USS Dolphin ( 1836 ) The third USS " Dolphin " was a brig in the United States Navy . Her plans were the basis of other brigs of that time . She was named for the aquatic mammal . She was launched on 17 June 1836 at New York Navy Yard , and commissioned on 6 September 1836 . She sailed on 6 October under the command of Lieutenant W . E . McKenney to join the Brazil Squadron after a short cruise on the coast of Africa . She joined her squadron on 21 February 1837 and was employed in the waters along the Atlantic coast of South America to protect the rights and property of American citizens . She set sail from Bahia , Brazil on 17 April 1839 , and arrived at New York City on 16 May , where she was decommissioned on 25 May . " Dolphin " made two cruises off the coast of Africa to suppress the slave trade from 18 December 1839 – 14 July 1840 and again from 5 November 1840 – 25 May 1841 . On 7 September , she sailed to join the newly organized Home Squadron cruising on the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies . Aside from a repair period at New York from 31 December 1841 – 4 March 1842 , she served with the Home Squadron until October 1843 . " Dolphin " lay at Norfolk , Virginia until 13 November 1845 , when she sailed to join the African Squadron , returning to New York on 5 November 1847 . She got underway on 6 May 1848 to join the East India Squadron , protecting American citizens in Asiatic waters . She called at the Island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean for repairs suffered during a gale and arrived at Whampoa , China in February 1849 . " Dolphin " cruised in Chinese waters until 22 July 1850 , when she sailed for New York by way of the California coast and Cape Horn , arriving on 24 June 1851 . Out of commission at New York until 10 September 1852 , " Dolphin " put to sea on 30 September on a special cruise to test and perfect discoveries made by Lieutenant M . F . Maury in his investigation of the winds and currents of the ocean , sailing as far as the English Channel . She arrived at Hampton Roads on 12 November 1853 , then returned to New York where she was placed in ordinary during 1854 . Recommissioned at Norfolk on 23 April 1855 , " Dolphin " put to sea on 8 May for another African cruise . She arrived on station 16 June and patrolled to suppress the slave trade until 28 June 1857 , when she stood out for the United States , arriving at Boston , Massachusetts on 21 July . She went out of commission on 27 July . Placed back in commission she cruised in the West Indies to intercept slave ship s between June and September 1858 . On 21 August she captured the slaver " Echo " with 318 Africans on board and sent her into Charleston , South Carolina . Those thus saved from slavery were later sent back to Africa . " Dolphin " sailed from Boston on 16 October 1858 for duty on the Brazil Station , taking part in the Paraguay expedition to Paraguay to obtain redress for the unprovoked firing upon the American ship and to settle diplomatic difficulties from December 1858 – February 1859 . " Dolphin " returned to Norfolk on 22 December 1860 and was laid up at the Navy Yard . She was burned there on 21 April 1861 by Union forces to prevent her falling into Confederate hands .