Roebuck, a bark rigged clipper ship built at New York in 1856 by Thomas Collyer, operated as a merchantman and made at least one voyage around Cape Horn to California.

Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Roebuck took station off Charleston Bar late in November and continued blockade duty there, interrupted only by occasional brief visits to Port Royal, South Carolina, for supplies or repairs, until returning to New York on 15 July 1862 for repairs.

The bark, back in fighting trim and now commanded by Acting Master John Sherrill, departed New York on 30 August to return to blockade duty off the Carolina coast.

On this duty, she caught the English schooner, Kate, on 27 December attempting to slip into the St. Marks River, laden with salt, coffee, copperas, and liquors from Havana, Cuba.

On 1 February 1863, Roebuck relieved bark USS Ethan Allen on blockade station off St. Andrews Bay, Florida.

On the 30th, a boat crew from Roebuck took possession of sloop, Last Resort, and, on 10 July, Nassau schooner, Terrapiss, struck her colors to the bark.