USS Jacob Bell ( 1842 ) USS " Jacob Bell " was a sidewheel steamer acquired by the Union Navy for use during the American Civil War . She was one of the oldest vessels so acquired . Her duties included river patrols , guard duty , and other duties as assigned . Commissioned in New York City . " Jacob Bell " , built by Brown & Bell at New York City in 1842 , was purchased at New York City from O . T . Glover and F . R . Anthony 22 August 1861 ; and commissioned the same day , Lt . Edward P . McCrea in command . Potomac River operations . " Jacob Bell " immediately sailed for the Potomac River , where the following day she joined steamer in shelling a Confederate battery at the mouth of Potomac Creek . She remained in the Potomac enforcing the blockade of the Virginia coast , reconnoitering along the shore of the Potomac and in its tributaries for Confederate fortifications and shelling any batteries found . Supporting McClellan ’ s Peninsular Campaign . In April 1862 " Jacob Bell " accompanied five other Union ships to the Rappahannock River to gather information for Major General George B . McClellan , who was then launching his Peninsular Campaign and pondering over potential advantages of a second beachhead . The Union ships ascended the Rappahannock River to Tappahannock ( Urbana ) , Virginia , 50 miles by land from Richmond , Virginia . " Jacob Bell " became even more closely involved in the affairs of General McClellan ' s Army of the Potomac when she was transferred to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron for duty on the James River . She arrived Hampton Roads 28 May and the following day proceeded with to Fort Powhatan . A party which went ashore 30 May found no evidence that the forts had been occupied . The next day joined the two ships in ascending the James to a point 3 miles below Drewry ' s Bluff , finding no obstructions or batteries on the passage but suffering some annoyance from riflemen on the left bank . The three ships promptly returned to their anchorage off Turkey Island . A request from General McClellan . A message from General McClellan , who was then fighting the Battle of Seven Pines , arrived a few minutes past midnight 2 June , requesting support from the Navy . " Jacob Bell " , accompanied by five other ships stood up stream at dawn but was prevented from reaching Richmond , Virginia , by carefully prepared obstructions at Drewry ' s Bluff . Nevertheless , the Navy wisely remained in the upper James , where its support a month later saved the Army of the Potomac from destruction at the end of Lee ' s masterful Seven Days Campaign . Meanwhile , " Jacob Bell " labored tirelessly in support of the Union cause , engaging batteries and pickets ashore , reconnoitering tributaries in hostile territory , and maintaining communications along the river . She continued this valuable service until transferred back to the Potomac Flotilla , departing " Fort Monroe " for Washington , D . C . 2 September . Reassigned to the Potomac Flotilla . For the remainder of the war , " Jacob Bell " was primarily concerned with the defense of Washington — alternately serving in the Potomac and the Rappahannock according to the ebb and flow of the titanic struggle between General Robert E . Lee and the Army of the Potomac . All the while , her duties as a blockader were discharged with skill and devotion . She captured " C . F . Ward " , a metal lifeboat with a contraband cargo 17 October and destroyed two schooners 4 November while on a reconnaissance mission up Nomini Creek , Virginia . On 23 August 1863 , she caught schooner " Golden Leaf " trying to slip into Hosier ' s Creek , Virginia , with a cargo of sugar . Two more ships were taken in 1864 . In between prizes , blockade duty was varied by shelling batteries along the shore and landing boat parties to destroy Confederate property . Confederate scout and spy Thomas Nelson Conrad was arrested by a landing party of the " Jacob Bell " on the night of 16 April 1865 . Decommissioning . Always busy until the South ' s defeat , " Jacob Bell " decommissioned at Washington Navy Yard 13 May 1865 , and was lost at sea 6 November while being towed by toward New York City .