The River Queen was a sidewheel steamer constructed in 1864 at Keyport, New Jersey. During its early years, it was owned by Alfred Van Santvoord and later became part of the fleet operated by the New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket Steamboat Company, serving routes since 1871. The vessel was approximately 181 feet in length and registered around 426 tons, with a design characteristic of sidewheel steamers of its era. Notably, the River Queen played a significant role during the American Civil War, having been chartered by the U.S. Department of War. It served as a private dispatch boat for General Ulysses S. Grant on the Potomac River in 1865. The steamer was the site of important historic events, including the Hampton Roads Conference on February 3, 1865, which aimed to negotiate an end to the war but ultimately was unsuccessful. The conference was held in the ship’s saloon while the River Queen was lashed to the vessel Mary Martin. Additionally, President Abraham Lincoln met with military and naval leaders aboard the River Queen in March 1865 to discuss strategies for concluding the war. Lincoln was known to have traveled aboard her shortly before his assassination in April 1865. Following the war, the River Queen operated as a passenger vessel between Providence and Newport, Rhode Island, under the Newport Steamboat Company. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it transitioned to serve as a ferry for the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, later returning to the Potomac River as an excursion vessel. The vessel remained in service into 1910, making it one of the oldest sidewheelers still operating at that time. Its service ended in 1911 when it was destroyed by fire after an explosion of a signal lantern, marking the end of its maritime career. The River Queen's historical significance is underscored by its association with key Civil War events and its depiction in the 2012 film "Lincoln," where scenes of the Hampton Roads Conference were shot on an indoor set representing the vessel.

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