USS Wyalusing ( 1863 ) USS " Wyalusing " was a double - ended , side - wheel gunboat that served in the United States Navy during the American Civil War . She was named for the borough of Wyalusing in Bradford County , Pennsylvania . " Wyalusing " was built at Philadelphia by C . H . & W . H . Cramp , launched on 12 May 1863 , and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 8 February 1864 , with Lieutenant Commander Walter W . Queen in command . Service history . Battle with " Albemarle " , 5 May 1864 . Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron , " Wyalusing " joined the contingent of that force stationed in Albemarle Sound , North Carolina on 29 April . Just 10 days before her arrival , the Confederate ironclad ram CSS " Albemarle " had made her long - awaited appearance in battle , ramming two of the blockading Union gunboats in the process . As a result of her support , Confederate land forces recaptured Plymouth , North Carolina on 20 April . " Wyalusing " had her first scrape with the formidable Confederate warship on 5 May . " Albemarle " steamed out of her haven on the Roanoke River that afternoon accompanied by steamers CSS " Bombshell " and CSS " Cotton Plant " to try to wreak more havoc on the blockaders . The Union picket boats stationed at the mouth of the Roanoke retired to raise the alarm . Gunboats , , and " Wyalusing " immediately formed a line of battle supported by , and . When the Southern ram appeared , " Mattabesset " , " Whitehead " and " Wyalusing " opened fire almost simultaneously . " Wyalusing " passed " Albemarle " at about 150 yards distance , rounded her , and headed to attack " Bombshell " . The latter Confederate , however , had already surrendered , so " Wyalusing " backed clear of her and renewed the attack on the more formidable foe , " Albemarle " . A heavy , but inconclusive , gun action ensued . Impending darkness brought the fighting to a close , and " Albemarle " headed back up the Roanoke . Raid on " Albemarle " , 26 May 1864 . " Wyalusing " and her consorts resumed blockade station in the sound , but all efforts were made over the next five months to destroy the Confederate ironclad . The first of those missions was concocted and attempted by five " Wyalusing " sailors on 26 May . They rowed up Middle River that afternoon carrying two 100 - pound torpedoes , and then carried them by stretcher across the swampland separating the Middle and Roanoke Rivers to a point just above and opposite " Albemarle " ' s mooring place at Plymouth . Two of the sailors then swam across the river with a towline attached to the explosive devices and then hauled them across . The torpedoes were then joined together by a bridle , and one of the sailors guided them down toward the ram hoping to place the bridle across her prow with a torpedo making contact with either side of her hull . He was then to swim clear before another man stationed across the river detonated the torpedoes electrically . Unfortunately , the Confederates caught sight of both swimmer and torpedoes when they were just a few yards short of their goal . A hail of musketry from the shore followed soon after a sentry ' s hail . The swimmer quickly cut the guide line , retired , and then swam back across the river . The five Union sailors scattered . Three returned to " Wyalusing " on the evening of 28 May . The remaining two rejoined their ship the following night after rescue by " Commodore Hull " . The five men , Coxswain John W . Lloyd , Coal Heavers Charles H . Baldwin and Benjamin Lloyd , and Firemen Alexander Crawford and John Laverty , ultimately received the Medal of Honor for their daring attempt . Destruction of " Albemarle " , 28 October 1864 . During the ensuing months , while " Wyalusing " remained on station in the sound , more unsuccessful plans to destroy the Confederate ram were developed . It was not until the night of 27 October — 28 that Lieutenant William B . Cushing accomplished " Albemarle " ' s destruction in a steam launch outfitted with a spar torpedo . That event opened the way for the recapture of Plymouth and for further offensive action on the Roanoke and Middle Rivers . Recapture of Plymouth . On 29 October , " Wyalusing " , in company with other gunboats , steamed up the Roanoke toward Plymouth ; but , just below the objective , impassable barriers barred the way . Undaunted , the warships crossed over to Middle River , journeyed to another crossover point above Plymouth , and then steamed downriver toward the goal . The next day , the gunboats exchanged shot and shell with Confederate shore batteries and rifle pits protecting Plymouth . The Confederates fought stubbornly , but the heavy - caliber Union cannonade eventually prevailed and forced the Southerners to abandon their fortifications . A landing party from " Wyalusing " took possession of Fort Williams , captured prisoners , and helped to retake Plymouth . Rainbow Bluff expedition , December 1864 . On 9 December , an expedition , of which " Wyalusing " was a part , moved farther up the Roanoke to capture Rainbow Bluff and another Confederate ram , rumored to be under construction at Halifax , North Carolina . While anchoring near Jamesville , North Carolina , , another gunboat , struck two torpedoes ( mines ) and sank up to her gun deck . , a tug , moved alongside " Otsego " to offer assistance , but she , too , struck a torpedo and sank immediately . " Wyalusing " and the remainder of the expedition left the two partially sunken ships under the protection of their own unsubmerged guns and headed upriver , cautiously dragging for torpedoes as they went . By the time they had reached the point of attack , the Confederate positions at Rainbow Bluff had been so well reinforced and the approaches so heavily strewn with torpedoes that the Union ships had to abandon the enterprise . " Wyalusing " and her consorts returned to Plymouth on 28 December 1864 and resumed blockade and amphibious support duties . End of the Civil War . On 9 January 1865 , she captured the schooner " Triumph " , laden with salt , at the mouth of the Perquimans River . She also helped to clear the various rivers and streams along the sound of obstructions and torpedoes and managed to capture a Confederate schooner in the process . She continued duty in the Albemarle Sound and Cape Hatteras areas until a month after General Robert E . Lee ' s surrender at Appomattox , Virginia on 9 April . She arrived in New York on 21 May and was decommissioned there on 10 June 1865 . Later transferred to Philadelphia , she was sold there on 15 October 1867 . As of 2005 , no other ship in the United States Navy has been named " Wyalusing " .