The first USS St. Mary's was a Galley in the United States Navy. St. Mary's was built in 1797 at the Paterson Yard, St. Marys, GA., was commissioned in 1798. Captain John Braddock was erroneously reported as its commander. However, he had died in 1794. St. Mary's was built on the St. Mary's River in Georgia in 1798. One of seven galleys constructed and equipped by the Navy for operation under the War Department on coast defense duty during the Quasi-War with France, St. Mary's officers were appointed by the Secretary of the Navy, while the remainder of her crew was composed of local recruits.