Second Fijian Expedition

                                             6-16 OCTOBER 1859                                      SECOND FIJIAN EXPEDITION American traders plying the Pacific in the 19th century occasionally ran afoul of angry natives.  Such was the case in the summer of 1859 with two sailors from a US merchant freighter.  They were captured Read More

Naval Diplomacy (cont.)

                                      14 FEBRUARY – 8 JUNE 1839                                        NAVAL DIPLOMACY (cont.) When Master Commandant Uriah P. Levy approached the coast of Yucatan in USS VANDALIA, 20, in March 1839 it was uncertain the degree of intimidation he would discover to which American interests Read More

Naval Diplomacy

                                     11 FEBRUARY-12 APRIL 1842                                  LAST EVERGLADES EXPEDITION After our acquisition of Florida from Spain in 1819, settlers came into increasing conflict with the Native Americans of Florida, collectively called Seminole Indians.  Conflicts over territory and over the sheltering of runaway slaves Read More