▁of ▁the ▁sch oon er ; ▁and ▁she ▁began ▁service ▁as ▁a ▁tender ▁to ▁the ▁squad ron ▁flags hip , ▁the ▁fr ig ate ▁St . ▁Lawrence . ▁For ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁her ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁Union ▁Navy — some ▁two ▁and ▁one - half ▁years — she ▁spent ▁most ▁of ▁her ▁time ▁acting ▁as ▁a ▁tender ▁to ▁a ▁larger ▁war ship , ▁often ▁the ▁flags hip . ▁ ▁Despite ▁her ▁small ▁size , ▁A riel ▁wins ▁a ▁few ▁pri zes ▁▁▁ ▁While ▁carrying ▁out ▁the ▁un gl am orous , ▁monot on ous , ▁but ▁important ▁tasks ▁assigned ▁to ▁her ▁as ▁she ▁labor ed ▁in ▁her ▁anc ill ary ▁capacity , ▁A riel ▁managed ▁to ▁take ▁three ▁pri zes . ▁The ▁first ▁came ▁on ▁ 6 ▁January ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁▁ ▁As ▁she ▁was ▁cru ising ▁off ▁Key ▁B isc ay ne ▁Bay , ▁Florida , ▁about ▁mid - af ternoon , ▁she ▁". ▁. ▁. ▁saw ▁a ▁susp icious ▁looking ▁craft ▁. ▁. ▁. " ▁sail ing ▁close ▁to ▁shore ▁and ▁immediately ▁changed ▁course ▁to ▁investigate ▁The ▁stranger ▁attempted ▁to ▁fle e ; ▁but , ▁after ▁a ▁ch ase ▁last ing ▁over ▁two ▁and ▁one - half ▁hours , ▁was ▁over t aken ▁and ▁forced ▁to ▁he ave ▁to . ▁The ▁prize ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁s loop ▁Good ▁L uck , ▁bound ▁from ▁New ▁S my r na , ▁Florida , ▁with ▁a ▁cargo ▁of ▁tur pent ine ▁and ▁cot ton ▁to ▁be ▁delivered ▁to ▁N ass