USS Surprise (1815)

History
United States
Name:	USS Surprise
Acquired:	1815
Commissioned:	1815
Fate:	Sold 1820
General characteristics
Type:	Ketch

For other ships with the same name, see USS Surprise.

The second USS Surprise and third American naval ship of the name was a ketch that served in the United States Navy from 1815 to 1820.

Surprise was purchased by the U.S. Navy at New Orleans, Louisiana, in March 1815 for operations in a small squadron commanded by Commodore Daniel Todd Patterson against pirates and slave traders.

On 18 June 1818, Surprise, commanded by Lieutenant Isaac M'Keever, captured the schooners Merino and Louisa, which carried between them 25 slaves. M'Keever took the prizes to Mobile, Alabama, where they were condemned after prolonged litigation.

In the autumn of 1818, Surprise captured a buccaneer schooner which had been operating out of Galveston, Texas, under Mexican colors. On board the prize was General Humbert, a Frenchman, who was the head of the nest of pirates at Galveston.

Surprise was sold at New Orleans in 1820.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

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