USS Varuna was a screw steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Union naval strategy called for a blockade of the Confederate coastline, but the acquisition of many additional ships was necessary to accomplish this. One of the new vessels purchased was Varuna, which was still under construction when the sale occurred on 31 December 1861. Commissioned in February 1862, she traveled to join the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. The squadron was under the command of Flag Officer David Glasgow Farragut and was tasked with the capture of New Orleans, Louisiana.
In order to reach New Orleans, the Confederate positions at Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip had to be passed. On the morning of 24 April, Farragut led his ships in an attempt to pass the forts. During the ensuing action, Varuna ran ahead of the other Union ships, and she was engaged in a chase with the Louisiana gunboat Governor Moore. The two ships exchanged cannon fire before Governor Moore rammed Varuna twice. Another Confederate vessel added a third ramming blow. Varuna sank within 15 minutes, but Farragut was able to capture New Orleans.
Construction and characteristics
When the American Civil War broke out in April 1861, the Union adopted a naval strategy resembling the Anaconda Plan, which had been proposed by Commanding General of the United States Army Winfield Scott. This involved blockading the Confederate coastline and taking control of the Mississippi River, in order to cut the Confederacy off from foreign trade. At the beginning of the war, the Union Navy had only 42 ships still considered active, with others mothballed and in poor condition. Many of the existing active ships were too large to enter ports that would need to be blockaded. The Union found itself needing a large number of new ships in order to fulfill the new operation's goals.
Varuna, a wooden-hulled screw steamship, was named after a Vedic deity associated with the skies and seas. The vessel was laid down in late January or early February 1861 and launched the following September, but while still under construction, she was purchased on behalf of the Union Navy at New York City on 31 December for the sum of $127,460—the price reduction representing the difference between completing her for naval rather than merchant service.