The second USS ''Petrel'' was a tinclad wooden 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 ...

. ''Petrel'' was purchased as ''Duchess'' at

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 ...

, 22 December 1862, renamed ''Petrel'', and commissioned. Assigned to 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 ...

, she participated in the Yazoo River expedition against Haynes Bluff, 30 April – 1 May 1863, then went after

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 ...

shipping on the Yazoo and Sunflower rivers. In July she cruised the Red, Black, Tensas and Ouachita rivers, capturing four rebel vessels and military stores. On 3 February 1864 she helped silence Confederate batteries at

Liverpool, Mississippi Liverpool is a ghost town in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. Liverpool Landing, the settlement's port on the Yazoo River, was located west of Liverpool. Liverpool Road runs through the former settlement, and Mississippi Highway 3 runs ...

, on the Yazoo, to initiate naval operations to prevent Southern harassment of Sherman's expedition to

Meridian, Mississippi Meridian is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, seventh largest city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, with a population of 41,148 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and an estimated population in 2018 of 36,347. It is the count ...

. For the next two weeks the ships pushed up the Yazoo, engaging Confederate troops as far up the river as Greenwood. A month and a half later, ''Petrel'' commenced attacks on Yazoo City. On 22 April 1864, however, she was disabled, captured, and after the removal of her guns and most valuable stores, was burned.

Sources

Ships of the Union Navy Steamships of the United States Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States Shipwrecks of the Yazoo River Shipwrecks of the American Civil War 1862 ships Captured ships Ship fires Maritime incidents in April 1864 {{AmericanCivilWar-stub

See also

Sources