USS Ino USS " Ino " was a clipper ship acquired by the Union Navy during the course of the American Civil War . She was capable of great speed and distance , and was a formidable warship with powerful guns . " Ino " was a clipper ship , purchased at Boston , Massachusetts , 30 August 1861 and commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard 23 September , Lt . J . P . Cressy in command . Unusual speed and large storage space suited her ideally for long - range cruising against Confederate commerce raiders . In search of “ rebel pirates ” . Her first duty began 27 September when she departed Boston , Massachusetts , in search of " rebel pirates . " When word came that the South ' s famed cruiser CSS " Sumter " , under the brilliant master of seamanship , Captain Raphael Semmes , was in European waters , Ino sailed from Boston 5 February 1862 and reached Cadiz , Spain , only 13 days and 16 hours later . She assisted and to blockade Semmes at Gibraltar where he vainly sought repairs . Semmes finally abandoned " Sumter " there in order to get back into action . An interesting side light to this operation occurred at Tangier , Morocco 26 February when " Ino " took two crewmen of " Sumter " from a threatening mob and turned the prisoners over to the Boston - bound American merchant ship " Harvest Home " . Stateside operations . Back in Boston , " Ino " was ordered to Port Royal , South Carolina , for duty in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron 4 August 1862 . On her voyage south she captured the French bark " La Manche " attempting to run the Charleston , South Carolina , blockade 23 August . Searching for Semmes again . Six days later she arrived at St . George , Bermuda , to obtain from the American consul the latest information on blockade running activity in that quarter . She got underway the next day at the behest of the neutrality - conscious governor of Bermuda and made Port Royal 7 September . Only 4 days later she set sail for New York to be prepared for a cruise in search of her old adversary , Semmes , who was now attacking northern merchantmen with his new raider , . Ino departed New York 5 November and cruised in the lanes frequented by American merchantmen and whalers , arriving at St . Helena 5 January 1863 . She remained in waters off St . Helena until setting course for the United States 1 March . She arrived New York 15 April for repairs . Ino departed New York 29 May 1863 escorting California - bound clipper " Aquilla " carrying the disassembled parts of monitor " Comanche " . After successfully shepherding her charge to safe waters well below the equator , she searched for and in waters ranging to the island of Fernando de Noronha , thence to New York , arriving 7 September 1863 . Disguised as a merchantman in order to lure CSS Florida . After repairs at New York , " Ino " joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron . Disguised as a merchantman to lure into action , she cruised in the North Atlantic Ocean 24 October when she arrived Portland , Maine . " Ino " was transferred to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron 22 November where she served until after the end of the war . She returned to New York 1 August 1865 and remained there under repairs until 16 October when she sailed to serve in the Mediterranean and off the coast of Portugal . Post - war decommissioning and sale . Ino set - course for the United States 13 December 1866 and arrived Boston 25 January 1867 . She decommissioned there 13 February and was sold at public auction 19 March 1867 to Samuel G . Reed .