USS St. Lawrence was a Potomac-class frigate of the United States Navy. Laid down in 1826, she was completed for service in the Mexican-American war, and commissioned in 1848. Instead, she sailed to Europe to train Prussian sailors and made several other trans-Atlantic voyages. In 1851, she was reassigned to the Pacific to serve as the Pacific squadron's flagship before she was reassigned to sail to Brazil as part of the Paraguay expedition in 1856. During the American Civil War, she joined the Union Blockade and seized several blockade runners before running aground at the Battle of Hampton Roads. After the battle, she protected Washington D.C. and rejoined the blockade before she was decommissioned and reused as a storeship in 1863. She was then reused as a barracks ship before being sold of in 1875.
Development
Of the original six frigates of the United States Navy, the three designed to carry 44 guns achieved early success during the War of 1812. In response, Congress authorized the construction of six additional 44-gun heavy frigates, which became known as the Java class in 1813. However, their wartime construction proved detrimental; in the rush to complete the ships quickly, the quality of materials and craftsmanship suffered. Only two vessels of the class entered service, both of which had short operational careers due to issues regarding their hurried development.
Four years later, Congress authorized the construction of nine additional frigates as part of a peacetime "gradual increase" of the Navy. In an effort to avoid a repeat of the Java class, the Navy emphasized a deliberate construction process, which allowed time to source high-quality materials and ensure quality craftsmanship. Congress did not allocate sufficient funding to complete all of the newly authorized frigates. Instead, the Navy adopted a strategy of constructing the ships nearly to completion, after which they were laid up in shipyards under protective structures. This approach was intended to preserve the hulls, as launching the ships prematurely would have led to rapid deterioration and would have been costly. The plan was to launch and complete each vessel in the event of war, thus retaining the quality vessels without the high cost associated with maintaining them during peacetime. The class would include St. Lawrence and her eight sister ships to form the Potomac-class frigates. She was laid down at the Norfolk Navy Yard in 1826, and was only launched in 1848 and commissioned on 17 August in preparation for the Mexican-American war.
Service history
European voyage, 1848–1850
On 29 August, the Navy Department, at the request of the Prussian Minister to the United States, directed Paulding to "take on board a Mister H. W. Foster and rate him Master's Mate." The German states, then striving to establish a German Federation, had recently become aware of the need for a German navy and had asked the United States for help in establishing and training a national fighting force afloat. The ship got underway on 8 September and headed eastward across the Atlantic. After touching at Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, the ship reached the mouth of the Weser River on 7 October. The next day, she was towed to Bremerhaven. She remained at that port for the next month and one-half while Capt. Paulding visited important cities in several German states to discuss with various leaders matters important to the establishment of the new navy. Before departing Bremerhaven, St. Lawrence received on board four Prussian midshipmen for training, and they served on the frigate, learning the customs, discipline, and seamanship of the United States Navy.