USS Pulaski (1854)

USS "Pulaski" (1854), a 401-tonne/395-long ton (burden) side-wheel steamship, was in service with the United States Navy. She was named for
Kazimierz Pułaski. Named "Metacomet" when built for commercial owners in 1854, she served as USS "Pulaski" from 1858 to 1863, when she was sold by the Navy.

"Metacomet" was built at New York City. She was chartered by the Navy in 1858 for use in the Paraguay expedition at monthly rate of $3,500, with an option to purchase her for $50,000. During the expedition she was commanded by Lieutenant William H. Macomb. In March 1859 she was deemed unseaworthy and not in a position to be navigated back to the United States [Expenses of the Paraguay Expedition - House of Representatives, 36th Congress, 1st Session, Mis. Doc. No. 86 (May 11, 1860), p.106] . Subsequently purchased and renamed USS "Pulaski", she operated in South American waters from early 1859 until 22 January 1863, when she was decommissioned and sold by auction at Montevideo, Uruguay. In the first months of 1865 she was purchased by Paraguay. [Josefina Pla: The British in Paraguay, 1850 - 1870, The Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd., 1976, p. 97] Until about 1870 she operated on the Río de la Plata as a civilian vessel.

See USS Pulaski for other USN ships containing the word Pulaski.

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