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| Commodore Vanderbilt's present to the government This side-wheel steamer was presented to the Government by Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1861, when the navy was sorely in need of ships, and she was christened after the donor. In Hampton Roads she led one of the two columns of fighting-vessels of all sorts that had been assembled to meet the “Merrimac,” in case she made another attack upon the fleet after her encounter with the “Monitor.” The “Vanderbilt” mounted fifteen guns and showed great speed. She was employed largely as a cruiser. Her first prize was the British blockade-runner “Peterhoff,” captured off St. Thomas, February 25, 1863. On April 16th she caught the “Gertrude” in the Bahamas, and on October 30th the “Saxon,” off the coast of Africa. Under command of Captain C. W. Pickering, she participated in both of the joint-expeditions against Fort Fisher. |
