Congress was launched by the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 17 July 1868, sponsored by the daughter of Senator Charles D. Drake of Missouri; and commissioned on 4 March 1870, Captain N. Harrison in command.

In the summer of that year she transported supplies from New York City to the USS Polaris, which was anchored at Godhavn, Disko Island, preparatory to departing on an Arctic expedition.

Late in 1871, Congress served also as flagship for Vice Admiral Stephen Clegg Rowan who had been designated to accord suitable reception to a visiting Russian squadron.

After a cruise to Haiti in early 1872, Congress sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, on 14 February, to join the Mediterranean Squadron.

This lengthy tour included visits to many ports of Europe and ended at Key West, Florida, where she arrived on 5 January 1874.