, Swatara stood out from Hampton Roads on 12 January 1866 for Bermuda and the West Indies. She called at various ports, including Port of Spain, Trinidad; La Guajira, Venezuela; Curaçao, Netherlands West Indies; and Havana. Departing Cuba on 1 May, Swatara arrived at the Washington Navy Yard on the 7th for repairs.
Departing Washington on 16 June, Swatara steamed to Norfolk, Virginia. Assigned to the European Squadron, she stood out from Hampton Roads on 27 June and called at Fayal, Azores, before arriving at Lisbon on 19 July 1866 to join flagship USS Colorado and other members of her squadron. After visiting Southampton, England, Swatara anchored at Bremerhaven, Germany, 3 August to 8 September, representing United States concern over uneasiness in Europe in the aftermath of the Austro-Prussian War. Subsequently cruising southward, Swatara, called at Den Helder, Netherlands; Southampton, England; and the major French Atlantic seaports: Cherbourg, Brest, Lorient, Rochefort, and Bordeaux. After calling at Ferrol, Spain, Swatara arrived at Vigo on 26 October where the United States consul came on board to visit the ship on 6 November. Bound for Mediterranean duty, the sloop put into Tangier, Morocco; and Gibraltar; passing on to Spanish and French ports during November 1866.
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