Rabboni was built in
San Francisco, California, and launched on April 9, 1865. The tug was brought north to the
mouth of the Columbia river, arriving in July 1865, and reaching
Portland, Oregon on July 29, 1865. The vessel was commanded by Capt. Paul Corno, who was also its main owner. En route
Rabboni had stopped at
Coos Bay and procured a three-month supply of coal, and picked up 18,000
board feet of lumber. On August 10, 1865,
Rabboni towed in the bark
Almatia, which became the first vessel towed across the Columbia bar by a regular tug.
Rabboni was considered a good tug for the time, but ran into opposition at the Columbia from the bar pilots and prejudice among sailing ship owners against steam craft of any kind. In March, 1866
Rabboni proving unable to win sufficient business, was returned to San Francisco.
Rabboni was one of these vessels, and was refitted for tow work in Alaska, but proved to be unsuccessful. ==Reconstruction==