▁Civil ▁War ▁service ▁ ▁North ▁Atlantic ▁block ade ▁operations ▁Origin ally ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Pot om ac ▁Fl ot illa , ▁Cer es ▁was ▁ordered ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁September ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁to ▁report ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁Atlantic ▁Block ading ▁Squadron , ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁aside ▁from ▁repair ▁periods ▁at ▁Baltimore , ▁Maryland ▁operated ▁in ▁the ▁rivers ▁and ▁sounds ▁of ▁Virginia ▁and ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁Here ▁she ▁maintained ▁the ▁close ▁watch ▁for ▁Confeder ate ▁States ▁merchant men ▁through ▁which ▁the ▁block ading ▁forces ▁provided ▁so ▁important ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ' s ▁contribution ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁She ▁was ▁successful ▁in ▁capt uring ▁four ▁block ade ▁run ners ▁during ▁her ▁service , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a iding ▁in ▁the ▁se iz ure ▁of ▁others . ▁ ▁Capt ure ▁of ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island ▁Another ▁cru cial ▁assignment ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁Cer es ''' ▁squad ron ▁was ▁support ▁for ▁Union ▁Army ▁forces ▁holding ▁or ▁attempting ▁to ▁take ▁coast al ▁positions , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁providing ▁boats ▁and ▁cover ▁for ▁am ph ib ious ▁operations , ▁ra ids , ▁and ▁reconna issance . ▁She ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island ▁on ▁ 7 – 8 ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁during ▁which ▁she ▁was ▁hit ▁while ▁firing ▁on ▁Confeder ate ▁shore ▁positions . ▁When ▁nearby ▁Confeder ate ▁naval ▁ships ▁retired ▁up ▁Alb em ar le ▁Sound ▁as ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island ▁fell , ▁Cer