that organization was expanding to service the territory which the United States had recently acquired on the Pacific coast. She made several visits to the Hawaiian Islands in 1851 before returning to the New York Navy Yard on 6 October 1852 and going out of commission again on the 14th. East Indies Squadron, 1853–1856 Vandalia's rest ended on 14 February 1853, and the ship soon joined Commodore Matthew C. Perry's East India Squadron. She was present as part of Perry's forces during his second visit to Japan on 13 February 1854, which resulted in the Treaty of Kanagawa opening Japanese ports to American ships. In 1855 she helped to protect American interests in China during the Taiping Rebellion. Vandalia was decommissioned at the Portsmouth Navy Yard on 30 September 1856. Pacific Squadron, 1857–1860 Vandalia was recommissioned on 11 November 1857 for duty with the Pacific Squadron. In 1859, the warship rescued survivors of the American clipper ship Wild Wave, wrecked off Oeno Island in the Pitcairn Islands, and conducted an expedition against natives at Waya Island, Fiji, following the murder of two American citizens. Vandalia returned to the New York Navy Yard early in 1860 and was decommissioned on 6 January of that year. Commodore Matthew C. Perry, leader of the East Indies Squadron died on 4 March 1858 a year after his return to the U.S. The last known survivor of the Vandalia's crew to have been present at the Taiping Rebellion, and the "opening" of Japan in 1854 was Able Seaman Patrick C. McFadden. A native of Ireland, he died in Canton, Illinois 16 February 1901. Civil War, 1860–1863 Vandalia was recommissioned on 8 November 1860 and assigned to duty with the East Indies Squadron. With the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861, Vandalia was called back home and assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron on 31 May for blockade duty off Charleston and Bull's Bay, South Carolina. There, she captured the schooner Henry Middleton on 21 August and assisted in the capture of the sailing ship Thomas Watson on 15 October. The vessel also participated in the successful amphibious assault upon Roanoke Island, North Carolina, on 7 and 8 November. This victory closed the supply lines to Confederate-held Norfolk Navy Yard and was largely responsible for the evacuation of that vital naval facility six months later. Vandalia put into New York on 24 November