USS Maratanza (1861)

USS Maratanza (1862) was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a gunboat to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

Double-ender, wooden steamer Maratanza, built at Boston Navy Yard in 1861, was launched 26 November and commissioned at Boston, Massachusetts, 12 April 1862, Comdr. G. H. Scott in command.

Supporting the Peninsular Campaign of General McClellan
Immediately after commissioning, Maratanza saw service in support of General George B. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign, operating on the York and James rivers from April to September 1862. After participating in the capture of Yorktown 3 May, Maratanza shelled various points, including Wormley's Creek, Murrell's Inlet, and Fort Darling (Drewry's Bluff). En route to scouting Turkey Bend, 4 July, she engaged and captured the CSS Teaser at Haxall's.

Blockade duty off the Carolina coast
After the collapse of the Peninsula Campaign, Maratanza departed Hampton Roads, Virginia, 15 September for blockade and cruising duty off Wilmington, North Carolina, firing on Fort Casswell the 25th. She remained there on patrol duty through much of the conflict, joining USS Chocura (1861) in capturing sloop Express off the South Carolina coast 4 May and capturing sloop Ceres on Western Bar, Smith's Island, North Carolina, 7 December.

Participating in the bombardment of Fort Fisher
As Union forces assembled to move against Wilmington, Maratanza participated in the bombardment of Fort Fisher 24 and 25 December 1864 and 13 through 15 January 1865 when Admiral David Dixon Porter noted that the Union had enough forces there to hold against the whole Southern Confederacy. Maratanza captured steamers Stag and Charlotte 20 January. She participated in the bombardment and capture of Fort Anderson 19 February, opening the way to Wilmington. In March, General William Tecumseh Sherman was at Fayetteville, North Carolina, where boat crews from Maratanza, two other gunboats, and USS Eolus (1864) rendezvoused with him, opening communications between Sherman’s position and the coast.

End-of-war decommissioning, sale and civilian career
After the end of the conflict, Maratanza was detached from her station on Cape Fear River in June and was ordered north, arriving at the Portsmouth Navy Yard (Maine) the 18th and decommissioning the 21st of June 1865. She remained in ordinary at Portsmouth until sold to A. B. & C. W. Lewis in August 1868. She subsequently served as a Haitian gunboat under the names Salnave and Union.