USS Germantown ( 1846 ) USS " Germantown " was a sloop - of - war in the United States Navy . " Germantown " was launched at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 22 August 1846 ; sponsored by Miss Lavinia Fanning Watson ; because of damaging ice , transferred 18 December to Norfolk Navy Yard for fitting out ; and commissioned 9 March 1847 , Commander Franklin Buchanan in command . Service history . Mexican - American War , 1847 – 1848 . " Germantown " departed Norfolk , Virginia on 15 March for service during the Mexican - American War with Commodore Matthew C . Perry ' s Home Squadron . Reaching Sacrificios Island 1 April , she stood off Alvarado the following day when that town surrendered " without firing a gun . " She then sailed with the squadron to Tuxpan , which Perry described as the " only fortified place of importance situated on the gulf coast not in our possession . " With the landing force of seamen and marines her detachment crossed the bar 18 April and successfully stormed the Mexican fortifications . As " a point of honor as well as duty , " they reclaimed guns and ordnance stores , seized by the enemy from the wrecked brig . After cruising the coast of Lobos Island , " Germantown " furnished 130 men to assist in the second expedition against Tabasco . Between 13 and 16 June the force under Commodore Perry razed the defenses and occupied the town . During the next six months she cruised the Mexican coast from Vera Cruz to Tuxpan , blockading Mexican ports on the Gulf Coast ; and between 9 August and 10 November she served as Commodore Perry ' s flagship . Returning to Sacrificios Island 8 January 1848 , she took on board the remains of gallant American dead and departed for the United States 15 January . Steaming via Havana , Cuba she arrived Norfolk 16 February and decommissioned for repairs 25 February . " Germantown " recommissioned on 8 April , Comdr . Charles Lowndes in command . Departing Norfolk 25 April , she returned to Vera Cruz 19 May to again serve with Commodore Perry ' s Home Squadron . While off Laguna de Terminos 3 June , she received news of the ratification of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo . She returned to Vera Cruz 9 July ; and , after receiving government dispatches , she departed Punta de Anton Lizardo 29 August and sailed to Pensacola , Florida , where she arrived 12 September . Caribbean , 1848 – 1850 . Departing 1 October , " Germantown " sailed to the West Indies and arrived on station at St . Thomas , Virgin Islands , 28 October . She actively cruised off the Virgin Islands until 30 June 1849 when she sailed for the United States . After touching at Key West , Florida and Norfolk , she resumed her station off St . Thomas 10 February 1850 and protected American commerce until again ordered to the United States 8 August . She reached New York 11 September and decommissioned 21 September . African Squadron , 1851 – 1853 . Recommissioned 23 December , Comdr . J . D . Knight in command , " Germantown " was assigned as flagship of Commodore Elie A . F . La Vallette ' s African Squadron 10 January 1851 . She departed 12 April ; sailed via the Madeira Islands to the Cape Verde Islands ; and arrived Porto Praya 14 May to relieve sloop - of - war . Operating out of Porto Praya with sloops and and brigs and , she spent almost the next two years cruising the South Atlantic to St . Helena Island and along the African coast from Cape Mesurado to Loando , Portuguese West Africa . During this time the squadron " rendered aid to our countrymen , gave protection to our commerce , and security to the emigrants and missionaries located on the coast , and as far as practicable , " reported Commodore Lavallette , " checked the slave traders in their abominable traffic . " On 8 February 1853 she seized the American schooner " Rachel P . Brown " and sent the suspected slave ship to Norfolk . Relieved on station by famed frigate , she departed Porto Praya 4 March ; during her homeward voyage , she collected data for Lt . Matthew F . Maury ' s world - wide wind and current survey . She reached Boston , Massachusetts 30 March and decommissioned 9 April . Brazil Squadron , 1853 – 1857 . " Germantown " recommissioned 23 November , Comdr . W . F . Lynch in command , and sailed 3 December for service in Commodore W . D . Salter ' s Brazil Squadron . Arriving Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , 16 January 1854 , she joined frigate , brig , and storeship and cruised the South Atlantic from Bahia , Brazil , to Buenos Aires , Argentina . During much of 1855 she maintained station off Montevideo , Uruguay , where political disturbances and revolutionary activities threatened the lives and property of foreign nationals . Comdr . Lynch sent a Marine detachment ashore 28 August to protect American interests ; during an insurrection three months later a landing party of sailors and marines under Lt . A . S . Nicholson assisted forces from ships of three other nations in guarding consulates and the customhouse . After completing duty with the Brazil Squadron , she departed Bahia 8 January 1857 ; reached Hampton Roads 9 February ; and decommissioned three days later . East India Squadron , 1857 – 1860 . " Germantown " again recommissioned 15 July , Comdr . R . L . Page in command , for duty in the Far East . Departing Norfolk 4 August , she sailed via the Cape of Good Hope to Ceylon , where in 22 December she joined Flag Officer Josiah Tattnall ' s East India Squadron off Point de Gala . For two years she cruised Far Eastern waters and visited the principal ports of China and Japan , where she found " uniform friendly reception " as the squadron guarded American interests in the Orient . Sailing via the Cape of Good Hope , she returned to Norfolk in April 1860 and decommissioned the 18th . Civil War , 1860 – 1864 . Completely equipped for sea and awaiting a crew , " Germantown " was scuttled at Gosport Navy Yard 20 April 1861 as Union forces evacuated Norfolk . The Confederate s raised her in June ; fitted her out as a floating battery to serve near Craney Island for the protection of Norfolk ; then sank her as an obstruction in the Elizabeth River shortly before evacuating Norfolk 10 May 1862 . Raised by Union forces 22 April 1863 , " Germantown " saw no further service . Her hulk was sold by auction at Norfolk on 8 February 1864 .