USS Young America ( 1855 ) USS " Young America " ( 1855 ) was a Confederate steamer captured by the Union Navy ’ s blockade vessels , and subsequently placed in - service in the Union Navy during the American Civil War . Capture and conversion . On 24 April 1861 , Union sloop - of - war captured " Young America " in Hampton Roads , Virginia , as that Confederate tug attempted to help blockade - running schooner " George M . Smith " enter the James River laden with munitions for the Confederacy . " Cumberland " armed the prize — a screw steamer built in 1855 at New York City — and used her as a tender . However , early in June , " Young America " was ordered to the Washington Navy Yard for repairs to her machinery . She broke down while en route and was towed up the Potomac River by Union steamer . Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockade . Repairs completed , the tug departed Washington , D . C . , late in July , bound for Hampton Roads and duty with the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron . After patrol and reconnaissance assignments , " Young America " proceeded to the Baltimore Navy Yard on 13 October 1861 for further repairs and returned to duty in Hampton Roads late in November . On 26 February 1862 , the vessel briefly left the Virginia Capes area for Currituck Inlet , North Carolina , to rescue crewmen and stores threatened with capture when Union screw steamer grounded on 25 February . " Young America " performed invaluable service to the squadron during engagements with CSS " Virginia " ( the former Federal screw frigate " Merrimack " ) on 8 and 9 March 1862 . On 8 March , " Young America " towed to an anchorage off Sewell ' s Point , Virginia , enabling the frigate to bombard Confederate batteries ashore . On 9 March , she refloated the grounded Union frigate , , and jockeyed the vessel into firing position against " Virginia " . Later , " Young America " rescued the crew of Union gunboat when fire destroyed that vessel on 10 March 1862 . She also rescued personnel on board " Henry Adams " , grounded at Nag ' s Head , North Carolina , on 26 August 1862 . " Young America " left for repairs at the Baltimore Navy Yard in September . " Young America " returned to Hampton Roads in mid - October 1862 , resuming duties as an armed guard tug . On 30 November 1862 , and " Young America " towed monitor to the Washington Navy Yard for repairs but returned to Newport News , Virginia , early in December and , but for occasional runs north , operated in the vicinity of Hampton Roads and the James River through the end of the Civil War . On 7 January 1864 , the tug was finally purchased by the Navy from the Boston prize court . Final operations of the war . " Young America " was assigned to captured Confederate ram CSS " Atlanta " for use as a tug on 9 April 1864 and assisted troops under General Wild in repulsing a Confederate attack upon Wilson ' s Wharf , James River , Virginia , on 24 May 1864 . She remained with the James River Squadron , Fourth Division , until the end of the war . Decommissioning . " Young America " was decommissioned on 9 June 1865 at the Norfolk Navy Yard and was sold at public auction at New York City on 12 July 1865 to Camden & Amboy Railroad Co .