Tahoma—a wooden-hulled, 4th rate screw gunboat constructed during 1861 at Wilmington, Delaware, by W. and A. Thatcher—was launched on 2 October 1861; and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 20 December 1861, Lieutenant John C. Howell in command.

On 26 April 1862, while patrolling east of Sea Horse Key, Florida, the screw gunboat chased a schooner until the quarry ran aground where she was destroyed.

While patrolling off the Yucatan Peninsula on 7 July, Tahoma captured the blockade-running schooner Uncle Mose, which had sailed unawares up to where the gunboat had anchored.

Tahoma and Adela landed an expeditionary force at Tampa, Florida, on 17 October 1863 and burned the steamer Scottish Chief as well as the sloop Kate Dale.

Operating out of Key West, Florida, from January 1864, Tahoma launched two daring raids against Confederate salt works in February of that year.

On the morning of 17 February, a landing force went ashore in two detachments and marched seven miles inland to destroy salt works at St. Marks, Florida.