USS Winona was a Unadilla-class gunboat built for service with the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

Winona was heavily armed, with large guns for duels at sea, and 24-pounder howitzers for shore bombardment.

Winona saw significant action in the Gulf of Mexico and in the waterways of the Mississippi River and was fortunate to return home safely after the war for decommissioning.

She was rigged as a two-masted schooner and could sail, but her primary propulsion was provided by a single propeller 9 feet (2.7 m) in diameter.

In May, she moved upstream with the mortar boats to join the investment of the Southern stronghold at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Arkansas continued out of the Yazoo and into the Mississippi River to begin a bold dash through the 33-ship Union fleet of which Winona remained a unit.

Firing as she went, the Confederate warship hurtled through the startled Northern squadron, briefly engaging Winona as she raced past her.

Winona responded briefly, but the Confederate ship passed through the gauntlet safely and moored under the protection of the Vicksburg batteries.

Soon thereafter, Winona, undertow of USS Wissahickon, re-passed Vicksburg with the rest of Farragut's force and went back to New Orleans.

Florida had been severely riddled but Lt. John Newland Maffit had succeeded in his audacious dash through the Union blockade in spite of a skeleton crew laid low for the most part by yellow fever and the fact that he was unable to return fire because his guns lacked sponges, rammers, and other necessary equipment.

Later, he would repeat the feat on an outward voyage to become a successful commerce raider excelled only by Semmes and Waddell.

Though she returned fire, Winona’s proved ineffective because she had insufficient steam to bring her broadside to bear on the target.

In April 1863, the gunboat provided support for the campaign against Port Hudson, Mississippi, one of the two last Confederate strongholds on the river.

After the Confederate evacuation and Union occupation of Charleston in February 1865, Winona operated on the Combahee River in Georgia until the end of hostilities in April.