USS ''Champion'' was a small

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-steam ...

originally built as the commercial vessel ''Champion No. 4'' in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

in 1859. She was purchased for the

Union Navy ), (official) , colors = Blue and gold , colors_label = Colors , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label ...

in 1863 during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, serving until July 1865, when she was sold back to civilian service.

Service history

''Champion'', an armed river steamer, was built in

, in 1859 as ''Champion No. 4''; purchased there on 14 March 1863; fitted out at

Cairo, Illinois Cairo ( ) is the southernmost city in Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County. The city is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Fort Defiance, a Civil War camp, was built here in 1862 by Union General Ulysses ...

; and commissioned on 26 April 1863,

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Alfred Phelps, Jr., in command. Operating almost continuously from 27 April 1863 – 9 June 1865, ''Champion'' patrolled the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names, ...

, and the Red River. She transported troops, prisoners, supplies, and cotton; towed and convoyed ships; and delivered dispatches. Her yeoman service ended at

Mound City, Illinois Mound City is a city and the county seat of Pulaski County, Illinois, United States. It is located along the Ohio River just north of its confluence with the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 588. History Mound Ci ...

, where she was decommissioned on 1 July. ''Champion'' was sold 29 November 1865.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Champion Steamships of the United States Navy Ships built in Cincinnati Ships of the Union Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy 1859 ships