USS Ossipee ( 1861 ) The first USS " Ossipee " was a wooden , screw sloop of war in the Union Navy during the American Civil War . She was named for the Ossipee River of New Hampshire and Maine . " Ossipee " ' s keel was laid down in June 1861 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard , Kittery , Maine ; launched 16 November 1861 ; sponsored by Mrs . McFarland , wife of the editor of the " Concord Statesman " ; and commissioned 6 November 1862 Lieutenant Commander Robert Boyd in command . " Ossipee " was one of four sister ships which included , and . Service history . Civil War , 1862 – 1865 . Ten days later Captain John P . Gillis took command of the ship and she got underway for Hampton Roads to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron in which she served until departing Newport News , Virginia , 18 May 1863 to join the West Gulf Blockading Squadron off Mobile , Alabama . She captured schooner " Helena " there 30 June and with seized steamers " James Battle " and " William Bagley " in the Gulf of Mexico on 18 July . The former , " the finest packet on the Alabama River . . . altered to suit her for a blockade runner , " was laden with cotton and rosin while the latter carried cotton which they hoped to sell abroad . In September " Ossipee " steamed to the coast of Texas for blockade duty until returning to station off Mobile in mid - March 1864 as Admiral David Farragut built up his forces for the invasion of Mobile Bay . On 5 August , with alongside , she passed the forts and entered Mobile Bay with Farragut and participated in the ensuing naval battle , playing a large role in the struggle with " Tennessee " which finally forced the well fought , heavy southern ironclad ram to surrender . In September " Ossipee " returned to blockade duty off the Texas coast and , but for repairs at Pensacola , Florida late in 1864 , served there until moving to New Orleans , Louisiana in April 1865 . She was one of the Federal ships to pursue CSS " Webb " during the Confederate steamer ’ s daring attempt to race down the Mississippi River and escape to sea . Following duty off Mobile , " Ossipee " sailed North late in June and decommissioned at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania on 3 July . Pacific , 1866 – 1872 . Recommissioned 27 October 1866 , Captain George F . Emmons in command , " Ossipee " served in the north Pacific protecting American interests along the coasts of Mexico and Central America . She departed San Francisco 27 September 1867 for Sitka , Alaska , carrying Russian Commissioners for the ceremony transferring Alaska to the United States on 18 October . After serving in the Pacific into the spring of 1872 , " Ossipee " headed home on 6 June . On 20 June , Seaman James Benson jumped overboard to rescue a shipmate , for which he was later awarded the Medal of Honor . " Ossipee " arrived in New York on 18 November , and was decommissioned there on the 30th . North Atlantic , 1873 – 1878 . Recommissioned 10 October 1873 , the veteran sloop of war served in the North Atlantic . She departed Key West 15 December for Dry Tortugas to await filibustering steamer " Virginius " which had been seized on the high seas by Spanish cruiser " Tornado " under fraudulent American registry . To help ease tension caused by the " Virginius " Affair , Spain had turned the prize over to the United States , represented by Captain Whiting , commander of at Bahia Honda , Cuba . " Despatch " took " Virginius " to Tortugas . " Ossipee " departed Tortugas 19 December towing " Virginius " north , but the notorious prize foundered off Cape Hatteras a week later . " Ossipee " continued operations in the North Atlantic until decommissioning at Boston 25 May 1878 . Asiatic Squadron , Atlantic , 1884 – 1891 . Recommissioned 28 January 1884 , " Ossipee " departed Hampton Roads 30 April for the Far East via Gibraltar and the Suez Canal and served on the Asiatic station until returning to New York 15 February 1887 . She then served along the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies until decommissioning at Norfolk , Virginia 12 November 1889 . She was sold there 25 March 1891 to Herbert H . Ives .