USS Springfield (1862)

The USS Springfield was a United States Navy side-wheel gunboat commissioned in 1862 during the American Civil War. She was built as a commercial steamer and acquired by the Navy for service in the Mississippi River Squadron.

Springfield primarily served on the Western Rivers, patrolling the Mississippi and its tributaries. Her duties included blockading Confederate supply lines, engaging Confederate shore batteries, and participating in expeditions against enemy forces. She was involved in numerous skirmishes and engagements, contributing to the Union effort to control the Mississippi River and divide the Confederacy.

The Springfield operated throughout the war, playing a crucial role in maintaining Union dominance on the waterways. Following the end of the Civil War, she was decommissioned and sold back into civilian service. Her subsequent fate is not widely documented.

Her armament typically consisted of several cannons of varying caliber, suitable for engaging targets along the riverbanks and suppressing Confederate defenses. Details regarding her specific armament configuration may vary depending on historical sources and period modifications.