USS Despatch ( 1873 ) The third USS " Despatch " was a United States Navy steamer in commission from 1873 - 1891 . Acquisition and commissioning . " Despatch " was the commercial steamer " America " when the U . S . Navy purchased her in November 1873 at New York City . She was commissioned on 23 November 1873 , Lieutenant Commander Frederick Rodgers in command . The " Virginius " Affair , 1873 . Purchased for dispatch duty because of her speed , " Despatch " was assigned to the North Atlantic Station and joined the fleet in December 1873 at Key West , Florida , in anticipation of war with Spain over the seizure of the American filibustering steamer " Virginius " by the Spanish cruiser . The Spanish had taken " Virginius " into port at Santiago de Cuba in Cuba and summarily condemned her , with 53 of her passengers and crew executed ( see " Virginius " Affair ) . After lengthy diplomatic negotiations , 102 survivors were delivered on board , and " Virginius " was ordered to be turned over to Captain W . D . Whiting , Chief of Staff of the North Atlantic Fleet . " Despatch " carried Capt . Whiting to Bahia Honda to take charge of " Virginius " , and took " Virginius " in tow for Key West . " Despatch " remained with the fleet , serving as dispatch vessel and participating in squadron drills until arriving at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington , D . C . , which became her new base on 24 April 1874 . Operations from Washington , D . C . , 1874 - 1877 . From 1874 - 1877 , " Despatch " carried out special duty assignments from her base at Washington , D . C . , and at various times operated with the North Atlantic Fleet along the United States East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico . She was kept ready for use as a dispatch and relief vessel , and on several occasions transported the Secretary of the Navy and United States Senate committees . She also towed monitors from one point to another and experimented with spar torpedo es at Newport , Rhode Island . Operations in the Ottoman Empire , 1877 - 1879 . " Despatch " departed on 20 April 1877 for the eastern Mediterranean and a special assignment with the United States Embassy at Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire . Arriving there on 14 June , " Despatch " carried dispatches and transported the American minister to the Ottoman Empire , which was in turmoil because of war with the Russian Empire and internal political unrest . " Despatch " was detached early in 1879 , and returned to Washington , D . C . , where she was decommissioned on 9 July 1879 . Cadet training , Presidential yacht duty , and special assignments , 1880 - 1891 . After extensive repairs , " Despatch " was recommissioned on 8 June 1880 for use as a training ship and cruised along the U . S . East Coast with cadet engineers from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis , Maryland on board . " Despatch " was again out of commission at Washington from 23 September - 19 October 1880 , then operated principally in the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay and along the U . S . East Coast from Norfolk , Virginia , to Maine until 1891 , carrying out special assignments . She was frequently used by the President as the first Presidential yacht , as well as by the Secretary of the Navy and other members of the United States Cabinet , Congressional committees , members of naval boards conducting inspections , and for varied ceremonial duties . One of the most important of these ceremonial events occurred on 28 October 1886 when she transported President Grover Cleveland - including his private secretary and three members of his cabinet - to and from Bedloe ' s Island in New York Harbor for the dedication and unveiling of the Statue of Liberty on 28 October 1886 . Over the years , she also carried despatches and men to the fleet and along the U . S . East Coast , towed into port or destroyed damaged ships and wrecks , and escorted new ships during their sea trials . From 12 December 1881 – 3 June 1882 , " Despatch " cruised to Hispaniola to conduct hydrographic surveys of Samana Bay and the Yuna River . Loss . After carrying the Secretary of the Navy on a cruise along the New England coast to review the fleet in August 1891 , " Despatch " put into New York , from which she sailed for Washington on 9 October 1891 . Early on the morning of 10 October , in a gale , she was wrecked on Assateague Island off the Virginia coast . With the aid of men from the Assateague Lifesaving Station of the United States Lifesaving Service , all of " Despatch " s crew got ashore safely . The wrecked hulk of " Despatch " was sold for salvage on 12 November .