USS Pinola (1861)

The USS Pinola was a 691-ton Unadilla class screw steam gunboat built at Baltimore, Maryland. She was commissioned in late January 1862 and soon left for the Gulf of Mexico, her station for more than three years of Civil War service. In April 1862, Pinola played an active role in the campaign that led to the capture of New Orleans and was damaged while running past the fortifications below that city. In months that followed, she was employed on the lower Mississippi. On 28 June 1862, Pinola was one of the ships that successfully steamed past the batteries at Vicksburg, and passed them again headed down stream on 15 July.

During 1863-64, Pinola served on the blockade off Mobile Bay, Alabama. She was similarly engaged off the coast of Texas during the last months of the war. During her years in the Gulf, Pinola captured two blockade runners and destroyed a third. Decommissioned in July 1865, USS Pinola was sold the following November. She was subsequently converted to a sailing merchant bark.

References

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-p/pinola.htm Naval Historical Center]