From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships 

One of the major tribes of Indians who lived on land on both sides of the lower Colorado River, near the present site of what is now Yuma, Arizona.

(Mon: dp. 1,175; l. 225'; b. 46'; dph. 9'1"; s. 9 k.; cpl. 60; a. 2 11" D. sb.; cl. Casco)

Yuma-a twin-screw, shallow-draft, single-turreted river monitor-was laid down at Cincinnati, Ohio, by Alexander Swift and Co., and launched on 30 May 1865.

Due to a miscalculation in the displacement of ships of the Casco-class, Yuma-as originally designed-was unseaworthy. Alterations were accordingly carried out on the vessel during the spring of 1866 to remedy the shortcoming in design, but the ship never saw active service.

Laid up from 1866 to 1874, Yuma was twice renamed during this time period: first, to Tempest on 16 June 1869 and, second, back to Yuma on 10 August 1869.

The monitor was subsequently sold at auction to Theodore Allen, at New Orleans, La., on 12 September 1874.