thumb|250px|The Flying Fish in a gale, as drawn by Alfred Thomas Agate
USS Flying Fish was formerly the New York City pilot boat schooner Independence. Purchased by the United States Navy at New York City on 3 August 1838 and upon joining her squadron in Hampton Roads on 12 August 1838, she was placed under command of Passed Midshipman S. R. Knox.
Construction and service
The Independence was built as a civilian schooner-rigged pilot boat built on 11 March 1837 by Jabex & Williams shipyard. She was purchased by the United States Navy on 3 August 1838 and renamed Flying Fish.
Assigned as a tender in the U.S. Exploring Expedition of 1838–42 commanded by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, Flying Fish sailed with her squadron 19 August 1838 to visit Madeira and Rio de Janeiro while bound for Tierra del Fuego, where the squadron arrived early in 1839. From this point, the squadron made its first cruises toward the Antarctic Continent, which it was to discover later the same year after surveys among Pacific islands and a visit to Australia.
See also
- Bombardment of Upolu
- Battle of Drummond's Island
- List of Northeastern U.S. pilot boats