Dear List Members;
Thought this would be of interest (Powder Boats):
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O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXIII/2 [S# 35]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Kentucky, Middle And East Tennessee, North Alabama, And Southwest Virginia, From January 21 To August 10, 1863.
UNION CORRESPONDENCE. ETC.--#23
CAIRO, ILL., July 25, 1863.
Hon. GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy :
Captain [Matthew R.] Kintzing, commanding United States marines at this place, has handed me a telegram from Colonel [John] Harris, commandant of Marine Corps, directing him to send to New York, by order of the Navy Department, Lieutenant [Richard S.] Collum, 1 sergeant, 2 corporals, and 45 privates. Twelve privates are now detailed to go to the fleet by order of Commodore Porter, which will leave us but 5 privates for guard duty here. The condition of affairs in this vicinity renders it necessary that a strict guard should be kept night and day over the public property. We have no less than seven marine posts, in addition to which the powder-boats and public property at Mound City are guarded by volunteers from the army. The commanding general here informs me that he has but 406 men for the protection of this place and Mound City. The commanding general cannot furnish me with more men without detriment to his branch of the service. No trains leave here before 1 p.m. to-morrow, before which time I respect fully request an answer.
A.M. PENNOCK,
Fleet Captain and Commander-of Station.
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Navy O.R.-- Series 1--Volume 23 [S# 23]
Naval Forces On Western Waters.
From April 12 To December 31, 1862. pp. 451-499
Report of Acting Rear-Admiral Porter, U. S. Navy, regarding storage place for powder.
U. S. MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON,
Cairo, November 8, 1862.
SIR: I have secured a place for powder in St. Louis, and have sent 800 barrels to that place and loaded shell. This relieves us very much. Mr. Badger succeeded in hiring a fireproof building at $200 for the first month and $150 after that. This will hold all the powder we have out here, and I have no difficulty now in taking care of what we have in Cairo. I am transferring it all as fast as I can to the steam powder boats Judge Torrence and Great Western, and although we are still liable to be blown up at any moment, we will lose but little powder if an accident should happen.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
DAVID D. PORTER,
Acting Rear-Admiral, Commanding Mississippi Squadron.
Captain J. A. DAHLGREN, U. S. Navy,
Chief of Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department,
Washington, D. C.
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Navy O.R.-- Series 1--Volume 24 [S# 24]
Naval Forces On Western Waters.
From January 1 To May 17, 1863. pp. 305-351
U. S. MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, February 8, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to make the following semimonthly report of the present position of the squadron:
The Black Hawk, Benton, Louisville, Baron De Kalb, Mound City, Pittsburg, Carondelet, and Indianola in the Yazoo River.
The Judge Torrence and Great Western, powder boats, at the mouth of Yazoo.
Cincinnati and Marmora, guard vessels, off the channel leading to Vicksburg.
Red Rover, hospital ship, at the mouth of the Yazoo. Blacksmith vessel Sampson and ram Switzerland in the Yazoo.
The General Lyon and New National, dispatch boats, discharging stores in the Yazoo.
The Rattler, Chillicothe, Signal, Romeo, and Forest Rose, under command of Lieutenant-Commander Watson Smith, endeavoring to get through the Yazoo Pass, near
Helena, into the rivers Tallahatchie and Yalobusha.
The Linden is detailed to assist the army in cutting the canal into Lake Providence and Tensas River.
The ram General Bragg is at the mouth of Arkansas River; the Conestoga at the mouth of White River, blockading and cruising up and down these rivers.
The ram Lancaster is stationed at or near Napoleon, below Arkansas River.
The ram Monarch is stationed at a place called Greenville, to keep down the guerrillas in that neighborhood.
The Tyler is cruising up and down the river between the Arkansas and Columbia, all of which places, although now quiet, have proved troublesome to our transports.
The Cricket is at Memphis guarding the navy yard and ready to convoy down the storeship Sovereign, which vessel is undergoing repairs at that place.
The Juliet has just gone to Cairo to take up 200 contrabands who sought protection.
The Lexington, Springfield, Silver Lake, Robb, Fairplay, St. Clair, Brilliant, and General Pillow are up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, guarding army transports. The Little Rebel is doing guardboat duty at Cairo.
The New Era is guarding Island No. 10 and New Madrid.
The Eastport has broken down again and returned to Cairo for repairs or to be laid up.
The Lafayette is fitting out at Cairo, and is expected here daily. The towboat Price is also fitting out at Cairo.
The Curlew, Prairie Bird, and Petrel are at Cairo waiting for crews.
The towboat Brown is bringing down coal.
The ram Queen of the West is cruising between Port Hudson and Vicksburg; also a small rebel steamer, the De Soto, captured by the army and turned over to the navy; she has been covered with iron and cotton bales.
The rams Lioness and Horner are bringing down provisions and stores.
The Glide is in Cairo undergoing repairs.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
DAVID D. PORTER,
Acting Rear-Admiral, Commanding Mississippi Squadron.
Hon. GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.
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Navy O.R.-- Series I--Volume 25 [S# 25]
Naval Forces On Western Waters.
From May 18, 1863, To February 29, 1864. pp. 452-507
GENERAL ORDER,
No. 105.
U. S. MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON,
Flagship Black Hawk, October 10, 1863.
[excerpt]
The Lexington and Tyler will place sentinels on the little boat St. Mary and the tugs adjacent, where sentinels will be relieved through the night; they are to have loaded muskets and to carry out the above orders.
The gunboats guarding the powder boats must be close enough to see any rowboat approaching at night and to fire on them at once if they do not pull for the gunboat when hailed. A strict watch must be kept on board the gunboat, and the officers must be on the alert at night.
One of the tugs must keep underway along the levee, to arrest any boat they may see moving about in the river.
It behooves every officer and man to be watchful at this time and see that no attempt to burn the property under their charge shall succeed. If persons are incautious and reckless enough to approach our sentries without notifying them who and what they are, they must suffer the penalty for so doing. It is no time for trifling; people of proper character will not be prowling about at night.
Officers returning at night to the wharf boat and their vessels are particularly cautioned to answer promptly a sentry's hail and tell who they are.
Officers are instructed to arrest any suspicious person they may see in the daytime prowling about the levee where public property is kept.
DAVID D. PORTER,
Rear-Admiral, Commanding Mississippi Squadron.
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Navy O.R.-- Series I--Volume 26 [S# 26]
Naval Forces On Western Waters.
From March 1 To December 31, 1864. pp. 300-352
List of boats in port, Mound City, Ill., May 26, 1864.
Sovereign, used as boarding house; W. H. Brown, on the ways; Cincinnati, on the ways; Tuscumbia, repairing; Juliet, repairing, officers and crew transferred; Cricket, for repairs; Lavinia Logan, for Admiral Farragut; Reindeer (No. 57), fitting out; Vindicator, fitting out; Benefit, repairing; Pansy, on the ways, repairing; Siren, receiving ship; Fairy, on duty; General Pillow, guarding powder boats; Moose, Reindeer, just arrived to take ordnance and ordnance stores to new boats on the upper Tennessee.
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M. E. Wolf
Bringing the