The first USS Palos was a 4th rate iron screw tug in the United States Navy during the late 19th century. She was named for Palos de la Frontera in Spain, the place where Christopher Colombus started the first voyage to America. Palos was built by James Tetlow, Chelsea, Massachusetts, in 1865 and was put into service as yard tug at the Boston Navy Yard the following year. Placed in ordinary in 1869, the tug was converted to a gunboat and commissioned 11 June 1870, Lieutenant C. H. Rockwell in command. See USS Palos for other ships of this name.