USS William H. Brown (1862)

USS William H. Brown (1862) was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a dispatch and supply boat in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.

William H. Brown acquired by the Union Navy as a transport
On 30 September 1862, William H. Brown, a side-wheel steamer, was transferred to the Navy by the U.S. War Department; and she served as a transport and dispatch vessel for the Mississippi Squadron for the duration of the Civil War.

Support operations with the Union fleet
The ship carried supplies and messages between the squadron's base at Cairo, Illinois, and its ships at various locations on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

William H. Brown fires on Confederate batteries
Her only recorded engagement came on 13 April 1864 during the Red River expedition when she fired on Confederate shore batteries while assisting the grounded Chillicothe. Confederate return fire hit her drum and disabled her so that she had to be towed back to Cairo for repairs.

End-of-war decommissioning and sale
After hostilities ended, the ship was placed out of commission at Mound City, Illinois, on 12 August 1865. Five days later, she was sold at auction to Mr. R. R. Hudson.