USS ''Little Ada'' was a steamer captured by the Union Navy during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

Service history

''Little Ada'', an iron screw steamer, was built in the Clyde,

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

; captured and abandoned in the South

Santee River } The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, and is long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage for the coastal areas of southeastern South Carolina and navigation for the central coastal plain of ...

30 March 1864; recaptured at sea by ''Gettysburg'' 9 July 1864; purchased by the Union Navy from the Boston

Prize Court A prize court is a court (or even a single individual, such as an ambassador or consul) authorized to consider whether prizes have been lawfully captured, typically whether a ship has been lawfully captured or seized in time of war or under the te ...

18 August 1864; and commissioned at

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, 5 October 1864. Acting Master Samuel P. Craft in command. After fitting out, ''Little Ada'' was ordered to the Western Bar,

Cape Fear River The Cape Fear River is a blackwater river in east-central North Carolina. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The river is formed at the confluence of the Haw River and the Deep River in the town of ...

, 8 November 1864. In December she participated in the attacks on

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear Riv ...

. ''Little Ada’s'' most active service was in 1865. She formed part of the separate line of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron 3 January landing provisions for the Union Army. She again participated in attacks on Fort Fisher 13 to 15 January, carrying dispatches through the fleet. After being assigned to the

Potomac Flotilla The Potomac Flotilla, also called the Potomac Squadron, was a unit of the United States Navy created in the early days of the American Civil War to secure Union communications in the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River and their tributaries, and to ...

10 March, she captured a large yard boat 9 April at Hooper Strait,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

. She was sent to the

Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is a ceremonial and administrative center for the United States Navy, located in the federal national capital city of Washington, D.C. (federal District of Columbia). It is the oldest shore establishment / base of ...

31 May 1865, decommissioned 24 June 1865, and was transferred to the War Department 12 August 1865.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Little Ada Ships of the Union Navy Ships built on the River Clyde Steamships of the United States Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States