USS Yankee ( 1861 ) USS " Yankee " ( 1861 ) was a steam powered side - wheel tugboat acquired by the Union Navy just prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War . Provisioning Fort Sumter , evacuating Norfolk . The " Yankee " — a side - wheel steamer built in 1860 at New York City — was one of three steam tugs chartered early in April 1861 at New York City for use on the expedition to provision Fort Sumter , South Carolina . She departed New York on 8 April 1861 and arrived off Charleston Bar on the 15th , a few hours after Major Robert Anderson ' s command had evacuated the fort and embarked in Federal transport " Baltic " . On the 20th , " Yankee " assisted in the evacuation of the Norfolk Navy Yard , Norfolk , Virginia , towing to safety . She then returned to the New York Navy Yard . Performing reconnaissance duty . " Yankee " left the navy yard on the 26 April 1861 for duty as a dispatch and escort vessel between Annapolis , Maryland , and Havre de Grace , Maryland . On 30 April 1861 , she received orders to Hampton Roads for reconnaissance duty between the Rip Raps and Cape Henry , Virginia . Batteries manned by Virginia forces that had not yet been formally incorporated into the Confederate States Army at Gloucester Point , Virginia , fired upon " Yankee " on 7 May 1861 , doing little damage but reportedly wounding two Union sailors . " Yankee " returned fire with four shots and two shells but the crew could not elevate its guns high enough to reach the shore batteries and " Yankee " broke off the action and returned to Hampton Roads . After further reconnaissance duty along the eastern shore of Virginia and the James River , " Yankee " proceeded to the Washington Navy Yard on 25 May 1861 to deliver prize schooners " General Knox " and " Georgeanna " . She sailed for Hampton Roads on the last day of May 1861 and arrived on 2 June 1861 but was sent north a week later for major repairs at the Philadelphia Navy Yard . On 2 July 1861 , " Yankee " departed Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , bound via the Washington Navy Yard for Hampton Roads . However , Confederate activity along the Potomac River necessitated that the vessel remain at Washington ; and she was formally attached to the Potomac Flotilla on the 9 July 1861 . Operating in the Virginia area . In ensuing months , " Yankee " was busy operating against Confederate vessels in the Potomac and Southern forces along its banks . On 18 July 1861 , she captured the Confederate schooner " Favorite " in the Yeocomico River , Virginia . On 29 July , she and engaged a Confederate battery at Marlborough Point , Virginia . " Yankee " destroyed the sloops " T . W . Riley " and " Jane Wright " near Smith ' s Island , Virginia , on 16 August 1861 and captured the schooner " Remittance " near Piney Point , Maryland , on 28 August 1861 . A landing party from and " Yankee " destroyed abandoned Confederate entrenchments and batteries at Cockpit Point and Evansport , Virginia , on 9 March 1862 , the day of the engagement between the Union ironclad and the Confederate armored ram CSS " Virginia " . During brief service with the James River Flotilla supporting General George B . McClellan ' s beleaguered army at Harrison ' s Landing in July and August 1862 , " Yankee " assisted in the capture on 27 July 1862 of " J . W . Sturges " in Chippoak Creek , Virginia . She returned to the Potomac Flotilla on 30 August 1862 and guarded the water approaches to the Federal capital until the following spring . Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron . , , , and " Yankee " left the Potomac Flotilla for Hampton Roads and duty with the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron in April 1863 . " Yankee " participated in the capture of the strong Confederate position at Hill ' s Point , Virginia , on the Nansemond River on 20 April 1863 , even though the armed tug ' s length and draft impaired her maneuverability . She returned to the Rappahannock River on 1 May 1863 . During duty on the Rappahannock , " Yankee " captured the schooner " Cassandra " and her cargo of whiskey and soda on 11 July 1863 . She took the schooner " Nanjemoy " in the Coan River , Virginia , on 15 July 1863 ; and captured the sloop " Clara Ann " on 1 August 1863 . " Yankee " assisted in landing Union cavalry and infantry under General Gilman Marston on the Potomac - Rappahannock peninsula on 12 January 1864 and helped destroy a Confederate encampment under construction at Carter ' s Creek , Virginia , on 29 April 1864 . Raiding Hamilton ’ s Crossing . " Yankee ' s " last major operation of the war occurred on 7 March 1865 , when the tug joined , , and Army troops in a raid upon Hamilton ' s Crossing near Fredericksburg , Virginia . The force destroyed a train depot , a railroad bridge , 28 loaded freight cars , and a Confederate army wagon train . Moreover , she made prisoners of 30 Confederates as well . Decommissioning . On 5 May 1865 , " Yankee " sailed to the Washington Navy Yard . " Yankee " was decommissioned there on 16 May 1865 and was sold at public auction on 15 September 1865 to George B . Collier .