USS Portsmouth ( 1843 ) The second USS Portsmouth was a wooden sloop - of - war in the United States Navy in service during the mid - to - late 19th century . She was designed by Josiah Barker and built in Portsmouth , New Hampshire , on the lines of a French - built privateer . She was described as an improvement over the built in the same shipyard a year earlier . The " Portsmouth " was launched at the Portsmouth Navy Yard on 23 October 1843 and commissioned on 10 November 1844 , with Commander John Berrien Montgomery in command . Service history . Mexican - American War , 1845 – 1848 . The " Portsmouth " was an important ship during the Mexican - American War , when her crew liberated the town of Yerba Buena , whose name was changed to San Francisco in 1847 . She set sail on 25 January 1845 from Norfolk , Virginia , on a cruise around Cape Horn to join the Pacific Squadron under the command of Commodore John D . Sloat . En route , she made stops in Rio de Janeiro , Valparaiso , Callao , the Sandwich Islands , and Acapulco . To prevent the possibility of Great Britain acquiring California , she was initially engaged in protecting San Francisco Bay by watching the movements of British vessels off the California coast . After the declaration of war with Mexico , a detachment of Marines under the command of Second Lieutenant Henry Bulls Watson rowed ashore and raised the American flag over Yerba Buena on 9 July 1846 , seizing California for the United States . The plaza where this occurred in San Francisco is now called Portsmouth Square in honor of the " Portsmouth " and is located in Chinatown . The " Portsmouth " remained in San Francisco Bay until November 1846 when she was sent to San Diego . During 1847 , the " Portsmouth " was assigned to blockade Mexico ' s west coast . On the morning of 3 January 1848 , the " Portsmouth " finally got underway for the cruise back to the United States east coast . West Africa , 1848 – 1851 . Returning to Boston in May 1848 she departed again on 29 August and sailed east to the African coast . There until 1 February 1849 she patrolled with Royal Navy ships to suppress the slave trade . Between September 1849 and May 1851 she again cruised off the West African coast , returning to Boston on 26 June . Pacific , Africa , 1851 – 1861 . Six months later " Portsmouth " left Boston for duty in the Pacific . On 5 April 1855 she returned to the east coast for overhaul at Norfolk and on 3 May 1856 got underway for the Pacific again . Under Commander Andrew H . Foote she reached Batavia 94 days later , whence she sailed to China . There she participated in the engagement with the Barrier Forts of Canton on 16 – 22 November 1856 . Ordered home in January 1858 , she remained at Portsmouth , New Hampshire , until sailing for Africa again for a three year tour , 1859 – 61 . Civil War , 1861 – 1865 . " Portsmouth " refitted at Portsmouth between September and December 1861 , then sailed for the Gulf of Mexico and duty with the Gulf Blockading Squadron . By the end of February 1862 she had captured two blockade runners off Texas . In April she participated in operations against Forts Jackson and St . Philip , then from May 1862 to August 1865 operated as station ship at New Orleans . South America , Pacific , 1865 – 1878 . Continuing her varied career after the American Civil War " Portsmouth " served as quarantine vessel at New York , 1866 – 67 ; cruised off Brazil and Africa , 1869 – 71 ; carried relief personnel to Brazil in early 1872 ; and participated in survey assignments in the eastern Pacific , 1873 – 74 . In 1875 she conducted a cruise off the west coast of Latin America and on 14 July 1878 was decommissioned as a cruiser and assigned as a training ship for boys . On 25 July 1876 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard , Boatswain ' s Mate Alexander Parker attempted to rescue a shipmate from drowning , for which he was later awarded a Medal of Honor . Training ship , 1878 – 1915 . In 1878 " Portsmouth " returned to the east coast , arriving at Washington , D . C . on 16 February . In March she sailed to France , returning in December to resume training ship duties on 17 January 1895 , first with naval apprentices , then with the New Jersey Naval Militia , until March 1911 . It was during this time Fred J . Buenzle had served aboard the " Portsmouth " , as noted in " Bluejacket ; An Autobiography " , a part of the " Classics Of Naval Literature " series . Three of her crewman earned the Medal of Honor during this period for jumping overboard to rescue fellow sailors : Seaman Henry C . Courtney and Boatswain ' s Mate Thomas Cramen on 7 February 1882 and Boatswain ' s Mate Francis Moore on 23 January 1882 . " Portsmouth " was then loaned to the Public Health Service , Quarantine Station , Charleston , S . C . to serve as a boarding launch . She was struck from the Navy List on 17 April 1915 and subsequently sold . " Portsmouth " was taken to Governors Island , Boston Harbor , and burned on the night of September 6 – 7 , 1915 , the culmination of a South Boston carnival . The event was well attended by politicians and others , and a fireboat siren shrieked a salute as flames poured out of her empty gun ports . The Portsmouth was adopted as the logo for Bank of America by Amadeo Giannini , the bank ' s founder . This was likely due to the ship ' s history of liberating San Francisco , then called Yerba Buena . See " http : / / www . worthpoint . com / worthopedia / bank - of - america - service - pin " an example of this logo .