▁the ▁Union ▁Navy ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁ ▁Sun flow er ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁gun bo at ▁by ▁the ▁Navy ▁to ▁pat rol ▁navig able ▁water ways ▁of ▁the ▁Confeder acy ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁South ▁from ▁trad ing ▁with ▁other ▁countries . ▁ ▁P urch ased ▁in ▁Massachusetts ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁▁ ▁Sun flow er ▁-- ▁a ▁sc rew ▁gun bo at ▁purchased ▁at ▁Boston , ▁Massachusetts , ▁on ▁ 2 ▁May ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁-- ▁was ▁commission ed ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁Act ing ▁Master ▁Edward ▁S ice ▁in ▁command . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁operations ▁ ▁Ass igned ▁to ▁the ▁East ▁G ulf ▁Block ade ▁▁ ▁Sun flow er ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁East ▁G ulf ▁Block ading ▁Squadron ▁and ▁arrived ▁at ▁Key ▁West , ▁Florida , ▁in ▁mid - May ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁On ▁the ▁ 3 1 st , ▁she ▁seized ▁sch oon er ▁E cho ▁and ▁a ▁cargo ▁of ▁cot ton ▁off ▁the ▁Mar ques as ▁Ke ys . ▁ ▁The ▁gun bo at ▁captured ▁sch oon er ▁P ush mat atta ▁off ▁T ort ug as ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁June ▁and ▁sch oon er ▁General ▁W orth ▁in ▁the ▁stra its ▁of ▁Florida ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁August . ▁Sun flow er ▁a ided ▁ ▁in ▁se izing ▁s loop ▁Last ▁Tri al ▁on ▁ 6 ▁October . ▁On ▁Christmas ▁E ve ▁ 1 8 6 3