Service history
North Carolina blockade, 1862
The following day, ''Whitehead'' reached Hampton Roads and joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She sailed for the North Carolina coast on 28 December 1861 and arrived at Hatteras Inlet on 4 January 1862. During the next few months, the steamer ''Whitehead'' carried out extensive operations against Confederate States, Confederate vessels and shore installations in the sounds and rivers of North Carolina. On 7–8 February, she helped to capture Roanoke Island. On 10 February, ''Whitehead'' took schooner ''M. C. Etheridge'' on the Pasquotank River. On 10 April, she made prizes of schooners ''Comet'' and ''J. J. Crittendon'' and of sloop ''America'' in Newbegun Creek. Together with the , , and , ''Whitehead'' blocked the mouth of the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal with fill on 23–24 April. She captured schooner ''Eugenia'' in Bennett's Creek on 20 May and took ''Ella D'' off Keel's Creek two days later. Late in September, ''Whitehead'' briefly left North Carolina waters to participate in a Federal assault upon Confederate forces gathered at Franklin, Virginia. On 3 October, , and ''Whitehead'' entered the Blackwater River (Virginia), Blackwater River and fired on Rebel troops for over six hours before a barricade placed across the channel necessitated retreat. One of ''Whitehead'' sailors, Ordinary Seaman Edwin Smith (Medal of Honor), Edwin Smith, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during this engagement. ''Whitehead'' soon returned to Pamlico Sound but was ordered north on 16 November 1862 for repairs at the Washington Navy Yard. At this time, 3-inch iron plate was placed over her guns and around her pilot house. Back in fighting trim, ''Whitehead'' returned to North Carolina late in December 1862.River campaign, 1863
Her first noteworthy action came early in the spring of 1863 when she helped to lift the Battle of Washington, Confederate siege of Washington, North Carolina, which lasted from 31 March to 16 April. On 6–7 July, ''Whitehead'', USS Commodore Perry, ''Commodore Perry'', and bombarded and occupied Williamston, North Carolina. ''Whitehead'' captured several prisoners during an expedition up the Pasquotank River on 14 August 1863 and destroyed a Confederate corn mill on the Roanoke River on 22 February 1864. On 1–2 March 1864, ''Whitehead'' and ''Southfield'' sailed up the Chowan River and freed CSS Bombshell, USS ''Bombshell'' from her encirclement by Confederate shore batteries.CSS ''Albemarle'', 1864
''Whitehead'' encountered the formidable Confederate ram CSS Albemarle, CSS ''Albemarle'' on three occasions. In the early morning hours of 19 April 1864, , , ''Southfield'' and ''Whitehead'' engaged the ram in the Roanoke River. All received damage, and ''Southfield'' was sunk. Darkness prevented ''Whitehead'' from returning ''Albemarle''s fire. As a result of this costly Union naval defeat, Plymouth, North Carolina fell to Confederate troops the next day. Union vessels, including ''Whitehead'', again fought ''Albemarle'' on 5 May 1864. This three-hour Battle of Albemarle Sound was inconclusive, and the ram withdrew up the Roanoke. ''Whitehead'' battled ''Albemarle'' a third time on 24 May 1864. A shell from ''Whitehead'' exploded near the ram's stern and caused the dreaded Confederate warship to withdraw.Continuing the blockade, 1864–1865
''Whitehead'' resumed routine patrol and reconnaissance duty soon after this. On 12 July 1864, she ascended the Scuppernong River (North Carolina), Scuppernong River to Columbia, North Carolina, and burned a bridge used to transport supplies to Southern troops at Plymouth. ''Whitehead'' and steamers ''Thomas Colyer'' and ''Massasoit'' joined in an expedition up the Chowan River on 28 July 1864, capturing steamer ''Arrow'' and a large quantity of cotton and tobacco on 29 July at Gatesville, North Carolina. ''Whitehead'' proceeded to the Norfolk Navy Yard for repairs on 20 August 1864. She completed these in time for her to participate in the recapture of Plymouth on 31 October 1864. For the closing months of the Civil War, ''Whitehead'', but for occasional runs to Norfolk, Virginia for supplies, patrolled the inland waters of North Carolina. She was decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 29 June 1865 and was sold at public auction there on 10 August 1865. Re-documented as ''Nevada'' on 7 October 1865, the steamer remained in mercantile service until she was destroyed by fire on 1 September 1872 at New London, Connecticut.See also
*Union NavyReferences
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitehead Steamships of the United States Navy Ships built in Kearny, New Jersey Ships of the Union Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States 1861 ships