Assigned to the
West Indies Squadron,
Swatara stood out from
Hampton Roads on 12 January 1866 for
Bermuda and the
West Indies. She called at various ports, including
Port of Spain,
Trinidad;
La Guajira,
Venezuela;
Curaçao,
Netherlands West Indies; and
Havana. Departing
Cuba on 1 May,
Swatara arrived at the
Washington Navy Yard on the 7th for repairs.
European Squadron, 1866–1869 Departing Washington on 16 June,
Swatara steamed to
Norfolk, Virginia. Assigned to the
European Squadron, she stood out from Hampton Roads on 27 June and called at
Fayal,
Azores, before arriving at
Lisbon on 19 July 1866 to join
flagship and other members of her squadron. After visiting
Southampton, England,
Swatara anchored at
Bremerhaven, Germany, 3 August to 8 September, representing United States concern over uneasiness in Europe in the aftermath of the
Austro-Prussian War. Subsequently, cruising southward,
Swatara, called at
Den Helder, Netherlands; Southampton, England; and the major French Atlantic seaports:
Cherbourg,
Brest,
Lorient,
Rochefort, and
Bordeaux. After calling at
Ferrol, Spain,
Swatara arrived at
Vigo on 26 October where the United States consul came on board to visit the ship on 6 November. Bound for
Mediterranean duty, the sloop put into
Tangier, Morocco; and
Gibraltar; passing on to Spanish and French ports during November 1866. On word that
John Surratt, wanted for conspiracy in the assassination of President
Abraham Lincoln, had been arrested in
Rome,
Swatara called at
Civitavecchia,
Papal States. Meanwhile, Surratt had escaped and fled to
Alexandria, Egypt, where he was recaptured.
Swatara arrived there on 20 December 1866, and returned with Surratt to the United States. Depositing him at the
Washington Navy Yard on 18 February 1867, she returned to Lisbon. She continued to cruise in the Mediterranean area throughout the first half of 1867, replenishing at Lisbon from 1 July to 6 August replenishing at Lisbon.
Swatara headed for the Mediterranean again in August, anchoring at
Smyrna and
Constantinople before returning westward to Lisbon.
Swatara cruised down the West African coast in early 1868, calling at
Monrovia, Liberia, on 28 February and subsequently putting in at
Fernando Po and
St. Paul Loanda before returning northward to
Puerto Praya, Cape Verde Islands, on 27 April. After reaching Lisbon,
Swatara called at Southampton on 21 May, where she underwent repairs. Subsequently, she returned to Spain. Departing
Cádiz on 17 April 1869,
Swatara entered the Delaware Bay on 24 May and reached Philadelphia Navy Yard the next day. Subsequently, arriving at the
New York Navy Yard on 30 May,
Swatara was decommissioned there on 17 June 1869 and placed in reserve.
North Atlantic Squadron, 1869–1871 Recommissioned on 11 November 1869 for the
North Atlantic Squadron,
Swatara put to sea on 27 November for Aspinwall, Colombia (later
Colón, Panama). Returning to New York on 12 January,
Swatara was again deployed in the
Caribbean into 1871, where her principal service was protecting United States interests in Dominican waters. From February to May 1870 and from July to September 1871 she was anchored in Caldera Bay, San Domingo City, and other Dominican ports. After calling at
Matanzas, Cuba,
Swatara sailed via Key West and Hampton Roads to New York. She returned to the Norfolk Navy Yard where she was placed out of commission on 20 December 1871. Nominally undergoing extensive repairs,
Swatara was completely dismantled and given a new hull and machinery to become, in actuality, a
new ship. ==References==