The USS Galena was a wooden-hulled broadside ironclad vessel built for the United States Navy during the American Civil War. Commissioned in 1862, it was named after the town of Galena, Illinois. The ship was armed with a variety of guns and participated in several significant engagements during the war, including the Battle of Drewry's Bluff. Despite its iron plating, the Galena suffered damage during the battle due to the limitations of ironclad technology at the time. The ship underwent repairs and continued to serve in the Union Navy until the end of the war. After the conflict, the Galena was decommissioned and sold off in 1869. Its brief but eventful service history reflects the evolving nature of naval warfare during the Civil War and the challenges faced by early ironclad ships.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.