USS ''Forest Rose'' was a stern wheel steamer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. ''Forest Rose'' was built in 1862 in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

; purchased 15 November 1862; and commissioned 3 December 1862. Assigned to patrol duty in the

Mississippi Squadron The Mississippi River Squadron was the Union brown-water naval squadron that operated on the western rivers during the American Civil War. It was initially created as a part of the Union Army, although it was commanded by naval officers, and was ...

, ''Forest Rose'' sailed in active cooperation with the Army of the Mississippi throughout her war-time career. She convoyed transports, carried messages, fired on

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

shore positions and troop detachments, and captured or destroyed a number of small steamers. Her first operations, from 4 to 11 January 1863, were against

Fort Hindman The Arkansas Post (french: Poste de Arkansea) (Spanish: ''Puesto de Arkansas''), formally the Arkansas Post National Memorial, was the first European settlement in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and present-day U.S. state of Arkansas. In 168 ...

in the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United Stat ...

, and the next month she sailed in the Yazoo Pass Expedition, destroying storehouses and a shipyard at Yazoo City. From 1 June she cruised above

Vicksburg, Mississippi Vicksburg is a historic city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the county seat, and the population at the 2010 census was 23,856. Located on a high bluff on the east bank of the Mississippi River across from Louisiana, Vic ...

, aiding in communications with General

U. S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

during the last month of the siege on the city, which fell 4 July. From that time, her operations were between Vicksburg and Natchez on the Mississippi, and in the many rivers which flow into it. From 5 to 15 May 1864 ''Forest Rose'' took part in the Red River Expedition, and during the remaining months of the war, several times fired on small parties of Confederates ashore.

Post war

Following the war, she carried ordnance and surplus stores from

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

Jefferson, Missouri Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of Missouri, United States. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 census, ranking as the 15th most populous city in the state. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the principa ...

, until decommissioned at Mound City, Illinois, 7 August 1865. She was sold 17 August 1865.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forest Rose Ships built in Pittsburgh Steamships of the United States Navy Ships of the Union Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy 1862 ships