▁Confeder ate ▁block ade ▁run ners ▁and ▁ra iders ▁on ▁the ▁high ▁se as . ▁The ▁success ▁of ▁Confeder ate ▁cru is ers , ▁especially ▁ ▁and ▁, ▁in ▁operations ▁against ▁Union ▁sh ipping ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁the ▁Navy ▁on ▁ 8 ▁September ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁to ▁put ▁Com mod ore ▁Charles ▁Wil kes ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁" f lying " ▁West ▁India ▁Squadron ▁created ▁specifically ▁to ▁seek ▁out ▁and ▁destroy ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁ra iders . ▁Son oma ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁this ▁squad ron . ▁While ▁Son oma ▁never ▁engaged ▁Florida ▁or ▁Alabama , ▁she ▁did ▁operate ▁successfully ▁against ▁block ade ▁run ners . ▁ ▁On ▁ 5 ▁October ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁Son oma ▁ch ased ▁Har ri et ▁Pin ck ney ▁back ▁into ▁port ▁after ▁she ▁had ▁attempted ▁to ▁s lip ▁out ▁of ▁B erm uda ▁reported ly ▁carrying ▁" in fer nal ▁machines ▁or ▁tor ped o es ▁... ▁for ▁destroy ing ▁ships ▁in ▁har bor ." ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁January ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁Son oma ▁and ▁the ▁s loop - of - war ▁ ▁seized ▁Virginia ▁off ▁M ug eres ▁Island , ▁Mexico , ▁and ▁sent ▁the ▁ste amer ▁to ▁Key ▁West , ▁Florida , ▁for ▁adj ud ic ation . ▁On ▁ 3 ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁Son oma ▁captured ▁the ▁British ▁b ark ▁Spring b ok . ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁she ▁took ▁the ▁brig