USS Yuma (1865)

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USS Yuma (1865) was a Casco-class monitor built for the Union Navy during the Civil War. It was laid down in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Alexander Swift and Co. and launched in 1865. The ship was designed for shallow waters like bays and rivers, using a light hull and a ballast system to lower itself in battle. The Casco-class plans were originally by John Ericsson but were revised by Alban C. Stimers after the 1863 Fort Sumter bombardment. The revisions added weight that caused stress on the hull and very little freeboard, so Ericsson was brought back to fix the design by raising the hulls about 22 inches. Alterations were made in 1866, but Yuma never saw active service.

Yuma was laid up from 1866 to 1874. It was renamed Tempest in June 1869, then renamed back to Yuma in August 1869. The ship was never commissioned and was sold at auction in New Orleans on September 12, 1874, to Theodore Allen.

Specifications (summary)
- Type: Casco-class monitor; single turret; twin screws
- Armament: two 11-inch Dahlgren guns
- Armor: turret 8 inches; pilothouse 10 inches; hull and deck 3 inches
- Displacement: about 1,175 tons; Length 225 ft; Beam 45 ft; Draft 9 ft
- Propulsion: screw steam engine; speed about 9 knots
- Complement: about 60 officers and enlisted