In early December 1836, Relief, commanded by Lieutenant Thomas A. Dornin, left Philadelphia for Norfolk, Virginia to join the ships assigned to the United States South Sea Surveying and Exploring Expedition.

However, that expedition, held up by lack of money, ships, equipment, and trained personnel—and by administrative feuding since its first authorization in 1828—continued to be delayed until the summer of 1838.

On 19 August 1838, the squadron, commanded by Lt. Charles Wilkes, cleared Hampton Roads and set a course for Rio de Janeiro.

Relief, bypassing the former where surveys were conducted, rounded the Cape and reached Orange Harbor, on the Hardy Peninsula, Hoste Island, on the 30th.

The loss of her anchor during her battle with the sea off Noir, prohibited further attempts to enter the channel and she headed for Valparaíso.

On 15 April she entered the anchorage to make repairs and await the remainder of the squadron which by mid-May was reunited.

She operated in the Mediterranean Sea until she returned to the United States in July 1850, and engaged in resupply runs to Brazil until placed out of commission for overhaul 20 November 1855.

In July she delivered supplies at Rio de Janeiro, whence she continued on to China, arriving at the Portuguese colony of Macau in December.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.