| History | |
|---|---|
  United States | |
| Acquired | 26 August 1861 |
| Commissioned | 31 July 1862 |
| Decommissioned | 8 November 1862 |
| Fate | Returned to the Coast Survey |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 300 tons |
| Armament | two 20-pounder Parrott rifles |
USS Vixen was acquired by the Union Navy from the United States Coast Survey on 26 August 1861 for use as a reconnaissance vessel during the American Civil War; and was later commissioned on 31 July 1862.
Vixen left New York City bound for Port Royal, South Carolina, in October 1861 with orders to conduct survey work along the southern coast en route. Escorted by USS Ottawa and USS Seneca, she entered Port Royal Sound on 4 November to place buoys in the channel preparatory to Flag Officer Samuel F. Du Pont's planned attack there, and drew scattered fire from the Confederate naval squadron under Commodore Josiah Tattnall III. The vessel conducted local surveys following the Union capture of the sound on the 7th, and reconnoitered Saint Helena Sound, South Carolina, on the 24th. In early December, a second survey was taken of St. Helena and, on the 18th, USS Pawnee, Seneca, and Vixen took possession of North and South Edisto Rivers, South Carolina, and drove a Confederate force from Rockville, South Carolina. Vixen became disabled in January 1862 and was sent to the New York Navy Yard for repairs.
Vixen—commissioned by the Union Navy on 31 July 1862—left the navy yard in August for Port Royal and duty with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She arrived on the 12th and, on the 16th, received orders to report to the blockade at Ossabow Sound, Georgia. The gunboat participated in the expedition against the Confederate works at Pocotaligo, South Carolina, from 21 to 23 October, and returned to the New York Navy Yard shortly thereafter. Here, she was decommissioned on 8 November to be repaired and returned to the Coast Survey. The historical record detailing the remainder of Vixen's career is incomplete. However, after her transfer to the Coast Survey, she conducted numerous explorations of the rivers and inlets along the coast of Florida in early 1863 and 1864. She also participated in several routine patrol and reconnaissance expeditions along the southeastern coast during this time.
The first USS Ellen was a side-wheel steam gunboat in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.
The first Vandalia was an 18-gun sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the Second Seminole War and the American Civil War. She was named for the city of Vandalia, Illinois.
The first USS Pawnee was a sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for the Pawnee Indian tribe.
The third USS Water Witch was a wooden-hulled, sidewheel gunboat in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She is best known as the ship fired on by Paraguay in 1855. In 1864 she was captured by the Confederate States Navy, and subsequently was taken into that Navy as CSS Water Witch.
USS Seneca was a Unadilla-class gunboat built on behalf of the United States Navy for service during the American Civil War. Seneca was outfitted with guns for horizontal fire as well as with two howitzers for bombardment of shore targets. With her crew of 84, she was assigned to the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America.
|} The first USS Tuscarora was a Mohican-class sloop of war in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. Tuscarora was laid down on 27 June 1861 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Merrick & Sons; launched on 24 August 1861; sponsored by Miss Margaret Lardner; and commissioned on 5 December 1861, Commander Tunis A. M. Craven in command.
USS Stars and Stripes was a 407-ton steamer acquired by the U.S. Navy and put to use by the Union during the American Civil War.
The Battle of Port Royal was one of the earliest amphibious operations of the American Civil War, in which a United States Navy fleet and United States Army expeditionary force captured Port Royal Sound, South Carolina, between Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina, on November 7, 1861. The sound was guarded by two forts on opposite sides of the entrance, Fort Walker on Hilton Head Island to the south and Fort Beauregard on Phillip's Island to the north. A small force of four gunboats supported the forts, but did not materially affect the battle.
USS Potomska was a wooden screw steamer rigged as a three masted schooner purchased at New York City from H. Haldrege on 25 September 1861. She was commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 20 December 1861.
The first USS Kingfisher was purchased by the Navy at Boston, Massachusetts, 2 August 1861; and commissioned at Boston Navy Yard 3 October 1861, Acting Lt. Joseph P. Couthouy in command.
USS Unadilla was a Unadilla-class gunboat built for service with the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was the lead ship in her class.
USS Whitehall was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was assigned blockade duty; however, her condition was not always considered seaworthy, and she was plagued with condition problems.
USS Bibb was a United States Coast and Geodetic Survey vessel that performed survey work during the American Civil War. In 1864, when Washington, D.C. appeared under threat after Lt Gen. Jubal Early’s Confederate army crossed the Potomac River, Bibb was commandeered and armed by the Union Navy.
USS Pembina was a Unadilla-class gunboat built for the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.
USS Western World was a ship acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.
The first USS Uncas was a 192-ton steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.
USS Wamsutta was a steamer constructed for service with the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a gunboat in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.
USS Wyandotte, originally USS Western Port, was a steamer acquired by the Navy as a gunboat for the Paraguay expedition in 1858. When the crisis of the American Civil War occurred, she operated in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.
USS George W. Rodgers was a schooner captured by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was initially intended to be used as part of the stone fleet of sunken obstructions; however, she was retained and used as a picket boat and dispatch vessel and, later, as a survey ship, concentrating her efforts in the waterways of the Confederate South.
USC&GS Arago was a survey ship that served in the United States Coast Survey from 1854 to 1878 and in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey from 1878 to 1881. From October 1861 into 1863 Arago was at times attached to the Navy's South Atlantic Blockading Squadron off South Carolina to provide hydrographic support. She was the first ship of the Coast Survey or Coast and Geodetic Survey to bear the name.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.
