From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

A minor supernatural being.

(StwStr: dp. 211; l. 157'; b. 31'6"; dr. 5'; s. 6 k.; a. 8 24-pdr. how.)

Fairy was built in 1861 at Cincinnati, Ohio, as Maria; purchased by the Navy 10 February 1864; and first sailed 10 March 1864, Acting Master H. S. Wetmore in command.

Based at Mound City, Ill., Fairy patrolled and had convoy duty in the Mississippi, White, and Tennessee Rivers, often providing transportation and firepower to Army expeditions, and shelling Confederate troop concentrations and batteries ashore. Although she normally operated in the northern section of the Mississippi, she sailed down river to carry high ranking Army officers from Memphis to New Orleans in June 1864.

On patrol in the Tennessee, in December 1864 and January 1865, she convoyed Army transports from Clifton to Eastport, and carried out other operations in the concerted attack on troops under General J. B. Hood, preventing them from crossing the river near Florence. Her last duty, following the war, was transporting ordnance stores to Jefferson Barracks, Mo. She was decommissioned 8 August 1865 at Mound City, and sold 17 August 1865.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)