On 5 October 1862, "Sonoma" chased "Harriet Pinckney" back into port after she had attempted to slip out of Bermuda reportedly carrying "infernal machines or torpedoes ... for destroying ships in harbor." On 18 January 1863, "Sonoma" and the sloop-of-war seized "Virginia" off Mugeres Island, Mexico, and sent the steamer to Key West, Florida, for adjudication. On 3 February 1863, "Sonoma" captured the British bark "Springbok". On 15 February 1863, she took the brig "Atlantic" bound from Havana, Cuba, for Matamoros, Mexico. Finally, on 14 April 1863, she took the schooner "Clyde" in the Gulf of Mexico after "Clyde" had escaped from the Confederacy laden with cotton and rosin.