USS Baltimore (1861)

The third Baltimore, a side-wheel steamer[?], was built in 1848 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, captured on the Potomac River between Aquia Creek[?] and Washington, D.C., by the Army 21 April 1861, turned over to the Navy Department, and commissioned in April 1861, Lieutenant J. H. Russell[?] in command.

During the Civil War Baltimore was used as an ordnance vessel[?] between Washington Navy Yard[?] and nearby ammunition depots[?]. She was also used to ferry Army troops across the Potomac River. She saw some service with the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron[?] as a dispatch and supply vessel. On 9 May 1862 she transported President Abraham Lincoln, and Secretaries Edwin Stanton[?] and Salmon Chase, from Fort Monroe[?] to Norfolk in an attempt to get a close view of the destroyed Confederate ironclad[?] CSS Virginia.

Baltimore was turned over to Norfolk Navy Yard 22 May 1865 and sold 24 June 1865 at Washington DC.

See USS Baltimore for other Navy ships of the same name.

This article includes information collected from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.