The USS Princess Royal was a notable vessel with a multifaceted history, starting as a British merchant ship and later serving as a Union Navy cruiser during the American Civil War. Launched on June 20, 1861, by Tod & McGregor in Glasgow, she was the first iron screw steamer operated by M Langlands & Sons for Liverpool services. She measured 652 gross register tons and 494 net register tons, with an overall length of approximately 200.5 feet (61.1 meters), a beam of 28.2 feet (8.6 meters), and a depth of hold of 15.5 feet (4.7 meters). Her propulsion was provided by a two-cylinder steam engine producing between 150 and 170 nominal horsepower, driving a single screw propeller. Initially intended for passenger and cargo service, Princess Royal became entangled in the Civil War when the Confederacy purchased her in 1863 through private investors, aiming to use her as a blockade runner to transport supplies from Britain to Charleston, South Carolina. Her journey was intercepted at Halifax and Bermuda, and she was eventually captured by Union forces near Charleston, where she was run aground in early 1863. The Union Navy purchased her from the prize court on March 18, 1863, and she was commissioned later that May under Commander Melancthon B. Woolsey. As a Union warship, Princess Royal was assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, engaging Confederate forces and capturing several vessels, including the schooner Flying Scud, Wave, Neptune, Flash, Alabama, and Cora. Her notable service included participation in the Battle of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, and multiple captures along the Texas coast, demonstrating her effectiveness in blockade operations. She continued her patrols into 1864 before returning north in July 1865, after which she was sold at auction. Renamed USS Sherman by her new owner, William F Weld & Co, she served in civilian maritime routes until sinking off Cape Fear, North Carolina, in January 1874 after springing a leak. The vessel's transformation from a merchant steamer to a wartime cruiser and her subsequent civilian service exemplify her maritime significance during a pivotal period in American history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.