The USS Cornubia was originally built as the SS Cornubia, a sleek and fast iron paddle steamer constructed in Hayle, Cornwall, by Harvey & Co. Launched in February 1858, she served as a packet ship and ferry for the Hayle and Bristol Steam Packet Company. Measuring 210 feet (64 meters) in length with a beam of 24 feet 6 inches (7.47 meters), the vessel was designed for shallow waters, featuring a draft of only 9 feet (2.7 meters). Her design included two closely spaced funnels amidships and a high bridge over her paddle wheels, giving her a distinctive appearance. Powered by twin oscillating side-wheel engines driven by four boilers, she generated 230 horsepower, enabling her to reach speeds exceeding 18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h). Her elegant accommodations were highly praised, featuring mahogany, satin wood, and gold moldings, with capacious cabins and well-ventilated sleeping quarters. Initially operating between Bristol and Hayle, with stops at Ilfracombe, she maintained weekly summer schedules during her early years. In November 1861, during the American Civil War, agents for the Confederacy purchased her and renamed her Lady Davis, using her as a blockade runner. Her speed, maneuverability, and shallow draft made her highly effective; she successfully evaded Union forces on 22 occasions, bringing vital supplies to Confederate forces at Wilmington. However, her luck ran out on 8 November 1863, when she was pursued by Union forces and ran aground at New Inlet. The ship's crew managed to evacuate passengers and crew before she was salvaged by the Union ship James Adger, which towed her free. She was then sent to Boston as a prize and purchased from the prize court. Recommissioned in the Union Navy on 17 March 1864, she was converted from a blockade runner to a blockader, tasked with patrolling waters around Mobile, Pensacola, and later Texas. Notably, she captured the schooner Chaos on 21 April 1865, and seized the guard boat Le Compt with a cache of arms. She also participated in the sinking of the Confederate steamer Denbigh and later removed harbor obstructions in Galveston. Her service ended when she was decommissioned on 3 August 1865 and sold on 25 October. The USS Cornubia's transformation from a swift commercial vessel to a significant Union naval asset underscores her maritime versatility and historical importance during the Civil War.

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