USS Prairie Bird-- Part 1: Acquired by U.S. Navy

From Wikipedia.

This is the Union gunboat that came to the rescue of the passengers of the Army transport R.M. Runyan in the Mississippi Rover on July 23, 1864.

Acquired by U.S. Navy 19 December 1862.  Commissioned January 1863.  171 tons,  159.10 feet, 29.3 foot beam.  eight 24-pdr. guns.   Classified as a tinclad.

Served on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.  Was built as the civilian ship Mary Miller and renamed the USS Prairie Bird, commissioned January 1863 with Acting Master J.C. Moore in command.

In mid-February 1863, she assisted the USS Juliet, grounded 20 miles below Island No. 10 and then to Memphis where she escorted a provision ship to the Yazoo River.  There, the Prairie Bird joined the Mississippi Squadron.

--Old B-Runner