Herval was an iron-hulled, fully rigged central battery ship.

The engines produced a total of 600 indicated horsepower (450 kW) and gave Herval a maximum speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).

It was the second ship to bear the name Herval, in honor of general Manuel Luís Osório, Marquis of Erval.

The ship arrived in Brazil on 30 May 1866 and on 19 July of the same year it was officially named Herval, being incorporated into the navy also in the same year under the command of first lieutenant Tomás Pedro de Bittencourt Cotrim.

It was decommissioned in 1879, with its machines being removed to be used in the corvette Primeiro de Março.