The following summary of her career appeared in Naval and Military Gazette 30 December 1865
Dart, 5, screw gun vessel, Com. Frederick W. Richards, which has just returned to be paid off was commissioned at Portsmouth March 8, 1862, by the above named Officer who had previously commanded for some time
Vixen in the Pacific. She arrived in Plymouth Sound March 31, and having replenished coal proceeded the following day. She left Madeira April 17, and on July 11, while on the West Coast of Africa Station, captured a slave brig, name unknown, when in company with
Falcon.Having had her copper repaired in July by the diver of
Arrogant, she sailed from Loando August 11 for Sierra Leone, and was Bathurst, River Gambia, Sept. 25 where she remained Oct. 26. She left Bathurst Nov. 9 and arrived at Sierra Leone on 19th. She returned to Bathurst in January 1863 and was employed cruising off the North Coast. In June she visited at Fernando Po, and after cruising for some time off the Island captured, July 7,1864, a schooner, name unknown, and on the 22nd of the same month, captured another slave brig, named
Melvira alias
Charles. In July 1865 she was at Accra; on Nov. 24 at St Vincent; and arrived at Plymouth Sound Dec. 23, She left Plymouth on 26th, arrived at Spithead on 27th, and was to go into harbour at Portsmouth on 28th, dismantled preparatory to being paid off. Her Commander F. W. Richards, and Assist.-Surg. David B. Thomas have served in this vessel throughout her commission.
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