▁Atlantic ▁bound ▁from ▁Hav ana , ▁Cuba , ▁for ▁Mat am or os , ▁Mexico . ▁Finally , ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁she ▁took ▁the ▁sch oon er ▁C ly de ▁in ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico ▁after ▁C ly de ▁had ▁escaped ▁from ▁the ▁Confeder acy ▁l aden ▁with ▁cot ton ▁and ▁ro sin . ▁ ▁The ▁wear ▁and ▁te ar ▁of ▁hard ▁service ▁at ▁sea ▁was ▁catch ing ▁up ▁with ▁Son oma , ▁and ▁she ▁sa iled ▁north ▁for ▁rep airs . ▁The ▁ship ▁reached ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁June ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁and ▁was ▁de comm ission ed ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁June ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁▁ 1 8 6 3 – 1 8 6 5 ▁With ▁rep airs ▁completed , ▁Son oma ▁was ▁recomm ission ed ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁September ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁and ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁Atlantic ▁Block ading ▁Squadron ▁in ▁which ▁she ▁served ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁High light s ▁of ▁this ▁service ▁included ▁her ▁capture ▁on ▁ 8 ▁July ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁of ▁I da ▁a ▁side w heel ▁ste amer ▁which ▁had ▁sli pped ▁out ▁of ▁S ap el p ▁Sound , ▁Georgia , ▁and ▁was ▁bound ▁for ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁l aden ▁with ▁cot ton . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁Son oma ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁Union ▁naval ▁force ▁that ▁land ed ▁Union ▁Army