USS Fern was originally a lighthouse tender built in 1871 by Delameter and Stack of New York City.

After 22 January 1898, she was based at Key West, Florida to carry mail and supplies to the increasing number of ships which concentrated in the Caribbean as war with Spain threatened.

When war began in April, Fern continued her runs from Key West to the squadron off Santiago, Cuba and to Guantánamo Bay.

[3] With U.S. entry into World War I, Gopher was assigned duty as a practice ship at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, and on 30 May 1917 was returned to commission.

While in passage, she rammed and damaged a lock in the Soulanges Canal and was apprehended and held by the Canadian Government at Quebec.