USS Darlington (1862)

USS Darlington was a captured Confederate steamer acquired by the Union Navy from the prize court during the American Civil War. She was put into service by the Union Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

Captured steamer converted to Union Navy use
Darlington, a Confederate 300 ton steamer, was captured by boats from USS Pawnee (1859) in Cumberland Sound, Florida, 3 March 1862, with a cargo of army wagons, ammunition, and camp equipment on board.

East Coast operations
She was taken over and, with a crew of 23 and one howitzer as armament, USS Darlington was employed by the Union Navy for use in the waters off Fernandina, Florida, and Port Royal, South Carolina, with Acting Master J. W. Godfrey in command.

Darlington assisted the boats of the side-wheel steamer USS Ellen (1861) and the USS Wabash (1855) in raising the yacht USS America in St. Johns River, Florida, from 18 to 25 March 1862.

Transfer to the Union Army
She was transferred to the Union Army for use as a transport in September 1862.