USS John Paul Jr. (1861)

USS John Paul Jr. (1861) was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the beginning of the American Civil War.

She served the Union Navy’s struggle against the Confederate States of America as a ship’s tender, an observation platform, and as a gunboat despite the fact she was only lightly armed.

Assigned to the South Atlantic blockade as ship’s tender
Paul Jones Jr. was built in 1862–63 and was assigned as tender to U.S. gunboat USS Seneca (1861) of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the Civil War.

Use as an observation platform
A shallow draft vessel, she was used effectively as an observation boat to gather intelligence in the outlets and estuaries of St. Simon’s and Doboy Sounds, Altamaha (Buttermilk Channel), Georgia.

Providing service as a patrol vessel
Never mounting more than one small howitzer, she also assisted Seneca in guarding the sounds to prevent Confederate river steamers, which were generally unarmed, from using the waterways. Paul Jones Jr. served in this capacity from March 1863 through June 1864.

Post-war deactivation and sale
She was sold 17 August 1865.