She also rushed Union troops to Los Angeles, California, in 1861 during the early stages of the American Civil War.

In a dense fog she hit a rock near the shore in Humboldt County, California and had to beach to prevent sinking in deep water.

[8] Since McKim was also operated by Simmons, Hutchinson & Co., Gold Hunter took her place in the company's schedule and remained on the Sacramento River.

They were ordered back to Ventosa Bay by Mexican authorities and Gold Hunter was not allowed to land cargo for the railroad, ostensibly because Tehuantepec was not a port of entry.

[14] At some point in 1851, likely shortly after it became clear that she was not going to be allowed to support the Tehuantepec Railroad, the ship was acquired by Cornelius Vanderbilt's Independent Line.

As commerce on the west coast grew in the wake of the California gold rush, the United States needed basic aids to navigation, starting with charts.

The Coast Survey dispatched the steamer USRC Jefferson from Philadelphia in March 1861 to meet this need.

Her initial tasks in 1852 were to survey Cape Flattery and the south shore of the Strait of Juan De Fuca, and to resurvey the mouth of the Columbia River.

[22] In 1857 the ship carried the U.S. survey corps which established the boundary between Washington Territory and the British possessions which later became Canada.

[26] As one of the few government ships stationed on the west coast, Active was frequently called upon to provide aid to mariners in distress.

In December 1855 she sailed to Oregon to support Major General John E. Wool in what became known as the Rogue River Wars.

[34] In February 1856 Active carried two companies of infantry to Seattle to support white settlers in the conflict that became known as the Puget Sound War.

[35] For most of the first quarter of 1856 Active patrolled Puget Sound, moving men and material for the Army and keeping watch on Native American movements.

[36] The Northwest Boundary Survey, which Active supported in 1857, was successful in establishing the land border between the United States and the British Columbia.

In 1859 Active was pressed into military service again during the tensions, delivering men and supplies to the American Camp on San Juan Island.

[37] At the outbreak of the American Civil War, California's sympathies were largely with the Union, but Confederate interests were also present.

Active was one of very few government vessels on the west coast, and in view of the emergency was transferred to U.S. Navy control in July 1861.

[38] One of her first jobs for the Navy was to reinforce Union control of Southern California by transporting Companies D and K of the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry to San Pedro in August 1861.

[40] Active was purchased from the government for $30,000 by the San Francisco-based shipping and trading firm McRuer & Merrill in June 1862.

[41] While McRuer & Merrill had originally intended to use the ship to trade with China, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company's Golden Gate caught fire and sank on July 27, 1862 with $1.4 million of gold and silver coin aboard.

[46] The Fraser Canyon gold rush created immediate demand for shipping between San Francisco and British Columbia.

[52] On this trip Active also carried William H. Seward to Sitka, for his first and only visit to Alaska, which he had been instrumental in acquiring for the United States.

The passengers, their baggage, the mail, and supplies for the stranded people were safely brought ashore about 22 miles south of Cape Mendocino.