The first USS Sonoma was a sidewheel gunboat that served in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for Sonoma Creek in northern California, Sonoma County, California, and the town of Sonoma, California, that in turn were named for one of the chiefs of the Chocuyen Indians of that region. Sonoma was launched by the Portsmouth Navy Yard at Kittery, Maine, on 15 April 1862; sponsored by Miss Mary N. Bleecker; and commissioned on 8 July 1862, Commander Thomas H. Stevens, Jr. in command. Service history 1862–1863 On 17 July 1862, the double-ender sailed for the West Indies for operations against Confederate blockade runners and raiders on the high seas. The success of Confederate cruisers, especially and , in operations against Union shipping prompted the Department of the Navy on 8 September 1862 to put Commodore Charles Wilkes in command of a "flying" West India Squadron created specifically to seek out and destroy the Confederate raiders. Sonoma was assigned to this squadron. While Sonoma never engaged Florida or Alabama, she did operate successfully against blockade runners. On 5 October 1862, Sonoma chased Harriet Pinckney back into port after she had attempted to slip out of Bermuda reportedly carrying "infernal machines or torpedoes ... for destroying ships in harbor." On 18 January 1863, Sonoma and the sloop-of-war seized Virginia off Mugeres Island, Mexico, and sent the steamer to Key West, Florida, for adjudication. On 3 February 1863, Sonoma captured the British bark Springbok. On 15 February 1863, she took the brig Atlantic bound from Havana, Cuba, for Matamoros, Mexico. Finally, on 14 April 1863, she took the schooner Clyde in the Gulf of Mexico after Clyde had escaped from the Confederacy laden with cotton and rosin. The wear and tear of hard service at sea was catching up with Sonoma, and she sailed north for repairs. The ship reached New York City on 13 June 1863 and was decommissioned on 20 June 1863. 1863–1865 With repairs completed, Sonoma was recommissioned on 28 September 1863 and assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in which she served for the rest of the Civil War. Highlights of this service included her capture on 8 July 1864 of Ida a sidewheel steamer which had slipped out of Sapelp Sound, Georgia, and was bound for the Bahamas laden with cotton. In December 1864, Sonoma was part of a Union naval