USS Gazelle (1863)

The USS Gazelle was a side-wheel steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She served primarily as a patrol vessel and dispatch boat along the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

Gazelle was originally built as a civilian vessel, likely for passenger or freight transport, before being purchased by the U.S. Navy in 1863. Specific details regarding her original construction and civilian service are scarce.

After acquisition, Gazelle was outfitted for naval service, including the potential mounting of light artillery, though specifics of her armament are often lacking in historical records. Her shallow draft made her suitable for navigating the sometimes shallow and unpredictable waters of the Mississippi River system, enabling her to patrol areas inaccessible to larger warships.

Gazelle's duties included preventing Confederate commerce raiding, enforcing the Union blockade of Southern waterways, carrying dispatches and orders between Union naval forces, and potentially transporting personnel. Her presence helped maintain Union control over vital riverine supply lines and communications.

Following the end of the Civil War in 1865, Gazelle was likely decommissioned and sold back into civilian service or scrapped. Detailed records of her post-war fate are not readily available. While she may not have participated in major naval engagements, the USS Gazelle played a crucial role in the Union's efforts to control the Mississippi River, a strategic imperative for defeating the Confederacy.