Harper’s Weekly – October 16, 1858

"The Paraguay Expedition – 19-20"

I scanned the impressive list of US Navy ships sent on a, ah, diplomatic mission to Paraguay and noticed one very familiar, Harriet Lane named after President Buchanan's niece (acting First Lady) and here called a "steamer of war".
She was USRC Harriet Lane, Captain John A. Faunce, commander.
Harriet Lane was recognized for her service in the Paraguay Expedition and, I suspect, will have a very renowned future (no spoilers here ;-) ).

By the way, we should take a moment to notice President Buchanan's "war fleet" to Paraguay, sent with obvious aggressive intentions, served it's purpose of bringing Paraguan authorities to the negotiating table and produced a highly favorable diplomatic outcome.

Question: what do you suppose might be the outcome if, hypothetically, let's say the next president after Buchanan were to send a similar, ah... "war fleet" to, oh, I don't know, maybe... Charleston harbor, SC??
Would such a "war fleet", including USRC Harriet Lane, produce a similar happy outcome?

The Panama Expedition, USRC Harriet Lane on the right:

I was wondering how the heck we sent a naval expedition to a landlocked country but googled it and found out it was a real thing. They sailed up the Rio de la Plata to Asuncion. According to the article a “favorable” trading treaty resulted. :-))

Right, Harriet Lane's chief service appears to have been pulling many other US Navy ships off sandbars in the river!

I just have to wonder if... oh, maybe sometime in the distant future... Harriet Lane might again be tasked to pull US Navy ships off another sandbar, in... I don't know... maybe Charleston harbor? ;-)

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