USS Belle Italia was involved in a Union squadron's attack on Corpus Christi in August of 1862.
At noon on August 12, 1862 in Aransas Bay, Belle Italia, the gunboat USS Sachem, and the schooner Reindeer accompanied Corypheus through an artificial canal into Corpus Christi Bay. There they chased and forced ashore the armed schooner USS Breaker which had formerly served as a pilot boat at Pass Cavallo. The small Union squadron then decided to attack Corpus Christi. 
