The Squib class torpedo boats were built for the Confederate States Navy during the later stages of the American Civil War.

Squib damaged the gunboat USS Minnesota in an attack on April 9, 1864, and was later sent to Wilmington, North Carolina, where she was scuttled in February 1865.

The other three vessels of the class were all part of the James River Squadron and participated in the Battle of Trent's Reach on the night of January 23 and 24, 1865.

Scorpion ran aground during the battle, and was forced downriver and out of control after the tender CSS Drewry exploded on January 24.

Hornet was sunk in a collision with another vessel on January 27, and Wasp was scuttled on the night of April 2/3, as the Confederates were abandoning Richmond.

During the American Civil War, the Union blockade was suffocating the breakaway Confederate States of America.

[2] Led by Lieutenant Hunter Davidson,[1] and constructor William A. Graves,[3] Confederate engineers in Richmond, Virginia, designed a new class of torpedo boats based on a different pattern than David.

[9] Confederate States Secretary of the Navy Stephen R. Mallory ordered six Squib-class boats from England in July 1864, but they were never delivered.

The ensuing explosion of the 53 pounds (24 kg) of gunpowder in the torpedo damaged, but did not sink, the Union vessel.

[2] At an unknown date during mid-1864, Squib was transported by railcar to Wilmington, North Carolina, where she served in the Cape Fear River.

While later reports of the activities of Squib no longer exist, she may have been used to ferry men and supplies during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.

[20] At 07:10 on January 24, she was swept downriver and out of control when Union fire caused the armed tender CSS Drewry to explode.

[6] After Scorpion ran aground, Hornet, who had been proceeding towards the ironclad CSS Richmond, encountered her and tried to get her unstuck, but was unable to do so due to the shallowness of the water.