USS Hyacinth (1862) was a steamer acquired by the Union during the American Civil War. She was placed into service as a tugboat, as well as a gunboat, by the Union Army and by the Union Navy.
Hyacinth was a tug used by the Union Army under the name Spitfire on the upper Mississippi River in 1862. She captured Confederate transport Sovereign near Fort Pillow, Tennessee, 5 June 1862; and 9 days later, took steamer Clara Dolsen after a long chase from Helena, Arkansas, ending on the White River a short distance above its mouth.
Spitfire was transferred by the U.S. War Department to the Union Navy 30 September 1862, and renamed Hyacinth 19 October. Hyacinth served the Mississippi Squadron until the end of the war. She was especially useful in operations which resulted in the fall of Vicksburg, and assisted in the salvage work which refloated Indianola.
She was sold at public auction at Mound City, Illinois, to A. T. Paine 17 August 1865.
Famous quotes containing the word hyacinth:
“Today as in the time of Pliny and Columella, the hyacinth flourishes in Wales, the periwinkle in Illyria, the daisy on the ruins of Numantia; while around them cities have changed their masters and their names, collided and smashed, disappeared into nothingness, their peaceful generations have crossed down the ages as fresh and smiling as on the days of battle.”
—Edgar Quinet (1803–1875)