This is what happened when Congress abolished flogging in the Navy in 1850...

.....Many other complaints have reached the department of insubordination, and serious irregularities among the seamen of the navy, tending to show that the power to restrain bad men is lost to the service, and that no substitute for flogging has been found. On the recent arrival of the United States frigate Brandywine at New York, her crew, learning that flogging had been abolished by act of Congress, became turbulent and insubordinate, and defied their officers. More than one-half—nearly three hundred men—left the ship, in violation of orders, evincing entire indifference to regulations and to the authority placed over them.

Extract of a letter from Captain Salter, dated December 10, 1S50.

"In consequence of two or three hundred men having left the ship (Brandywine,) it was not possible to have the crew exercised at quarters.

Copy of the report of Commodore G. W. Storer.

[No. 247.] United States Ship Brandywine,

Navy-yard, New York, December 7, 1850. Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a communication addressed to me by Captain Boarman, relative to the conduct of the crew of the Brandywine.

This crew has been remarkable, up to the time alluded to in Captain Boarman's letter, for general good conduct and proper respect to their officers; and I am constrained to think their recent improper behaviour is in a great measure to be ascribed to their having learned the recent abrogation of the punishment of whipping. The men who have thus deserted the ship, at a moment when their services were needed, in my opinion) require that such notice should be taken of their conduct as may serve to prevent a recurrence of such behaviour in other vessels similarly situated. If it be deemed inexpedient to treat them with the extreme rigor of the law by bringing them to a court martial, where sentence may mulch them of their whole pay, they might at least have the payment of the balance due them delayed until the expiration of the thirty days during which they may legally be detained, and that they receive no pay for the time they are absent from the ship.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. W. STORER,

Captain.