USS Wando (1864)

The USS Wando was a double-ended, wooden-hulled, side-wheel steam gunboat that served in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. Constructed by Samuel Sneeden of Greenpoint, Long Island, New York, she was launched on November 19, 1863, and commissioned on August 6, 1864, with Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Thomas A. Harris in command.

Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Wando patrolled the coastal waters of South Carolina and Georgia. Her primary duties involved enforcing the Union blockade of Confederate ports, preventing Confederate ships from entering or leaving, and capturing blockade runners.

Wando participated in several engagements. In November 1864, she was involved in operations against Honey Hill, South Carolina, supporting Union Army movements ashore. She also took part in the bombardment of Fort McAllister, Georgia, in December 1864, which contributed to its capture by Union forces.

After the war, the Wando was decommissioned on June 10, 1865. She was sold at public auction in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 20, 1865. Following her sale, she was converted for commercial service. The Wando's subsequent career as a merchant vessel is not extensively documented.