Black and white photograph of an artist illustration of the schooner U.S.S. Alligator. The Alligator was a U.S. Navy ship constructed in 1820. She combated the slave trade off the coast of African and protected merchant ships in the West Indies from pirates.
The Alligator was also used to combat piracy as part of the West Indies Anti-Piracy Squadron beginning in 1820. She met many pirate ships in combat during the spring and summer of 1822. In November of that year it ran aground while escorting a convoy of merchant ships. After unsuccessfully attempting to refloat the vessel, the crew set it afire to prevent pirates from salvaging the wreck.
