Mrs. Lincoln returned from Washington to the James; and, after she had visited Richmond on the 7th, plans were laid for the First Family's voyage back to Washington. Meanwhile, the Navy had received reports of a Confederate plot to capture the ferry at Havre de Grace, Maryland, and of Southern plans to launch other actions in the Chesapeake Bay which might be dangerous to the President. As a precaution, Barnes assigned two officers and a guard of sailors—presumably from Bat—to River Queen with instructions to guard Lincoln. Bat escorted River Queen to City Point on the evening of the 7th, and the two ships sailed for Washington the next morning. Barnes remained in the latter with the President as the two ships dropped down the river, leaving Bat under temporary command of her executive officer, but resumed command of his own ship at Fortress Monroe for the run up the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River to the Federal capital. Upon leaving the salt water of the bay and entering the fresh water of the river, Bat developed foam in her boilers which lowered her steam pressure and slowed her engines. This forced her to fall behind River Queen and allowed the President's ship to reach the Washington Navy Yard ahead of her. When Bat was moored at the yard on the 10th, she learned that General Robert E. Lee had surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse the day before. Following brief repairs, Bat headed down river on the 11th and anchored in Hampton Roads the next day. Awaiting her was word that Porter expected to be there on the 13th and orders to be ready to take him to Washington. However, the admiral did not arrive until the 14th and then remained in Tristram Shandy, the ship that had brought him from City Point, for the remainder of the homeward voyage. On the morning of the 15th, lookouts in Bat received a signal from Monodnock ordering the dispatch ship's commanding officer to come on board. Bat remained in Hampton Roads for the next few weeks waiting for instructions to assist in efforts to capture the President's assassins or for orders to pursue any officials of the fallen Confederate government who might attempt to escape by sea. Such a message never arrived. On May 6, 1865, Bat was ordered to Washington, D.C. Decommissioned at New York City