USS Huron ( 1861 ) USS " Huron " was a built for the United States Navy during the American Civil War for blockage duty against the ports and rivers of the Confederate States of America . " Huron " , a schooner - rigged screw steamer , was launched on 21 September 1861 by Paul Curtis , Boston , Massachusetts , under Navy contract ; and commissioned on 8 January 1862 at Boston Navy Yard , Lieutenant John Downes in command . Service in the American Civil War . " Huron " joined the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in February to take part in Union strangulation of Confederate commerce , and steamed off the coasts of Georgia and Florida . In addition to blockading duties , her men often took part in shore expeditions against the Confederates , as on 15 March 1862 on the Georgia coast . " Huron " captures blockade runners " Glide " , " Albert " , and " Cambria " . " Huron " chased a schooner ashore on 12 April and seven days later captured schooner " Glide " off Charleston , South Carolina with 100 bales of cotton and other cargo . She also captured schooner " Albert " on 1 May and British blockade runner " Cambria " on 26 May . Engaging the guns of Fort McAllister . As Union naval power increased the pressure on Charleston in coordination with the Union Army , " Huron " engaged batteries in the Stono River on 30 May and took part in an engagement with Fort McAllister on 29 July . Back on regular blockade duty , she captured schooner " Aquilla " on 4 August . " Huron " continued her patrol and blockading duties off Charleston into 1863 . During the ironclad attack on the forts in Charleston Harbor on 7 April 1863 , the ship formed part of a reserve squadron outside the bar . Destroying the blockade runner " Stonewall Jackson " . Five days later , while patrolling with , she detected blockade runner " Stonewall Jackson " attempting to dash into Charleston . The two Union ships opened fire immediately , so damaging the blockade runner that she was forced to run aground and destroy her cargo , which included vitally needed Army artillery and shoes . Participating in the seize of Fort Fisher . The veteran blockader made two more captures in December 1863 - January 1864 , and later in 1864 moved north to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron , whose main attention was turned to Wilmington , North Carolina , and its powerful defender , Fort Fisher . During the first attack on the fort on 24 – 25 December 1864 , " Huron " took part in the bombardment which was to cover the storming by Union Army troops . This first assault aborted , but preparations were quickly made for a second joint operation in January 1865 . The capture of Fort Fisher . Again , " Huron " provided a part of the devastating naval bombardment ; and , with the help of a landing party of 2 , 000 sailors and marines , the Union Army assault forces captured Fort Fisher on 15 January 1865 , effectually closing Wilmington to blockade runners . Then , during the final months of the war , " Huron " took part in combined operations against the city itself , bombarding Forts Anderson , and St . Philip in February . Searching for officials of the Confederacy . After Appomattox , responding to the attempted escape of President Jefferson Davis of the Confederate States , " Huron " steamed to Key West , Florida , in an effort to capture Confederate officials bound for Havana , Cuba , or Mexico by water . She arrived on 2 May , but Davis was captured near Irwinville , Georgia on 10 May . After the war . Following the end of the Civil War , " Huron " served on the South American station . She decommissioned in October 1868 and was sold in June 1869 . She subsequently became the merchant vessel " D . H . Bills " .