1821 was a time of peace for America. The War of 1812 was over, but the job of the navy was not. The mission of the navy during peace in the 1820s was to cruise foreign ports and protect American interests and commerce. In his State of the Union address that year, President Monroe shared with Congress a few words about the recent Naval squadrons that had been sent out. The primary role of these squadrons was to protect United States commercial shipping interests. American commerce was often impacted by blockades, American ships were being seized, and Americans were being harassed. American rights around the globe needed to be protected. While the Squadron rarely intervened with force, their mere presence in various ports helped to minimize the harassment of Americans and the seizure of their vessels. In addition, naval crews also provided supplies and equipment for the merchant and whaler ships. And according to Bradford in America, Sea Power and the World, "naval ships acted as safe depositories for money and specie collected by American merchant ships and transported that specie back to the United States". A typical squadron consisted of a ship-of-the-line or frigate with many guns along with sloops of war, brigs and schooners, and would sail from port to port helping Americans who had problems with local authorities.
The first squadron mentioned by Monroe was on the Mediterranean. American merchants faced threat in the Mediterranean from Algiers, whose rule began seizing American ships during the War of 1812. In 1815 Congress authorized a naval force of two squadrons under Commodore Bainbridge and Commodore Decatur. The Dey of Algeria quickly capitulated and signed Decatur's treaty returning all American captives, paying $10,000 for seized shipping and agreeing to requiring no further tributes from the United States.
The second squadron up for discussion was on the Pacific Coast. When the Adams-Onís Treaty was ratified by Spain, it renounced it's claims to the Oregon Country leaving the Pacific Northwest open to the competing commercial interests of the United States and Great Britain which needed protection. Further south, the Spanish Empire in South America was breaking up and often times American ships got caught in the struggle between Spanish loyalist and revolutionary governments. This naval force became known as the "Pacific Squadron", and confined it's activities to the Pacific waters off North America, South America and Hawaii. In 1821, there were no US ports or naval bases on the Pacific coast, so the squadron had to operate out of storeships which provided them with supplies, food and water.
Next was greatest threat the American merchants faced. A squadron was sent to the Caribbean, where the piracy problem persisted much longer and required a much longer term solution. Here, Congress had recently established the West Indies squadron. The mission of this squadron was the destruction of the Caribbean pirates, but success proved to be elusive. The pirates had hideouts on foreign soil and were widely scattered making them difficult to attack.
Lastly, Monroe made mention of the Africa Squadron which was established to protect American interests off the coast of North Africa, and police the transatlantic slave trade, outlawed by the United States since 1808. Monroe shared a few words about these squadrons and their success "in capturing and destroying several of their vessels", but urged Congress to continue support of the squadrons until the "practice is entirely suppressed".
Here is the full excerpt on the naval squadrons from
"A squadron has been maintained, as heretofore, in the Mediterranean, by means whereof peace has been preserved with the Barbary Powers. This squadron has been reduced the present year to as small a force as is compatible with the fulfillment of the object intended by it. From past experience and the best information respecting the views of those powers it is distinctly understood that should our squadron be withdrawn they would soon recommence their hostilities and depredations upon our commerce. Their fortifications have lately been rebuilt and their maritime force increased.
It has also been found necessary to maintain a naval force on the Pacific for the protection of the very important interests of our citizens engaged in commerce and the fisheries in that sea. Vessels have likewise been employed in cruising along the Atlantic coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, on the coast of Africa, and in the neighboring seas. In the latter many piracies have been committed on our commerce, and so extensive was becoming the range of those unprincipled adventurers that there was cause to apprehend, without a timely and decisive effort to suppress them, the worst consequences would ensue. Fortunately, a considerable check has been given to that spirit by our cruisers, who have succeeded in capturing and destroying several of their vessels. Nevertheless, it is considered an object of high importance to continue these cruises until the practice is entirely suppressed."
In 1822, Monroe provided a follow-up on the construction of the vessels of war and the maintenance of the squadrons. For the time being, it was necessary to keep the squadrons in place.
"A report from the Secretary of the Navy will communicate the progress which has been made in the construction of vessels of war, with other interesting details respecting the actual state of the affairs of that Department. It has been found necessary for the protection of our commerce to maintain the usual squadrons on the Mediterranean, the Pacific, and along the Atlantic coast, extending the cruises of the latter into the West Indies, where piracy, organized into a system, has preyed on the commerce of every country trading thither. A cruise has also been maintained on the coast of Africa, when the season would permit, for the suppression of the slave trade, and orders have been given to the commanders of all our public ships to seize our own vessels, should they find any engaging in that trade, and to bring them in for adjudication."Monroe gave a special note regarding the West Indies Squadron whose efforts had been very significant, and beneficial not only to the United States, but to the commerce of other nations as well.
"In the West Indies piracy is of recent date, which may explain the cause why other powers have not combined against it. By the documents communicated it will be seen that the efforts of the United States to suppress it have had a very salutary effect. The benevolent provision of the act under which the protection has been extended alike to the commerce of other nations can not fail to be duly appreciated by them."And again, in 1823, Monroe gave an update on the squadrons and the act authorizing an additional naval force for the suppression of piracy".
"In the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico our naval force has been augmented by the addition of several small vessels provided for by the "act authorizing an additional naval force for the suppression of piracy", passed by Congress at their last session. That armament has been eminently successful in the accomplishment of its object. The piracies by which our commerce in the neighborhood of the island of Cuba had been afflicted have been repressed and the confidence of our merchants in a great measure restored."In 1824, Monroe followed up on the suppression of slave trade by the squadron off the coast of North Africa. Monroe reported that the squadron had orders to seize any U.S. vessels involved in the slave trade, but none were found. It was Monroe's belief that the no longer any U.S. ships employed in the Slave Trade.
"In execution of the laws for the suppression of the slave trade a vessel has been occasionally sent from that squadron to the coast of Africa with orders to return thence by the usual track of the slave ships, and to seize any of our vessels which might be engaged in that trade. None have been found, and it is believed that none are thus employed. It is well known, however, that the trade still exists under other flags."
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29463
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29464
America, Sea Power, and the World by James C. Bradford (2016) pgs 59-62
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Squadron
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