Para — a wooden schooner — was purchased from James Bishop & Co., New York City on 9 September 1861 and commissioned on 4 February 1862, Acting Master Edward J. Furber in command.

On 19 June 1863, she captured blockade running schooner Emma off Mosquito Inlet, South Carolina.

The Union force captured a sloop loaded with cotton and an unladen schooner, burnt several other vessels, and destroyed all buildings which had been occupied by troops.

Continuing operations off the southeastern seaboard, she escorted troops up the St. Mary's River to Woodstock, Florida, to obtain lumber, engaged Confederate forces along the river banks to cover the transports as they took on the lumber, captured steamer Hard Times, then covered the retirement of the transports from 16–23 February 1864.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.