USS Algonquin (1863)

The USS Algonquin, a screw steamer, was a United States Navy vessel commissioned in 1863 during the American Civil War. She served primarily in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, participating in operations along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

Built by Harlan and Hollingsworth of Wilmington, Delaware, the Algonquin was launched in 1863. She was a single-turreted monitor, armed with two 15-inch Dahlgren guns. Her shallow draft made her suitable for operations in the rivers and inlets of the Southern coast.

During her service, the Algonquin participated in various engagements with Confederate forces, including bombardments of Confederate positions and the interception of blockade runners. She played a role in the capture of several prizes and contributed to the Union's naval blockade of the Confederacy.

Following the end of the Civil War in 1865, the Algonquin was decommissioned. Her subsequent fate is not well documented but she was likely sold or scrapped in the years following her decommissioning. The Algonquin, while not a major actor in the overall naval conflict, represents a typical example of the monitors used by the Union Navy during the Civil War and their contribution to the Union victory.