January 28, 1864: Wooden Sailing Ships On Foreign Duty

JANUARY 28, 1964:  Captaim Henry S. Stellwagen, commanding the USS Constellation, reported from Naples:  "It is my pleasant duty to inform you of the continued [friendly] demonstrations of ruling powers and people of the Kingdom of Italy toward our country and officers."

When the problems of blockading the hazardous Atlantic and Gulf coasts and running down Confederate commerce raiders compelled the Navy Department to employ its steamers in these tasks, sailing warships were sent out to replace them on foreign stations.

These slow but relatively powerful vessels, the historic Constellation in the Mediterranean, St. Louis west of Gibraltar on the converging trade routes, Jamestown in the East Indies, became available to escort merchant ships and, more important, to deter the approach of raiders.

Though they received but few opportunities to carry out their military missions, these veterans of the Old Navy rendered most effective service protecting American interests and maintaining national prestige abroad.

--Old B-Runner