USS Agawam ( 1863 ) USS " Agawam " ( 1863 ) was a double - ended , side - wheel gunboat of the United States Navy that served during the American Civil War . She was a powerful ship of approximately , with powerful rifled guns and a very fast speed of . She served the Union Navy in the Union blockade of the rivers and other waterways of the Confederate States of America . Constructed in Portland , Maine . " Agawam " — the first U . S . Navy vessel to carry that name — was built at Portland , Maine , by George W . Lawrence . She was laid down in October 1862 , launched on 21 April 1863 , and commissioned on 9 March 1864 , Commander Alexander Rhind in command . She was based on the same plans as . Civil War service . Capture of the " Chesapeake " by Southern agents . On 9 December 1863 , some three months before " Agawam " was placed in full commission , Southern agents and sympathizers had boarded the steam packet " Chesapeake " at New York City under the guise of being passengers bound for Portland , Maine . Shortly after midnight on the 7th , when the liner had reached a point some north of the tip of Cape Cod , these men revealed their formerly concealed side arms and took over the ship , killing her second engineer . From there , they took the ship to Canadian waters in the hope that their daring act would provoke Union warships into violating British neutrality and thereby embroil the United States in a war with England . When word of " Chesapeake " s capture reached Portland , the deputy collector of customs at that port wired Rear Admiral Francis Gregory , the supervisor of construction of all Union warships then being built in private shipyards , informing him of the loss and requesting permission to arm , man , and send out in pursuit the unfinished but seaworthy " Agawam " . Temporary arms , officers , and men for the new warship would come from the revenue cutter " James C . Dobbin " which had arrived at Portland in July . The Navy ' s extant records seem to contain no report of " Agawam " s chase of " Chesapeake " . The Federal correspondence contains both statements maintaining that she did at least get underway and evidence indicating that she did not . In any case , after being commissioned , " Agawam " remained in the Portsmouth Navy Yard fitting out until standing down Portsmouth Harbor on 17 March . However , she returned to the yard two days later and entered drydock for repairs before heading back to Portland on 18 April . Assigned to the North Atlantic blockade . Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron , the gunboat departed Portland on 6 May . " Agawam " reached Hampton Roads , Virginia on 9 May and two days later stood up the James River to join other Union ships in protecting Benjamin Butler ' s transports and supply ships which were threatened by torpedoes ( naval mines ) , shore batteries , and a possible attack by Confederate ironclad s which were lying in the river above the Confederate batteries of Fort Darling at Drewry ' s Bluff . The danger lurking in the muddy waters of the James River had recently been emphasized by the sinking of on the 6th while that side - wheel ferryboat was dragging for Southern torpedoes , or , in 20th century parlance , floating and submerged mines . On the 14th , Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee , the commander of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron , shifted his flag from to " Agawam " since the latter drew less water and thus would enable him to supervise minesweeping operations more closely , and he remained in the new side - wheeler while giving his primary attention to operations in the James during the ensuing month and one - half . " Agawam " s first taste of fire . " Agawam " s first combat came at dawn on the 18th when she shelled Confederate forces a straight stretch of the river flowing east along the northeastern section of Bermuda Hundred . During this time , besides serving as the squadron flagship , she helped to clear the river of mines , was a mobile platform for observation of Confederate activity along both banks of the river , acted as an intelligence and communication clearinghouse , and used her guns to suppress Southern batteries ashore . From first planning to land a force at Bermuda Hundred , General Butler had been fearful that Confederate warships might descend from Richmond and sink his transports and supply ships . Once his troops were actually ashore on the south side of the river , the general ' s anxiety was intensified by daily rumors reporting that the South was ready to launch just such an offensive . For instance , late in May , a deserter from the Southern gunboat " Hampton " warned that Confident in the ability of his warships , Admiral Lee was eager to meet the Southern squadron and was hopeful that his flotilla might ascend the James past the batteries at Drewry ' s Bluff and capture Richmond . As a result , he constantly opposed obstructing the channel . However , early in June , Ulysses S . Grant decided to shift the Army of the Potomac from its lines at Cold Harbor across the James to join Butler in operations against Richmond from the south . Blocking the James River . This plan made Union control of the river even more important and prompted Washington , D . C . , to insist upon blocking the channel . The first stone - laden schooner was sunk on 15 June , and the operation continued until Union Army leaders felt safe from Southern ironclads . This barrier increased the security of Union shipping on the James and reduced the burden on the Union warships on the river , freeing Admiral Lee to attend to squadron matters elsewhere . As a result , he shifted his flag back to " Malvern " on the last day of June and returned to Hampton Roads . " Agawam " remained upriver where , despite the obstructions , she found ample opportunity to use her fighting skills . The presence of the tremendous concentration of Union troops south of Richmond had goaded defenders of the Confederate capital into desperate measures to interrupt Union shipping on the James . The day after Admiral Lee left her , " Agawam " and fired on a fortified position inside Four Mile Creek , whence Southern five guns had recently fired upon , and in the months that followed , frequently engaged batteries hiding along the banks of the strategic stream . Early in July , Lieutenant George Dewey relieved Rhind in temporary command of the ship — his first command — but Rhind was back when " Agawam " fought her most memorable battle . About two hours past noon on 13 August , three batteries opened fire on the double - ender almost simultaneously from different locations , beginning an engagement which lasted over four hours before dwindling ammunition forced her to withdraw . During the action , three of " Agawam " s men were killed and four wounded . Converting " Louisiana " into a giant bomb . Late in November , boiler trouble forced " Agawam " downstream for extensive repairs . While the ship was being brought back to fighting trim in the Norfolk Navy Yard , Comdr . Rhind left her temporarily to take command of " Louisiana " , a steamer which had been selected to perform an unusual and seemingly important task . Rhind took with him a carefully selected group of volunteers from " Agawam " to man his new ship . They boarded at Beaufort , North Carolina , and took her to waters of Wilmington , North Carolina , for use as a giant bomb to help reduce the defenses of Fort Fisher which guarded that city , the only major port still open to Confederate blockade runner s . After several days of delay because of stormy weather , Rhind took the ship close aboard Fort Fisher on the night of 23 – 24 December 1864 . Her crew then set her ablaze , left the ship , and managed to row to safety before " Louisiana " exploded . Failed attack on Fort Fisher . The concussion failed to detonate the Fort Fisher magazine , and the ensuing amphibious attack proved to be abortive . The troops who went ashore on Christmas Eve to storm the Southern stronghold reembarked the next day and headed back toward Hampton Roads . Rhind and the band of volunteers returned to " Agawam " which was still undergoing repairs . The work continued through mid - February , and the gunboat finally put to sea on the 16th . She entered Pamlico Sound , North Carolina , two days later and operated in the island waters of that state through the end of the Civil War . Post - war service and disposal . Following the war , " Agawam " operated along the Atlantic coast between Florida and the Virginia Capes for almost two years . She was decommissioned at Norfolk , Virginia , on 31 March 1867 . The ship was sold at auction there on 10 October to Mr . James Power . No record of her subsequent career has been found .