USS Preble (1839)
| The sloop-of-war USS Preble |
| | Career | |
|---|
| Launched: | June 13, 1839 |
| Commissioned: | 1840 |
| Fate: | Lost at sea |
| General Characteristics |
|---|
| Displacement: | 556 tons |
| Length: | 117 ft (36 m) |
| Beam: | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Draft: | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sail |
| Complement: |
| Armament: | 16 guns |
USS Preble was a
United States Navy sloop-of-war with 16 guns, built by the
Portsmouth Navy Yard,
Kittery,
Maine, launched June 13,
1839 and commissioned in
1840. She was named after Commodore
Edward Preble (1761-1807).
Preble first sailed for
Labrador, and then went to cruise in the
Mediterranean in
1843. She was attached to the
African Squadron in
1845.
In
1846,
Preble sailed for
New York and was affected to the
Pacific Squadron on the
West Coast, where she participated to the
Mexican War.
In
1848, Captain
James Glynn brought her to
Hong Kong and then to
Japan, where he became the first American to negotiate successfully with the "
closed country."
In November 1850, she returned to the east coast of the United States, where she became a practice ship for
midshipmen until 1857, when she was placed in ordinary.
During the
Civil War, in July 1861, she joined the
Gulf Blockading Squadron, and participated to the blockade of the
Mississippi River.
Preble was serving as a guard ship when, on
April 27,
1863, moored in
Pensacola Bay, she caught fire due to a careless crewman. The vessel was abandoned and exploded.
In
1963, the wreck of the
Preble was discovered by Navy
divers, who retrieved a number of artifacts.
*
Detailed history of the USS Preble
