And, I bet you never heard of this ship. I know a lot about the Civil War naval history, but hadn't heard of this ship.
Ot captured the blockade-runner Bermuda on April 27 and two schooners on July 12, 1862.
In September, the ship was transferred to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and stationed off Charleston. On January 31, 1863, it was attacked by the Confederate ironclads Chicora and Palmetto State who were trying to recapture the blockade-runner Princess Royal which had two powerful and much-needed steam engines intended for Confederate ironclads. (Lack of power was always a problem in these rams.)
The rams encountered the Mercedita and rammed the ship causing it to start sinking and the ship surrendered and paroles from the crew accepted. At that, the two ironclads sped away to attack other Union ships.
Temporary repairs were made on the Mercedita and the ship went to Port Royal, South Carolina for temporary repairs and then to the Philadelphia Navy Yard to complete them.
I did not read whether the crew honored their paroles or went immediately back into Navy service.
The ship was then attached to the West Indies Squadron to escort California steamers and then , later in the spring, joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and in March to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. It was decommissioned October 1865 and sold at auction and became a merchant ship.
Quite a Varied Service for This Ship. --Old B-Runner
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