Used mostly for patrolling in the Pacific and anti-slave trade duties in African waters, the vessel was wrecked off Maio, Cape Verde in 1850.

The other five became the third-class sloops Yorktown, Dale, Preble, Marion, and Decatur and were built to the design of John Lenthall.

After calling at Rio de Janeiro from 23 January to 5 February 1841, the sloop rounded Cape Horn and arrived at Valparaíso, Chile, on 20 March 1841.

On 2 May 1846, Yorktown departed Porto Praya and returned to the east coast of the United States, reaching Boston on the 29th.

On board at this time as acting Master was future Confederate Navy commander William Harwar Parker.

[3] In 1999, the Portuguese company Arqueonautas Worldwide S.A.[4] recovered various articles from the wreck of the Yorktown, which were subsequently auctioned at Sotheby's in London.

Sotheby's returned the objects; which included cutlery, coins, sword hilts and scabbards, a powder flask, and various ship fittings.