USS Gallatin ( 1807 ) USS " Gallatin " ( 1807 ) was a post - Revolutionary War sailing vessel purchased by the U . S . Department of the Treasury at Norfolk , Virginia , for the Revenue Cutter Service in December 1807 . An explosion on board destroyed her in 1813 . Revenue cutter operations . On 5 December 1807 , in Norfolk , Daniel McNeil paid US $ $ 9 , 432 . 93 for the " Gallatin " . He was her first master and he sailed her to Charleston , South Caroline to assume revenue cutter services . His master ' s commission for the State of south Carolina bears the same date . In February 1808 " Gallatin " arrested the schooner " Kitty " for violating the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of March 1807 . She had 32 slaves on board and the seizure gave rise to a court case . The court voided the seizure on the grounds that the law was passed after " Kitty " had left the United States and her captain could not have known of its passage . War of 1812 service . America ' s declaration of war , in mid - June 1812 , was followed shortly by the Enemy Trade Act of 1812 on 6 July , which employed similar restrictions as previous legislation such as the Embargo Act of 1807 , including prohibiting all trade with Great Britain ; the 1812 Act was as ineffective as prior acts . On 7 July 1812 , Norfolk native and experienced merchant Edward Herbert , of Norfolk , and an experienced merchant captain , replaced McNeil as master of " Gallatin " . Then in August 1812 the Treasury transferred " Gallatin " from Charleston back to Norfolk . On 1 August 1812 , " Gallatin " , under the command of Daniel McNeil , captured the brig " General Blake " , which was sailing from London to Amelia Island . " General Blake " was flying the Spanish flag and carried an illegal cargo , including African slaves . The capture was adjudicated in Charleston , South Carolina . A French privateer captured the " General Blake " as she departed Charleston in January 1813 . According to a newspaper report , " Gallatin " captured a British letter of marque on 6 August as the British vessel was sailing to Jamaica . However , the " New York Evening Post " later declared the report false , and likely referencing the capture of the " General Blake " . On 12 August " Gallatin " escorted the British schooner out of American waters at Hampton Roads . The Norfolk privateer " Dash " had captured " Whiting " , which had been bringing official dispatches to the US government from Britain and which was unaware of the outbreak of war . The US government ordered the release of " Whiting " . Unfortunately for the schooner , the French privateer " Diligent " or " Diligence " captured " Whiting " shortly after she was released . On 2 September " Gallatin " escorted the ship " Tom Hazard " into Norfolk . The privateer " Comet " had captured her and the master of " Comet " had kept the ship ' s papers and manifest before releasing her . As far as McNeil was concerned , " Tom Hazard " was carrying an illegal cargo of British goods . Then on 10 October , " Gallatin " detained the " Active " , of London , and the ' " Georgiana " , of Liverpool , for violation of the Enemy Trade Act . Nine days later , while on a cruise , " Gallatin " sighted a British warship near Savannah , Georgia . John Hubbard Silliman replaced Herbert as master after " Gallatin " returned to Charleston . His commission as a revenue cutter master in the State of South Carolina is dated 22 October 1812 . On 7 November , Silliman sailed " Gallatin " in company with the privateer " Saucy Jack " to attempt to intercept the British privateer " Caledonia " . They were unsuccessful . In the new year , on 27 March 1813 , the captain of the schooner " Malaparte " published a letter thanking Silliman and his men for helping to save his schooner ' s cargo after she went ashore near Savannah . Fate . " Gallatin " sank on 1 April in the harbour at Charleston , South Carolina . The cause of the sinking was an explosion that killed three men and seriously wounded five more . " Gallatin " had returned from a cruise the day before and Silliman had gone ashore , leaving orders that the crew clean the muskets and pistols . They were engaged on this task when the ship ' s powder room exploded . The cause of the explosion was never determined . Post script . On 31 March 1814 a Charleston newspaper reported that salvors had built a diving bell to retrieve ordnance and equipment from the sunken cutter .