USS Zeta (1844) was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy

Union Navy

The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...

 during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. She was used by the Union Navy as a torpedo boat

Torpedo boat

A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...

 in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

 waterways.

Purchased at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

J. G. Loane -- a small wooden steamer built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, in 1844—was purchased by the Navy on 3 June 1864 at Philadelphia from William S. Mason.

Renamed Tug No. 6, and often as Picket Boat No. 6

Renamed Tug No. 6 and commissioned on 8 June 1864, Acting Ensign Frederick W. Mintzer in command, this small craft was sometimes referred to as Picket Boat No. 6 in dispatches.

Assigned as a torpedo boat in the James River

Renamed Zeta in the following November, she served as a torpedo tug in the James River

James River (Virginia)

The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...

 until April 1865. Transferred in that month to the Potomac River

Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...

 flotilla of Comdr. Foxhall A. Parker, Zeta guarded the Bush River (Maryland)

Bush River (Maryland)

Bush River is a tidal estuary in Harford County, Maryland, located about 15 mi northeast of Baltimore. The estuary extends from the community of Riverside, south for about 9 mi , to the Chesapeake Bay...

 Bridge until sent to the Washington Navy Yard

Washington Navy Yard

The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...

in May.

Post-war decommissioning and sale

Her services no longer required, Zeta was sold to C. Vanderwerken on 24 June 1865.