Legend:
UNION VESSELS   CONFEDERATE VESSELS
=Confederate Official Report =Union Official Report
=Image   =Letter   =Newspaper Account

January 20, 1862
The quest for control of the lower Mississippi began when Captain David Glasgow Farragut, then at New York, received orders to embark in HARTFORD as his flag ship and to proceed to the Gulf of Mexico to assume command of the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron.
      In addition to sealing off the Confederate Gulf coast between Pensacola and the mouth of the Rio Grande (the boundary between Texas and Mexico), Farragut was charged with leading a Union task force up the Mississippi to capture New Orleans. Once he had taken the "Crescent City," the flag officer was to continue on upstream until he met the warships of the Western Flotilla which were fighting their way southward from the Ohio and upper Mississippi. The Lincoln Administration hoped that this strategy would cut the Confederacy in two and thus hasten the end of the rebellion.

February 20, 1862
Farragut, in HARTFORD, arrived at Ship Island, off the coast of Mississippi, to establish a base from which to launch the campaign against New Orleans.
      The first element of the Confederate defenses was a line of hulks anchored to the sandy river bottom and connected by heavy chains. This barrier was located just below Forts Jackson and St. Philip and was intended to halt the up-river progress of the attacking vessels while they were still under the forts' guns. Since the barrier also prevented the Confederates from attacking his fleet from above or sending fire rafts downriver, Farragut elected to leave it intact until just before his attack.
      The next engagement of the campaign would be the forts themselves, which were located on opposite sides of the Mississippi about 70 miles below New Orleans and a few miles above Head of the Passes. A Mortar Flotilla—under Commander David Dixon Porter (Farragut's foster brother)—had been organized and attached to Farragut's fleet to neutralize the batteries within these Confederate fortresses while his fleet of warships dashed past them.
      Additional intelligence indicated that Confederate naval defenses above the forts consisted of four ships of the Confederate Navy, under Captain John K. Mitchell, CSN, including McRAE the cigar-shaped ram MANASSAS and the ironclads LOUISIANA and MISSISSIPPI; two ships of the Louisiana Navy—GOVERNOR MOORE and GOVERNOR QUITMAN; a group of single-gunned, converted river steamers called the River Defense Fleet under Captain John A Stephenson, CSA, including WARRIOR, STONEWALL JACKSON, DEFIANCE, RESOLUTE, GENERAL LOVELL and R. J. BRECKENRIDGE.
      However, unbeknownst to Farragut, the MISSISSIPPI was only about two-thirds completed and the engines of the LOUISIANA were so inadequate that she could only be used as a floating battery.

There was much to be done before Farragut could launch his attack. His deep-draft, saltwater steamers had to be laboriously worked over a sand bar at the mouth of the river that was far too shallow for most of them to cross under normal circumstances. To reduce their draft, many of these ships offloaded their guns, ammunition, top masts, coal and anything else that was not absolutely needed onto shallow-draft steamers; most of which would be reloaded onto the vessels once they reached the Head of the Passes.

February 22, 1862
A U. S. Coast Survey team began sounding of the Mississippi Passes in preparation for the Union movement against New Orleans.

March 10, 1862
As Flag Officer Farragut gathered his fleet for the movement against New Orleans, BROOKLYN ran aground while attempting to negotiate the shoal water in the entrance to the Mississippi River. The COLORADO, which was of deeper draft was forced to wait for more favorable tides to make the attempt.

March 13, 1862
Nineteen ships of Commander Porter's Mortar Flotilla arrived at Farragut's headquarters on Ship Island.

March 18, 1862
Porter's Mortar Schooners were towed over the bar at Pass a l'Outre and entered the Mississippi River. As preperations for the assault continued, surveying parties worked almost within the shadows of the Confederate forts to locate and mark positions for each mortar schooner during the impending action.

JOHN P. JACKSON reported for duty with the Mortar Flotilla having escorted the transports carrying occupation troops under General Benjamin F. Butler to the Mississippi passes. However, since Farragut was not yet ready to launch his assault and there was not enough dry ground in the area upon which to land a large number of troops, Butler and his army were forced to return to Ship Island to await the outcome of the impending naval action against the forts.

March 24, 1862
PENSACOLA, towing a schooner carrying her guns and stores, grounded on the bar at the mouth of the Mississippi river. Even with the assistance of towboats pulling her, she failed to negotiate the shoal water on four attempts and was forced to await a rise in the river or favorable tides.

March 28, 1862
KENNEBEC and WISSAHICKON steamed up the river within sight of the forts to inspect the barrier. After Southern batteries opened a rapid fire on the gunboats, they retired down the river.

April 4, 1862
KATAHDIN arrived off the Mississippi passes and was put to work assisting the saltwater ships across the bar.

April 7, 1862
Two of the heaviest vessels of Farragut's fleet, PENSACOLA and MISSISSIPPI finally crossed the bar and entered the Mississippi after several previous attempts. Flag Officer Farragut's flotilla for the capture of New Orleans was now complete, lacking only the COLORADO which Farragut finally conceded could not be gotten into the river.

April 8, 1862
After endless toil and a month's delay, Farragut managed to get all of his ships but COLORADO across the bar and into the river. Farragut assembled 24 vessels of his fleet and Commander Porter's Mortar Squadron near the Head of the Passes.

April 16, 1862
The Union deep-draft ships moved up the river to a position just below the forts.

Porter embarked in ARLETTA and took her, accompanied by two of her sister schooners, upriver to anchor at predetermined sites to test the mortars and their mounts and to determine the ranges of their targets. Confederate cannon fired intermittently upon the schooners, but the Southern rounds all fell short. Meanwhile, ARLETTA's mortar answered with five shells, three of which reportedly exploded inside Fort Jackson. After an hour's action, Porter—highly satisfied with the performance of his mortars, gunners, and ships—ordered his captains to retire downstream and returned to HARRIETT LANE, his flagship for the operation.

April 18, 1862
The mortar schooners were positioned behind the cover of a bend in the river about one mile below the forts. The first and third divisions were anchored along the western shore below Fort Jackson and their masts, the tops of which were visible above the trees along the banks, were camouflaged with foliage from the nearby trees. The second division was anchored along the eastern shore to concentrate on Fort St. Philip.
      Once in position, the mortar schooners opened fired on the forts and, over the next ten hours, lobbed in excess of 1,100 shells into their targets. After dark, Commander Porter called a halt to the mortar fire and sent a reconnaissance boat upstream to determine the effect of the bombardment. This mission determined that, while portions of both forts were ablaze, little substantial damage had been done and their reduction would, consequently, have to be accomplishied by siege.

April 19, 1862
Mortar schooner MARIA J. CARLTON was sunk by fire from Fort Jackson.
      In order to conserve ammunition, Porter ordered his schooners to reduce their rate of fire to two shells per hour. For the next several days, the schooners kept up the shelling causing more damage to the Confederates' morale than to their fortifications.

April 20, 1862
Farragut held a council of his officers at which it was determined that the attack on the forts would have to be made soon because the mortar flotilla was expending its shells at a terrific rate and would soon run out of ammunition.
      During the night, the squadron's Fleet Captain, Henry H. Bell, led ITASCA and PINOLA under the forts' guns to destroy the barrier. The initial plan to breach the line with electrically detonated charges was foiled when ITASCA ran aground. Captain Bell, reluctant to set fire to the hulks for fear of illuminating his ships for the Confederate gunners, was then forced to sever the barrier with axes and saws despite a tremendous fire on his party. Part of the chain was finally dropped to the river bottom and another section was carried away by ITASCA. When two of the remaining hulks dragged their anchors and began drifting downstream, a sufficient gap was opened along the eastern side of the river to allow the fleet to pass and the Union expedition returned to its anchorage with the fleet below.

April 21, 1862
While the bombardment of the forts continued, the fleet was unable to attack because the current of the Mississippi was; "...running so strong that we cannot stem it sufficiently to do anything with our ships, so that I am now waiting a change of wind, which brings a slacker tide..."

April 23, 1862
Under cover of darkness that night, a ten-oared boat under Leiutenant Caldwell was rowed upstream under extremely hazardous conditions to ascertain that the passage through the barrier was still clear.

For their run past the forts, Farragut divided the Federal fleet into three divisions:
The first division was to be led by Captain Theodorus Bailey, who had transferred his flag from COLORADO to CAYUGA and was composed of KATAHDIN, KINEO, MISSISSIPPI, ONEIDA, PENSACOLA, VARUNA and WISSAHICKON.
The second division, commanded by Farragut, consisted of HARTFORD, BROOKLYN and RICHMOND.
The third division, under Captain Bell in SCIOTA, was made up of IROQUOIS, ITASCA, KENNEBEC, PINOLA and WINONA.

Although there is no official record showing that Lieutenant Caldwell's reconnaissance was detected, the Confederates must have sensed the impending attack for they set fire to huge piles of wood along the river banks and set loose several fire rafts.

April 24, 1862
During the early hours of the morning, Porter's mortar schooners and gunboats greatly increased the tempo of their cannonade to give Farragut and his warships the maximum possible support during their passage.
      At 2:00 A.M. the signal to advance was given from the HARTFORD and the fleet began to move upstream on the slackening tide in its prearranged order.
      Barely ten minutes later the ships of Captain Bailey's first division were engaged by the concentrated fire of both forts.

ONEIDA and VARUNA steamed close to shore under the Confederate guns, which had been trained on the middle of the river, outrunning the rest of their division and were the first to encounter the Confederate fleet lying in wait above.
      After a brief but furious exchange of raking fire, GOVERNOR MOORE twice rammed VARUNA and, unable to get a better shot at the Union ship, fired at VARUNA through her own bows. Next, STONEWALL JACKSON rammed VARUNA. With VARUNA's shot glancing off her bow, STONEWALL JACKSON backed off for another blow and struck again in the same place, crushing VARUNA's side. The shock of the blow turned the Confederate vessel, however, and she received five 8-inch shells from VARUNA abaft her armor. VARUNA ran aground in a sinking condition and STONEWALL JACKSON, chased by ONEIDA coming to the rescue of her consort, was driven ashore and burned.
      Next attacking CAYUGA, GOVERNOR MOORE exposed herself to fire from most of the first division. With practically her whole upper cabin shot away and 64 men dead or dying, she went out of controll, drifting helplessly to shore, where her captain, pilot and another crewman set her afire. GOVERNOR MOORE blew up while they and three other survivors were being captured by ONEIDA's boats.

As PENSACOLA came under the guns of the Confederate forts, a shell swept Ship's Boy Thomas Flood from the bridge and wounded the Signal Quartermaster. After assisting the wounded man below, Flood returned to the bridge and took over his duties. In perhaps the most dangerous position aboard the ship, Seaman Thomas Lyons was lashed outside of the vessel, on the port-sheet chain, with the lead in hand to lead the ship past the forts.
      The iron-clad MANASSAS attempted to ram PENSACOLA which, under the superior steerage of Quartermaster Louis Richards, turned in time to avoid the blow and deliver a broadside at close range. MANASSAS, under murderous fire from the whole line of the Union fleet, then charged MISSISSIPPI and delivered a long glancing blow on her hull, firing her only gun as she rammed.

When the Confederate guns opened fire, KATAHDIN steamed steadily ahead, replying with all her guns. Only two rounds struck the gunboat during the dash, one damaging the foremast and the other hitting her smokestack.

Having failed to inflict serious damage on either of her intended victims, MANASSAS disengaged from the first Union division in hopes of finding a target among the approaching second division.

As the ships of the second division were passing the forts they frequently slowed to bring their broadside guns to bear helping to cover the passage of the smaller vessels.
      Leading this division, HARTFORD dodged a run by the MANASSAS but, in doing so, ran aground near Fort St. Philip. While HARTFORD attempted to free herself, the small, unarmed, screw tug MOSHER pushed a fire raft against the stranded warship. HARTFORD was soon ablaze and Farragut but exhorted his gunners saying "Don't flinch from that fire, boys! There's a hotter fire than that for those who don't do their duty." As the fire quickly spread to the shrouds and rigging, Farragut, fearing for the loss of his ship, reportedly exclaimed "My God! Is it to end this way?" Meanwhile the warship's gunners never slackened the pace at which they poured their broadsides into the forts while the ship's fire brigade, under Acting Master's Mate E. J. Allen, went into action. Moments later the flames were under control and a greatly relieved Farragut ordered his gunners to "Give that racsally little tug a shot." A broadside from HARTFORD instantly sent the brave little MOSHER and all of her crew beneath the murky waves.
      As BROOKLYN, the second ship of the middle division, passed through the gap in the barrier she collided with KINEO, nearly sinking the smaller vessel. The two Federals had barely disentangled themselves when the MANASSAS appeared off BROOKLYN's bow. Reacting quickly, helmsman James Buck turned BROOKLYN toward her attacker which allowed MANASSAS to strike only a glancing blow. As the ram scraped along the chains draped over the sides of the Union ship, a sailor crawled out of a hatch onto the deck of the Confederate vessel whereupon a Quartermaster aboard BROOKLYN threw a chain lead at him, knocking him overboard. During the heated action, Quartermaster Buck was severely wounded by a heavy splinter but continued to perform his duty at the helm until positively ordered below. Later stealing back to his post, Buck steered the ship for 8 hours despite his condition.
      MANASSAS then turned upstream as MISSISSIPPI and KINEO came about to meet her. Avoiding the Union attack but finding herself virtually surrounded by enemy guns, MANASSAS was ran inshore and grounded where her crew began to evacuate. Minutes later a broadside from MISSISSIPPI knocked her into deeper water and set her afire. As the burning MANASSAS drifted downstream past the forts and the mortar fleet, Commander Porter attempted to recover the stricken ram as a curiosity but she exploded and sank before any Federal ship could reach her.
      BROOKLYN next fired a broadside of eleven 5-second shells at WARRIOR which exploded in her. WARRIOR was then driven on the bank by her crew, instantly began to burn, and was soon destroyed.
      As the milling ships ahead and dense clouds of smoke slowed her progress, RICHMOND drifted out of line toward Fort Jackson on the west side of the river. When she was within a "stones throw" of the fort, RICHMOND's crew opened fire with grape and canister. RICHMOND was, in fact, so close to Fort Jackson that the Confederate gunners could hardly depress their weapons enough to hit her. Although musket balls from the fort "rattled like hail" against her sides and upon her decks, RICHMOND passed the forts with minor damage and only two crewmen killed.

As dawn began to lighten the sky, the third division approached the barricade under terriffic fire from the forts. Leading the division, Captain Bell in SCIOTA passed the forts with little damage.
      Next in line, IROQUOIS fired on LOUISIANA which was anchored just above Fort Jackson—as had most of the Union fleet. A full broadside from IROQUOIS, delivered at LOUISIANA from a distance of a few feet, did little serious damage, while IROQUOIS herself was riddled by the batterys fire. Still recovering from her exchange with the battery, IROQUOIS found herself under attack from the McRAE and another Confederate defender but an 11-inch shell and several rounds of canister disabled McRAE, killed her commander and drove off the other attacker.
      As PINOLA ran the gauntlet, her powder magazine was set afire by a Confederate shell. Seeing the imminent danger to his ship and mates, Gunner's Mate John Frisbee closed the hatch to the magazine, shutting off his own avenue of escape, while he extinguished the blaze.
      KENNEBEC became entangled in the remnants of the barricade below the forts and struck one of the Confederate hulks. For the next several minutes she suffered severe punishment under the guns of the forts until her crew was able to free her.
      ITASCA was caught in "a storm of iron hail...bursting over and around us from both forts" and disabled by a 42-pound shot which penetrated her boiler.
      Last in line through the smoke and confusion, WINONA also became entangled in the remnants of the barrier and, while backing out, collided with the drifting ITASCA. After spending a half-hour under heavy fire from Fort Jackson, WINONA finnaly got free and attempted to steam up-river. With most of the Union fleet safely out of range the Confederate gunners of both forts concentrated their fire on her, KENNEBEC and ITASCA. As the increasing daylight had made their ships even more visible targets, their commanders of these last three vessels ordered their crews to lie flat on the decks as they again attempted to run the gauntlet. However, judging that they would likely be lost in the attempt, Commander Porter signaled them from the mortar fleet to retire.

In the engagements between the two naval forces above the forts, RESOLUTE was run ashore and sunk a mile above Fort Jackson by her crew who raised a white flag and then abandoned her. R. J. BRECKINRIDGE and GENERAL LOVELL were also abandoned by their crews and burned to keep them from falling into Union hands.
      DEFIANCE was the only vessel of the River Defense Fleet to escape destruction or capture and was turned over to CSN Captain Mitchell after her captain, officers and crew left her.

When barely beyond the forts, the Union fleet anchored opposite Quarantine Station abreast a Confederate encampment which immediately raised a white flag. Here Farragut's fleet paused to bury its dead and repair damages. The Flag Officer also sent a note of thanks to Commander Porter for the help of his ships and mortars, which had by then fired some 16,500 shells at the Confederate forts, saying: "You supported us most nobly."
[Newspaper Coverage]
[Sailor's Account]

Upon receiving Farragut's note, Porter, whose mortar squadron had been augmented by KENNEBEC, ITASCA and WINONA, sent notes to the commanders of the Confederate forts demanding their surrender. Porter's demands were promptly refused by both commanders.

April 25, 1862
As the Union fleet resumed its advance toward New Orleans, a small Confederate battery about 5 miles below the city opened fire on them. However, the concentrated fire of the heavy Naval cannons soon overcame this last defensive effort.
      Nearing the Crescent City, Farragut's warships were kept busy avoiding burning steamers—some laden with cotton—drifting down the river. Upon their arrival, the Admiral described the New Orleans levee as a "scene of desolation; ships, steamers, cotton, coal, etc. were all in one common blaze."
      When his fleet finally came to anchor in mid-river with its broadside guns manned and pointed at the city, Farragut sent Captain Bailey and Lieutenant G. H. Perkins ashore to demand its surrender. To accomplish their mission, the two Union officers were forced to march, unaccompanied, through a hostile mob in what was later described by a southern observer as "..one of the bravest deeds I ever saw done." However, the mayor and City Council refused to surrender, claiming that Farragut had arrived as a conqueror and was, therefore, free to do as he pleased. Short of bombarding the city into submission, Farragut knew he was powerless to do anything until the 18,000 troops under General Butler could be safely brought upriver from the Gulf past Forts Jackson and St. Philip which, despite the recent engagement, still remained in Confederate hands.
      That afternoon, Farragut sent a few ships a short distance upriver to search for Confederate batteries above. During this expedition KATAHDIN captured the schooner JON GILPIN with a cargo of cotton.

April 26, 1862
Commander Porter's mortar schooners renewed the bombardment of the Confederate forts but his fire was not returned. Lacking knowledge as to how many (if any) of the Confederate ships had survived the earlier encounter with Farragut's fleet, Porter sent all but six of the mortar schooners downriver. The remaining six, including HORACE BEALS and SARAH BRUEN, he sent into the waterways behind Fort Jackson to prevent a possible evacuation by the Confederates.

Meanwhile, a party of 10 men from MCRAE, boarded the sunken RESOLUTE, hauled down her white flag, and manned her guns. Later, while they attempted to get her afloat, RESOLUTE was attacked by long range Union fire and was pierced by several rifle shot, some below her water line. Since RESOLUTE's damage could not be repaired quickly and another Union attack was expected, the Confederates burned her.

April 27, 1862
Though severely damaged, MCRAE came up river to New Orleans under a flag-of-truce in the evening, landing Confederate wounded from the forts below. There she was left to her fate and was found sunk alongside the city wharf the following morning.

Steamer DIANA, undamaged during Farragut's passage, was captured by CAYUGA as the former attempted to escape upriver.

The mortar schooner GEORGE MANGHAM, having received a shot through her hull on the 24th departed for Florida for repairs and return to blockade duty.

At midnight the Confederate troops at Fort Jackson, believing they were about to be overrun from the rear, mutinied and refused to fight.

April 28, 1862
The Commanders of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, realizing that their position was now hopeless, sent a note to Commander Porter requesting terms of surrender.
      CSN Captain Mitchell, also realizing that the defeat of his force was now inevitable, and not considering himself bound by the surrender of the military garrison, set fire to LOUISIANA to keep her from falling into Union hands. Not having enough men for a crew for the still-operable DEFIANCE, Captain Mitchell burned her as well. He and his men then retired to the opposite west shore with the unarmed tenders LANDIS and W. BURTON. However, after three Federal gunboats fired over them, Captain Mitchell surrendered.
      As the articles of capitulation of the forts were being drawn up under flags-of-truce on board Commander Porter's flagship, the burning LOUISIANA broke loose and drifted downstream. Her guns fired as the flames reached their charges and then the whole ship was demolished in a violent explosion in front of Fort St. Philip which was seen and heard for many miles.

That evening, the balance of the Mortar Flotilla dropped downriver to Southwest Pass where they anchored to prepare for their return to blockade duty in the Gulf while awaiting the return of Farragut's warships to join them in operations against Mobile.

May 1, 1862
General Butler and his troops arrive at New Orleans to take possession of the city.

May 4, 1862
After bringing water and supplies to several Union ships blockading the Gulf Coast, KENSINGTON arrived at New Orleans and was ordered to ascend the Mississippi towing the mortar schooners HORACE BEALS and SARAH BRUEN.

May 7, 1862
Farragut and the HARTFORD, with the remaining units of the fleet, departed New Orleans to join in the conquest of the Mississippi River Valley.

May 8, 1862
When a demand for the surrender of Baton Rouge was refused, a landing party from IROQUOIS was sent ashore by Commander James S. Palmer to occupy the Louisiana capital.

May 10, 1862
Farragut arrives at Baton Rouge and promptly orders two of his ships up the river to capture Natchez, MS, and search for coal which was getting to be in short supply.

May 13, 1862
As landing parties from IROQUOIS and ONEIDA took possession of Natchez, the steamer Vicksburg came down river loaded with Confederate troops for the defense of Natchez. However, Confederate Brigadier General C. G. Dahlgren was on shore at the time and fired a musket to warn her off. She put about and went up river, being chased by two shots from ONEIDA.

May 14, 1862
Somewhere well below Vicksburg, HARTFORD ran hard aground in the unfamiliar channels of the river. With both vessels deep in hostile territory, her consort ITASCA worked feverishly to pull her off, finally refloating the stranded vessel 3 days later.

May 18, 1862
Still advancing on Vicksburg, ONEIDA exchanged fire with Confederate batteries at Grand Gulf, MS.

That afternoon, ONEIDA and KINEO arrived off Vicksburg, MS. Shortly after coming to anchor, Commander S. P. Lee sent a demand for surrender ashore, to which the Confederate commandant replied: "Mississippians don't know—and refuse to learn—how to surrender to an enemy. If Commodore Farragut or Brigadier General Butler can teach them, let them come and try." The Federal ships opened a brief fire on the city before retiring a short distance to await the remainder of the fleet. KINEO was dispatched downstream to communicate the state of affairs and act as guide to heavier warships then enroute.

May 26, 1862
As they approached Vicksburg, BROOKLYN, KINEO and KATAHDIN exchange fire with Confederate batteries at Grand Gulf, MS.

May 27, 1862
When Farragut finally arrived on the scene, he learned that heavy Southern guns mounted on the bluff at Vicksburg some 200-300 feet above the river could shell his ships while his own guns could not be elevated enough to return their fire. Since the 1,500 troops that had accompanied the fleet were not sufficient take the fortress by storm, the Flag Officer headed back downstream, leaving several gunboats to blockade and harass the city from below.

May 28, 1862
When the Federal fleet returned to occupy Baton Rouge, a landing party of sailors was fired upon by Confederate guerillas. HARTFORD and KENNEBEC then shelled the buildings along the river bank and surrounding streets, driving off the small band of Confederates, returning control of the city to the Union.

May 30, 1862
Upon reaching New Orleans, Farragut found messages from Washington rebuking him for not remaining near Vicksburg and stating that Northern strategy—Lincoln himself had given the task highest priority—demanded that he immediately return upstream, clearing the Mississippi as he went until meeting the Union's Western Flotilla.
      At the suggestion of General Butler and with the promise of additional troops, Farragut sent a message to Porter calling for 10 of his mortar schooners back to the Mississippi to support an attack on Vicksburg.

June 3, 1862
Commander Porter complied with Farragut's order by bringing, not just 10, but the whole flotilla.

June 6, 1862
The mortar schooners again crossed the bar at Pass a l'Outre. However, once they were in the river, their ascent was delayed until steamers could be obtained from the Army to tow them upstream against the current.

June 7-8, 1862
WISSAHICKON and ITASCA exchange fire with batteries at Grand Gulf, MS.

June 9, 1862
IROQUOIS and KATAHDIN join WISSAHICKON and ITASCA in shelling the batteries at Grand Gulf.

June 17, 1862
When towships finally became available, the Mortar Flotilla departed New Orleans and headed up the Mississippi. Southern shore batteries fired upon them as they were passing Grand Gulf, MS, but their return fire silenced the Confederate cannon before they did any damage.

June 26, 1862
En route to Vicksburg, KENSINGTON with mortar schooners HORACE BEALS and SARA BRUEN silenced a Confederate battery near Cole's Creek, MS.

June 27, 1862
ARLETTA, HENRY JANES, GEORGE MANGHAM, JOHN P. JACKSON and the other ships of the Mortar Flotilla arrived on station just below Vicksburg late in the evening and opened fire. Before dawn the following morning, the entire flotilla, supported by KENNEBEC and BROOKLYN, began shelling the Southern batteries while nine of the heavy ships steamed by the forts to meet Flag Officer Charles H. Davis and his Mississippi Flotilla. The schooners kept up their fire until most of Farragut's ships were safely out of range of the Vicksburg guns.
      During the fray JOHN P. JACKSON was hit twice, leaving her without power and causing other serious damage. Moments later CLIFTON, coming to her aid with a towline, was struck in her starboard boiler; seven men were killed by scalding steam. JOHN P. JACKSON quickly lowered her boats to save a number of CLIFTON's men who had jumped overboard to escape the steam.

June 30, 1862
KENNEBEC, which had remained below Vicksburg with BROOKLYN, departed downstream to resume escort and patrol duties.

July 2, 1862
Flag Officer Davis and several vessels of the Western Gunboat Flotilla joined Farragut above Vicksburg: the fresh and salt-water fleets met for the first time. While waiting for troops, the combined squadrons intermittently demonstrated against the defenses of Vicksburg for several days; the mortar vessels of each squadron bombarding the city from both above and below. Again, naval efforts to take Vicksburg were frustrated by a lack of troops. "Ships," Porter commented, "cannot crawl up hills 300 feet high, and it is that part of Vicksburg which must be taken by the Army."

July 8, 1862
Meanwhile, Robert E. Lee's Seven Days Campaign in Virginia had penned up the Federal army at Harrison's Landing on the James River and Washington, recognizing the value of naval firepower, wired Farragut to send 12 of the schooners to reinforce the James River Flotilla.

July 11, 1862
KENSINGTON, towing the mortar schooners ARLETTA and GEORGE MANGHAM, headed downstream, as ordered, with the largest division of the Mortar Flotilla.

July 15, 1862
A task force composed of QUEEN OF THE WEST, CARONDELET and TYLER (These three vessels were part of Flag Officer Davis's Fleet) was sent up the Yazoo River to investigate rumors that a powerful Confederate ram named ARKANSAS was nearing completion at the Yazoo City shipyards. When but a few miles up the Yazoo, the Union expedition met the object of its mission steaming directly toward them. ARKANSAS fired on and chased off the lightly-armed QUEEN OF THE WEST and CARONDELET, in trying to maneuver, ran aground. Fearing a similar fate for his ship, Captain I. N. Brown, CSN, aboard ARKANSAS elected to pursue TYLER as she ran downstream for the protection of the Union fleet.
      As the two combatants rounded a bend just upriver from Vicksburg, they came upon the combined Union fleets laying "steam-down" in the river. Upon sighting "a forest of masts and smokestacks", Captain Brown determined to steam directly into the line staying as close to the Union vessels as possible in order to prevent his being rammed and to sow confusion. ARKANSAS, herself barely making steam due to damage inflicted by the aft guns of TYLER, pounded her way through the midst of the Federal fleet and emerged on the other side bound for Vicksburg itself. Stunned, and still without sufficient power for navigation, the Federal ships did not pursue. ARKANSAS arrived at Vicksburg to the sound of the enthusiastic cheering of the citizens and anchored within sight of the lower Federal fleet. The Vicksburg batteries kept attacking vessels away from the ARKANSAS but could not prevent the two fleets from later linking up below Vicksburg.

That evening, HARRIET LANE, HENRY JANES and the remaining mortar schooners below Vicksburg resumed the bombardment of the city in earnest when the sound of heavy firing announced Farragut's approach. Admiral Farragut, infuriated by his fleet's failure to destroy the vastly-outnumbered Confederate vessel, ordered his fleet to run down past Vicksburg that same night and to destroy the ARKANSAS enroute. Farragut later reported, "it was so dark by the time we reached the town that nothing could be seen except the flashes of the guns." However, before ARKANSAS, still lying under the city's guns, could sally forth she was struck in the engines, causing considerable damage though she was still able to use her cannon effectively. In the heavy cannonade as Farragut's ships continued down the river below the city, WINONA and SUMTER were substantially damaged—probably as much by ARKANSAS' guns as by the shore batteries.

On this day, Flag Officer Farragut is promoted to Rear Admiral (equal to the Army rank of Major General), the first officer to hold that rank in the history of the U.S. Navy. Congress also extablished the ranks of Commodore and Lieutenant Commander

July 24, 1862
Farragut, having received orders to return down the river at his discretion, got underway. When Farragut withdrew from the Mississippi to attend to his blockaders in the gulf, he left KATAHDIN in the river with ESSEX, SUMTER, and KINEO to protect Army units in the area of New Orleans and Baton Rouge and to police the river.

July 25, 1862
With Vicksburg still in Confederate hands, the small Union garrison at Natchez, MS, was overly exposed to attack and, therefore, the troops were withdrawn to New Orleans.

August 5, 1862
In an effort to consolidate their hold on the middle section of the Mississippi, the Confederates launched an attack on the Union encampment at Baton Rouge. The Confederate plan was for the land assault to be supported by the guns of ARKANSAS which, due to engine problems, failed to reach the scene of battle. With support from ESSEX and CAYUGA, the badly outnumbered Northern soldiers managed to repulse the attack. The Union gunboats then fired over the town into the Confederate camp, forcing them to withdraw out of range.

August 6,1862
While the recently-arrived KINEO and KATAHDIN guarded the right flank of the Army, ESSEX and CAYUGA got underway upriver to locate and engage ARKANSAS.
      ESSEX and CAYUGA discovered ARKANSAS 5 miles above Baton Rouge and ESSEX, who was in the lead immediately engaged the Confederate ram. Still plagued by engine trouble, ARKANSAS was unable to fight or flee and drifted ashore where she was abandoned and fired to prevent capture.
      Realizing that his situation was untenable, Major General John C. Breckenridge, CSA, withdrew hiw troops northward in search of another position from which the Confederacy could defend its tenuous hold on the river. Several days later, General Breckenridge found what he was looking for in a series of bluffs overlooking a sharp bend in the river near Port Hudson, LA.

August 9, 1862
A number of incidents of artillery firing on Union steamers passing up and down the Mississippi River at Donaldsonville, LA, influenced the Navy to undertake a retaliatory attack. Admiral Farragut sent the town notice of his intentions and suggested that the citizens send the women and children away. He then anchored in front of the town and fired upon it with guns and mortars. Farragut also sent a detachment ashore that set fire to the hotels, wharf buildings, and the dwelling houses and other buildings owned by CSA Capt. Phillippe Landry. Landry, purported to be the captain of a partisan unit, fired on the landing party during the raid. Following the raid, some of the citizenry protested, but, generally, firing on Union ships stopped.

August 21, 1862
Upon orders from General Butler, the Union Army evacuated Baton Rouge. Just before embarking the troops, the gunboats beat off an attack on the Union pickets with rapid and heavy fire. KATAHDIN brought up the rear as the ships steamed to New Orleans.

August 24, 1862
After one of her boat crews was fired upon at Bayou Sara, LA, ESSEX shelled the nearby town in retaliation.

September 3, 1862
Responding to shots fired from buildings along the waterfront, ESSEX shelled Natchez, MS, until the mayor of that city surrendered "unconditionally" to Commander W. D. Porter.

September 7, 1862
En route to New Orleans, ESSEX was fired upon by the Confederate batteries at Port Hudson, LA. Having lost access to foreign commerce via the Gulf with the loss of New Orleans, the Confederates were heavily reinforcing Port Hudson in an attempt to prevent Union gunboats from blockading the mouth of the Red River, over which the bulk of supplies for the south were forced to flow.

September 22, 1862
KATAHDIN and ITASCA covered the landing of Army troops at Donaldsonville, LA. While the expedition was ashore, the gunboats protected them; and, shortly before the soldiers reembarked, naval gunfire beat back a Southern attack which threatened to cut off the landing party. This support prevented annihilation o the landing party by vastly superior forces and enabled it to retreat downstream to Laurel Hill and thence back to New Orleans.

October 1,1862
The Western Gunboat Fleet was transferred from the War Department to the Navy and renamed the "Mississippi Squadron" under (now Acting Rear Admiral) Porter who had remained at Vicksburg When Adm Farragut returned to the Gulf in August.
      In the months that followed, the gunboats constantly patrolled the river to protect Union communications, to gather information on Confederate activity, and to cut the flow across the Mississippi of food and men to Confederate armies in the East. The effects of the Union control of the Western Rivers was demonstrated when KATAHDIN, KINEO and two other Union gunboats intercepted a drove of some 1,500 cattle from Texas at Donaldsonville, LA, and loaded them on transports for passage to New Orleans. The value of this beef to the South could be attested to by the fact that, 4 miles below Donaldsonville, about 3,000 infantrymen supported by 9 field pieces struck back at the ships in a desperate attempt to recapture the cattle. The gunboats opened fire promptly and in about 20 minute drove the Confederates from their position.

This was also period of constant stress and peril for the gunboats. "We are constantly under fire...as we pass up and down the river." Lt. Commander Roe, of KATAHDIN, reported. "Our fighting is a savage Indian warfare. The troops and guns are concealed, and watch for us as we pass along and fire and flee."

October 5, 1862
Confederate transport DAN was boarded and captured on Calcasieu Lake, LA, by a launch from KENSINGTON.

November 1-6, 1862
J. A. COTTON—initially assisted by HART—fought a series of actions against CALHOUN, COLONEL KINSMAN, DIANA and ESTRELLA along Bayou Teche in Louisiana during which neither side suffered serious damage.

November 7, 1862
COLONEL KINSMAN and the recently-captured SEGER burned the steamers J. P. SMITH and OSPREY in Bayou Cheval, LA.

November 14, 1862
Rear Admiral Farragut in HARTFORD returned to New Orleans to demonstrate Union naval power in the area and to elicit a comittment of troops from General Butler for the attack on Mobile Bay. Here Farragut learns of the Confederate build-up at Port Hudson and of the overwhelming task General Butler faced in trying to provide enough troops to hold current Union positions as well as the captured cities of Galveston, Corpus Christi and Sabine Pass on the Gulf coast of Texas. Farragut reported; "It will take at least 5,000 men to take Port Hudson . . . The general has really not half troops enough . . ."

December 6, 1862
Armed boat crews from DIANA captured the steamers Naniope and Southern Merchant on the Atchafalaya River.

December 16, 1862
Brigadier General Nathaniel P. Banks arrives at New Orleans with additional troops in preparation for increased Union operations on the Mississippi. General Butler is relieved of command and transferred East.

December 18, 1862
RICHMOND, ALBATROSS CAYUGA, KATAHDIN, WINONA and ESSEX provide cover while troops under Brigadier General Cuvier Grover, landed to re-occupy Baton Rouge, LA. Admiral Farragut advises Washington that he is ready to attack Port Hudson and ". . . support General Banks the moment he desires to move against it."

January 13,1863
Acting on intelligence that the Confederates were increasing the armaments of J. A. COTTON for an attack against his position at Berwick Bay, LA, Brigadier General Godfrey Weitzel, USA, launched a raid up Bayou Teche consisting of seven regiments supported by CALHOUN, ESTRELLA and COLONEL KINSMAN.

January 14, 1863
Early in the morning, the lead ship COLONEL KINSMAN found J. A. COTTON behind an obsturction in the Teche just below Fort Bisland. Caught in a cross-fire between the Confederate gunboat and sharpshooters ashore, COLONEL KINSMAN was soon in trouble when she lost her rudder and her master was wounded.
      Coming to the aid of COLONEL KINSMAN, CALHOUN also found herself danger of being captured having run aground with her Commander, Thomas M. Buchanan,USN, dead of a bullet wound.
      The Union ships escaped disaster, however, when units of the Army arrived and, after driving off the Confederate sharpshooters, opened a heavy fire on J. A. COTTON, forcing her to retire upstream to the protection of the fort. Later that evening, the Confederates removed her artillery and scuttled her across the bayou as an obstruction to further advances by the Union gunboats. With the destruction of the Confederate gunboat, General Weitzel withdrew his troops Brashear City, on Bayou Teche.

March 14,1863
Gen. U. S. Grant's Army, ably supported by the Mississippi Squadron, was pressing on Vicksburg from above. Meanwhile, Admiral Porter's strategy of blockading the mouth of the Red River with isolated ships had recently resulted in the loss of QUEEN OF THE WEST and INDIANOLA. Because of the loss of control of the Red River, Admiral Farragut, who was still under orders to "clear the Mississippi," determined to send several ships of his fleet north to assist in the Vicksburg campaign and to re-establish the blockade of the Red River.
      However, since Farragut's last passage south, the Confederates had been reinforcing defenses along the Mississippi and had erected powerful batteries with 21 large guns and heavy fortifications along three miles of bluffs overlooking the river at at Port Hudson, LA. To accomplish his mission, Admiral Farragut's ships would be forced to steam directly under the guns of this formidable battery.
      Magnifying an attacker's difficulties were problems posed by nature itself. As the Mississippi neared Port Hudson, it swerved in a sharp westerly bend for over a mile. At the bend's entrance, along the or eastern side, began a line of bluffs soaring 80 to 100 feet high—ideal positions for Confederate heavy guns. The opposite shore gently rose to a low peninsula from shallow waters plagued by numerous eddies that channeled ships toward the eastern side of the river—the side directly under Port Hudson's guns. And, finally, a stout 5-knot current at that spot reduced enemy ships to a tortuously slow pace making them inviting targets for gunners on the cliffs above.

As the nucleus of his squadron, Farragut gathered is flagship HARTFORD, RICHMOND, MONONGAHELA , and MISSISSIPPI. The smaller river ironclads GENESEE, ALBATROSS and KINEO were added to support the larger vessels. Farragut lashed gunboats to the sides of HARTFORD, RICHMOND and MONONGAHELA to give the ships twin-screw capability, thereby increasing their maneuverability in the tricky Mississippi waters. MISSISSIPPI's side paddle wheels made that step impractical, so it headed upstream under its own power.
      Since Farragut intended to steam past Port Hudson at night, all interior decks were whitewashed to reflect whatever faint light existed to make movement easier for his men. Farragut also installed a voice trumpet on HARTFORD that extended from the top of the mizzenmast to the wheel so that his pilot could be positioned above the fog and smoke of battle and easily call directions to the steersman.

The ships cautiously inched forward around 9:30 p.m. after Farragut's signal to advance. For the next two hours the four main ships crept quietly closer to Port Hudson while their accompanying mortar boats under remained below to give support. The Confederates refrained from firing until almost 11:30 p.m.
      HARTFORD—lashed to ALBATROSS — first braved the enemy's guns, steaming as close as possible to the bluffs to get below the line of fire. She had already maneuvered past the first guns before a warning rocket alerted the defenders. Quickly, huge bonfires flared on the opposite shore to outline the Union ships for Confederate guns. Reflectors, placed behind the fires for further illumination, blinded HARTFORD's pilot. Southern shells rained down while Northern missiles soared to the bluffs, creating an incredible amount of smoke and noise.
      HARTFORD's pilot could barely make out the shoreline and the flagship ran aground where the river bent westward. "But," Farragut reported, "backing the ALBATROSS, and going ahead strong on this ship, we at length headed her up the river."
      By 12:15 a.m., HARTFORD and ALBATROSS had safely navigated the bend and stood beyond gun range. Confederate gunners had misjudged the distance and failed to depress their weapons sufficiently, a mistake they would not repeat with the following three ships.
      Commenting on ALBATROSS' role, Farragut stated, "...although it was not in Lt. Comdr. Hart's power to do much, still he did all that was in his power, and whenever he could bring a gun to bear, ahead or astern, on the port side, it was instantly fired." ALBATROSS suffered little material damage and only casualty in the action was Charles Raick the captain's steward, who according to the ship's deck log "...was killed while nobly fighting his gun."

Next to test the enemy guns, RICHMOND—lashed to GENESEE—sustained numerous hits. A 6-inch solid rifle shot shattered the starboard safety-valve chamber and also damaged the port safety-valve, the fireroom immediately became filled with steam to place it in an extremely critical condition. Acting courageously in this crisis, Firemen John Hickman, Matthew McClelland and Joseph E. Valentine persisted in penetrating the steam-filled room in order to haul the hot fires of the furnaces and continued this action until the gravity of the situation had been lessened.
      Smoke thrown up by the ships joined that created by enemy shelling to obscure movement on the river—Pilots strained to see through the heavy mist but saw little more than occasional shore lights or gun flashes. In the confusion, true navigation proved impossible. Consequently, the river's 5-knot current speedily turned the ship about without the crew realizing it. When gunners saw gun flashes on the left, they fired at what they thought were enemy positions. Instead, they had fired on MISSISSIPPI. RICHMOND headed back downstream with a loss of 18 killed and wounded. GENESEE fought on, but a 6-inch shot pierced her hull and detonated a 10-inch shell which, in turn, wrecked havoc below; and the murderous fire shredded her rigging forcing her to turn back also.
      Commander Alden reported; "The turning point (in the river) was gained, but I soon found, even with the aid of the GENESEE, which vessel was lashed alongside, that we could make no headway against the strong current of the river, and suffering much from a galling cross fire of the enemy's batteries, I was compelled though most reluctantly, to turn back, and by the aid of the GENESEE soon anchored out of the range of their guns."

MONONGAHELA—lashed to KINEO— followed RICHMOND, but an enemy shot smashed into KINEO, knocking out her rudder and causing both ships to run aground under Port Hudson's lower batteries where they remained for nearly half an hour, taking severe punishment. At least eight shots passed entirely through the ship. The bridge was shot from underneath Capt. James P. McKinstry, wounding him and killing three others. With KINEO's aid, MONONGAHELA was refloated, and she attempted to resume her course upriver. "We were nearly by the principal battery," wrote Lt. Nathaniel W. Thomas, the executive officer, "when the crank pin of the forward engine was reported heated, and the engine stopped...." The ship became unmanageable and drifted downstream, where she anchored out of range of the Confederate guns.

MISSISSIPPI, steamed after MONONGAHELA and, as she skirted her grounded compatriot, her gunners tried to reply to Confederate shells but found the task difficult. About 12:15 a.m., MISSISSIPPI approached the final battery at the entrance to the sharp westward turn. Capt. Melancton Smith saw RICHMOND coming downstream but, because of the heavy smoke of the battle, was unable to sight MONONGAHELA. Thinking that she had steamed ahead to close the gap caused by RICHMOND's leaving the formation, he ordered his ship "go ahead fast." Turning left, MISSISSIPPI churned into a muddy bank and slowly began tilting to port. Her crew pulled all portside guns toward the middle for balance, while their starboard guns returned Confederate fire. For 35 minutes, part of the crew battled a blaze aboard while the ship's engines tried unsuccessfully to free MISSISSIPPI from the mudbank.
      MISSISSIPPI was abandoned about 1 a.m. and burned throughout the night until, near dawn, she had lightened sufficiently to free herself and began floating downstream. When she grounded on Profit's Island, MISSISSIPPI's overheated port guns blew in a final frenzy.

Although his fleet had suffered terribly, Admiral Farragut had succeeded in getting two of his ships past the Confederate stronghold. Thereafter HARTFORD and ALBATROSS would patroll the river between Port Hudson and Vicksburg denying the Confederacy desperately needed supplies from the west.

March 19, 1863
Since the Confederates still controlled the river at Port Hudson, it became necessary for Admiral Farragut to have his ships re-supplied from above Vicksburg. On their first trip north for this purpose, ALBATROSS and HARTFORD are engaged by reinforced Confederate shore batteries at Grand Gulf, MS.

March 23, 1863
The problem of getting supplies past the Vicksburg batteries was solved by simply placing loaded barges in the current and allowing them to drift past the Confederate guns. Admiral Farragut had also requested that Admiral Porter dispatch two rams and an ironclad from his fleet to help patrol the river below Vicksburg. While ALBATROSS and HARTFORD waited for reinforcements and supplies they engaged the shore batteries at Warrenton, MS, just below Vicksburg.

March 25, 1863
Although the requested ironclad was not available, Admiral Porter did dispatch two of the Army Rams to join Admiral Farragut. One of these, the LANCASTER, was sunk and her sister-ship, SWITZERLAND was damaged during the passage of the Vicksburg shore batteries. ALBATROSS and HARTFORD accompanied the damaged ram while her crew undertook to repair the damages.

March 28, 1863
Major General Nathanial P. Banks, USA, who had replaced General Butler at New Orleans, believed that, by taking control of the Atchafalaya River and Bayou Teche in western Louisiana, he could bypass the Confederate batteries at Port Hudson, establish communications with the Union fleet at Vicksburg and control the mouth of the Red River. To accomplish this goal, General Banks dispatched General Godfrey Weitzel, USA, to reduce the Confederate fortifications at Bisland on Bayou Tech and Fort Bisland on the Atchafalaya River.
      As DIANA steamed up Bayou Teche on a reconnaissance mission from Grand Lake, a wide and still stretch of the Atchafalaya River in Louisiana, she was attacked by Confederate artillery and sharpshooters. As she attempted to back downstream, she was unable to fend off her attackers as the Southern sharpshooters decimated the crews of her five guns which were all mounted on her exposed bows. Meanwhile the murderous fire of the artillery cut away her steering and bridge. Shortly thereafter, she surrendered and was taken under tow by ERA #2 and HART which had just arrived on the scene.
      Stationed at Brashear City, the crew of CALHOUN heard the sound of fighting and immediately steamed off to investigate. Unfortunately the would-be rescuer ran aground for several hours and was, therefore, too late to save DIANA from her captors.
[Newspaper Account]

March 31, 1863
ALBATROSS and HARTFORD, accompanied by the now-repaired SWITZERLAND, again engage shore batteries at Grand Gulf on their way to the mouth of the Red River.

April 9, 1863
Admiral Farragut's three-ship flotilla gave chase to two steamers outside the mouth of the Red River and captured J. D. CLARKE. The next day the captors removed the steamer's machinery and scuttled her.

On this same day, units of the Western Louisiana Expedition, Under Major General Banks, crossed Berwick Bay near Brashear City, LA. Due to the shortage of transports, the crossing requires most of the day even with the help of the gunboats CLIFTON and CALHOUN.

April 13, 1863
After a two-day artillery battle with the Confederate guns at Bisland which was supported by the ex-Union gunboat DIANA, the Union forces, reinforced by ARIZONA, ESTRELLA and CALHOUN, finally force the abandonment of the Southern battery. DIANA retired up Bayou Teche where her progress was halted at a bridge near Franklin, LA. There the Confederates burned her and HART to prevent capture.

April 16, 1863
ARIZONA, ESTRELLA and CALHOUN discovered and attacked the former Federal ram QUEEN OF THE WEST on Grand Lake. A shell from CALHOUN set fire to cotton which her Southern captors had loaded on the former ram and blew up her boiler. The burning cotton-clad drifted downstream for several hours before running aground and exploding.
[Newspaper Account]

April 22, 1863
ARIZONA, ESTRELLA, CLIFTON and CALHOUN working with four companies of Union infantry, finally captured Fort Bisland at Butte a la Rose [See Newspaper Account]. This victory opened for Union ships a passage-through Atchafalaya Bay and the River of the same name-connecting the gulf with the Red and Mississippi Rivers. Thus, Farraguts vessels could bypass Port Hudson with supplies, messages, and ships. After this path was clear, ARIZONA entered the Red River and descended it to its mouth where she rejoined HARTFORD.

May 3, 1863
Leading the Western Louisiana Expedition up the Red river, ARIZONA, ESTRELLA and ALBATROSS—which had replaced CALHOUN—discovered GRAND DUKE and J. A. COTTON (originally "Mary T.") taking on guns, ordnance stores, and other public property prior to the evacuation of Fort De Russy, LA, a partly iron-plated earthen fortification designed to resist the fire of Union ironclads. J. A. COTTON, protecting her sister ships, fought a sharp but inconclusive action with ALBATROSS, during which J. A. COTTON suffered minor damage. In the engagement GRAND DUKE was set on fire five times, while ALBATROSS was badly shot up and suffered heavy casualties when a 32-pounder ball came through the wheelhouse carrying away the wheel and wheel ropes. Quartermaster James Brown stood on the gun platform of the quarterdeck, exposing himself to close fire from musketry ashore, managing the relieving tackles by hand. In the hour-long engagement, each of the principal contestants sustained damage, but the Union ships withdrew, allowing the Confederates to remove their materiel further up the Red River and to delay the Federal advance by obstructing the river.
      As they descended, the Northern vessels met a large force led by Rear Admiral Porter who ordered ARIZONA and ESTRELLA to join him in a much more powerful drive up the Red River. He allowed the damaged ALBATROSS to return to the Mississippi to report to Adm. Farragut.

May 7, 1863
Admiral Porter's fleet is joined with the infantry units of the Western Louisiana Expedition at Alexandria, LA. This would mark the limit of the Union advance as the main body of General Banks' forces turn eastward to invest Port Hudson while the balance returns down the Red River escorted by Admiral Porter's gunboats.
      Virtually on the heels of the departing Union forces, the Confederates re-occupy nearly all of the territory lost to advancing expedition.

May 9, 1863
Awaiting the arrival of infantry units under General Banks, HARTFORD stationed herself above Port Hudson while ESSEX, GENESSEE, MONONGAHELA and RICHMOND were positioned below the southern batteries of the Confederate stronghold. Meanwhile ships of the Mortar Fleet, including HENRY JANES, gathered at Baton Rouge and WINONA patrolled the river between that city and Donaldsonville, LA.
[Newspaper Account]

May 15, 1863
Land forces under General U. S. Grant begin the siege of Vicksburg while Naval forces begin a continuous shelling of the city.

May 22, 1863
General Banks' five Union divisions arrive to surround and isolate Port Hudson.

May 26, 1863
Union Army forces commanded by Colonel Prince seized STARLIGHT in Thompson's Creek, north of Port Hudson.

May 27, 1863
After the failure of an all-out assault on the fortifications at Port Hudson, Major General Banks resolved to reduce the Confederate bastion by siege. The Union gunboats began a lackluster bombardment of the Confederate positions which would continue for the next 42 days. A Confederate Colonel, in his field report of June 16, described the Union efforts as follows; "The fleet last night shelled us at its accustomed time and in about the usual quantity."

June 9, 1863
To support the Army's artillery, four 9-inch smooth-bore Dahlgren guns were removed from RICHMOND and, with great difficulty (each gun weighing over 9,000 pounds), moved into position to fire on the Confederate defenses. Manned by their Navy crews, these huge guns could hurl a 70-pound shell a distance of 3,450 yards. Corporal James Hosmer of the 52nd Mass., described the firing of these weapons; "Clash go my teeth together, my bones almost rattle. Then follows the hungry, ravenous shriek of the shell, which breaks forth like a horrible bird of prey to devour the whole world."

June 13, 1863
Becoming impatient with the pace of the seige, General Banks orders a second assault Port Hudson. Although better organized than the attack of May 27, this attempt on the Confederate stronghold would also result in failure.

June 28, 1863
In an effort to relieve some of the pressure on Port Hudson, the Confederates launched an attack on Fort Butler at Donaldsonville, LA, near the mouth of Bayou LaFourche. In describing the action in which the Union garrison of 160 men staunchly defended their position, reporter Richard Irwin wrote; "The fight at the stockade was desperate in the extreme; those [Confederates] who succeeded in surmounting or turning the barrier found an impassable obstacle in the ditch, whose existence, strange to say, they had not even suspected....The Texans assailed the defenders with brickbats; these the Maine men threw back upon the heads of the Texans; on both sides numbers were thus injured."
      The battle continued until the union gunboats arrived and gunfire from PRINCESS ROYAL drove off the attackers.

July 4, 1863
Vicksburg surrenders to combined Army/Navy assault.

July 7, 1863
Southern forces opened fire on MONONGAHELA with artillery and musketry when she was about 10 miles below Donaldsonville, LA. A shell smashed through the bulwarks on her port quarter wounding Commander Abner Read in his abdomen and his right knee. He was taken to a hospital at Baton Rouge where he died on the evening of the next day.

July 9, 1863
Port Hudson surrendered to joint Army/Navy siege—removing the last Southern hold on the river and finally cutting the Confederacy in two.

July 28, 1863
In a reconnaisance mission up the Bayou Teche CLIFTON suprised a party of Confederates who had nearly raised the sunken HART, but sank her again on reappearance of the Federal gunboats.

August 1, 1863
Rear Admiral Porter relieved Rear Admiral Farragut of command of the lower half of the Mississippi and assumed responsibility for the River from New Orleans to the headwaters.

With the Mississippi River now firmly under Union control, Admiral Farragut was free to turn his attention to Mobile and the Gulf of Mexico.