, ▁ 2 3 ▁December ▁ 1 8 6 4 ; ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁gun bo at ▁and ▁commission ed ▁at ▁M ound ▁City , ▁Illinois , ▁Act ing ▁Vol unte er ▁L t . ▁W . ▁R . ▁Well s ▁in ▁command . ▁ ▁Life ▁▁ ▁K ates ▁first ▁duty ▁was ▁pat rolling ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁from ▁M ound ▁City ▁to ▁M emph is , ▁Tennessee , ▁during ▁the ▁closing ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁The ▁tin cl ad ▁gun bo at ▁was ▁ordered ▁down stream ▁ 2 8 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁to ▁intercept ▁Confeder ate ▁President ▁Jefferson ▁Davis ▁in ▁his ▁flight ▁toward ▁freedom ▁in ▁ex ile . ▁After ▁his ▁capture , ▁she ▁returned ▁up ▁the ▁river ▁to ▁assist ▁in ▁the ▁dem obil ization ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁she ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁River ▁to ▁clear ▁away ▁the ▁h ul ks ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁sun ken ▁gun bo ats ▁and ▁b arg es . ▁In ▁August ▁she ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁Jefferson ▁Bar ra cks ▁Reserve ▁to ▁dis charge ▁her ▁ord n ance ▁and ▁to ▁assist ▁in ▁dis arm ing ▁other ▁vessels . ▁▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁vessels ▁in ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁to ▁remain ▁on ▁naval ▁duty , ▁she ▁de comm ission ed ▁at ▁M ound ▁City ▁ 2 5 ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁and ▁was ▁sold ▁at ▁public ▁au ction ▁there ▁ 4 ▁days ▁later . ▁The ▁gun bo at ▁was ▁re document ed ▁James ▁J .