The first USS Pawnee was a sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for the Pawnee Indian tribe.
Pawnee was laid down in 1858 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched 8 October 1859, sponsored by Miss Grace Tyler; and commissioned 11 June 1860, Commander H. J. Hartstene in command.
Service history
Home Squadron, 1860
After shakedown, she departed Philadelphia 24 September with Captain Garrett J. Pendergrast embarked to assume command of the Home Squadron operating off the coast of Mexico. She arrived off Vera Cruz 15 October, and, after a short cruise, returned to Philadelphia 12 December.
Civil War, 1861–1865
Pawnee spent the first three months of 1861 in Washington, D.C., and was sent on an expedition to Charleston, South Carolina 6 April to relieve Major Robert Anderson's garrison at Fort Sumter. Delayed by a severe storm, she arrived only to find that the Fort had been surrendered to Confederate forces. She returned to Washington and was immediately dispatched to Norfolk to secure the ships and stores of the Gosport Navy Yard. Arriving at Norfolk the night of 20 April, she found that all ships, save , had been scuttled, so an attempt was made to destroy the Naval stores and the dry dock.
From May to August 1861 Pawnee, based at Washington, operated on the Potomac River, furnishing protection for surveying parties, bombarding Confederate shore batteries, convoying vessels and performing general blockade duty. On 24 May a party from the ship demanded and received the surrender of Alexandria, Virginia. One of Pawnee's crew, Captain of the Maintop John Williams, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Mathias Point in June 1861.