Assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, "Pocahontas" departed Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 2 October and reported to Admiral David Farragut at Pensacola, Florida on the 18th. The steamer performed blockade duty off Mobile Bay where she captured British steamer "Antona" with a valuable cargo of munitions and merchandise on 6 January 1863. On 5 March, her guns destroyed blockade running sloop "Josephine", previously forced aground by near Fort Morgan. After repairs at New Orleans, Louisiana from 6 July-19 August, "Pocahontas" sailed north. Damaged severely in a storm during the passage, the steamer arrived on 7 September and decommissioned a week later for repairs.