The first USS Alaska was a wooden-hulled screw sloop of war, built at the Boston Navy Yard and named for the then-newly acquired territory.

[2] On 9 April 1870, Alaska got underway from New York in company with Rear Admiral John Rodger's flagship, the screw frigate Colorado.

However, the two warships soon parted company; and Alaska steamed independently to the Far East where she visited many of the more important ports to show the flag until May 1871.

At that time, Alaska joined four other ships of the Asiatic Squadron in a visit to Korea in order to secure a treaty to open the "Hermit Kingdom" to the west.

The force, after initial difficulty getting ashore across tidal mudflats, quickly occupied the first of the three forts—abandoned by its garrison—and consolidated its beachhead in preparation for the assault on the remaining forts the following day.

Discipline and modern weapons triumphed over greatly superior numbers and, by the end of the day on the 11th, all three Korean forts belonged to the Americans.

The next day, officers and men of the landing force re-embarked in their ships to await the Korean government's response to the punitive expedition.

Late in October 1873, the Spanish man-of-war Tornado captured the insurgent transport on the high seas and took her to Santiago, where passengers and crew were arrested.

Speedily tried by court-martial, most of the prisoners were condemned to death; and, between 4 and 13 November 53 were executed—of whom eight were American citizens, including the transport's master, Capt.

Anger at this wanton slaughter flared throughout the United States, and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson ordered the European and South Atlantic Squadrons to join the Home Squadron at Key West, Florida, to prepare for the outbreak of war which appeared to be imminent.

[2] In December 1875, Alaska was ordered by Ulysses S. Grant to Cape Palmas in Maryland County, Liberia, for a show of force to stop the Grebo-Liberian War.

[2] Alaska was placed back in commission on 23 April 1878 and put to sea from New York on 14 June, bound for the Pacific,[2] under the command of George Brown.

Apparently surveyed and found wanting, she was decommissioned at San Francisco on 13 February 1883 and was sold at Mare Island on 20 November 1883.