USS Diana

[NC Squadron]

The Lytle-Holdcamper List has her as being destroyed on Bayou Teche on 4/12/1863. Artillery Captain Oliver Semmes was in command at that time. Major Edwin McGowan and Lt. Dubecq were the other officers. All three were captured and sent to the Customs House Prison in New Orleans. They were among the 97 prisoners aboard the transport Maple Leaf that rose up against the guard and captured the ship. 70 of the 97 officers left the ship off False Cape (in modern Virginia Beach) and made their way back to Richmond after two weeks of dodging Federal cavalry and infantry patrols in Currituck and Camden Counties in northeastern North Carolina. Semmes was elected leader once they left the ship.

If you are interested in reading more on the Diana, Dr. Horace J. Beach produced a research piece that can be considered an addendum to Morris Raphael's "A Gunboat Named Diana." Beach's work is posted online. He goes into detail of her scuttling to block the channel at its narrowest point.

 

[NC Squadron]

There were two other ships named Diana among the Union transports on the Mississippi and Red Rivers that were still in operation in 1864. Perhaps the soldier in question was aboard one of them.

 

[georgew]

There were two other ships named Diana among the Union transports on the Mississippi and Red Rivers that were still in operation in 1864. Perhaps the soldier in question was aboard one of them.

You will want to add another Diana. This steamer was used in Texas waters, particularly in Galveston Bay. She was involved in saving at least two of the runners that ran aground at Galveston. In her last iteration there are references that her bow had been hardened ram style.

 

[John Hartwell]

A surviving fragment from a diary of artillery Capt. Oliver P. Semmes (son of Raphael Semmes), relates something of his brief command of CSS Diana on Bayou Teche, just prior to the Battle of Bisland, La.:

1863: "Apr. 12. Was ordered to take command of the gunboat Diana. Opened fire on the enemy at 7 o'cl'k with the two 52 p'd'rs. Fired about half an hour, when a battery of 50 p'd Parrott guns opened on my boat at long range. I immediately directed all my guns on this battery. After firing some 20 minutes a 50 p'd Parrott shell struck the iron plating of the boat, penetrated, exploding in the engine room, killing an ***'t Engineer and one soldier, mortally wounding two, severely wounding five others, and damaging the starboard engine to such an extent that the boat became unmanageable. I was forced to retire that I might repair damages. I did so slowly, firing my Parrott gun rapidly. Whilst retiring the boat was struck by three other shells, one of which shattered both legs of my first Lieut. and knocked a negro overboard. The fire of the enemy's batteries was directed at my boat for some 40 minutes — in fact, until I turned the point and got out of range — when an artillery duel commenced along the whole line. I never witnessed a more terrific cannonade. The enemy had some 35 pieces and we x x x x x x x [X's are from the transcript]. This lasted with slight intermissions throughout the entire day. Whilst the workmen were repairing, I went to the lines and once more paid my respects to the advancing enemy. Their infantry made a charge on the extreme left, but were repulsed. They made charge after charge, yet gained no material advantage. The sun set amid the deafening roar and incessant flashing of over 60 pieces of artillery and innumerable small arms. About 10 o'clock in the evening, a council of war was called, which was composed of Maj. Gen. Taylor, Brig. Gens. Sibley and Mouton, with myself — I having been paid the high compliment of a summons to attend. The decision x x x x x x x x [X's are from the transcript].

"April 13, /63. Our baggage wagons took up their line of march (to the rear) at 12:30 a.m., immediately followed by our whole force. The enemy, having landed at Charington in our rear, I was to remain at Camp Bisland until all the forces had withdrawn from the breastworks. At 6 o'cl'k, I fired one shot, (the last fire on the Battlefield of the Teche) and moved my boat up the Bayou, slowly, to Franklin. Immediately after arriving at this place, I was sent above to engage the enemy which were in our rear. I saw a mass of their forces in some houses at the distance of some 900 yards. I opened on them with 5 guns, and after firing some 6 or 8 shots from each gun, succeeded in driving them back in fine style. The enemy's infantry advanced to the same position several times, but were unable to stand the shower of shell with which my men welcomed them. At 11 o'cl'k, I was informed by Maj. Bush that our army had effected its escape with the exception of one Reg't of Cavalry, and instructed me to fire till the last moment, then burn the boat and be captured with my crew, as we had no horses to effect an escape. We fired the last gun that was discharged in Franklin, and fired the boat. I was on the stern at the moment of firing, watching the enemy, so that the fire had made so much progress when I discovered it, that I was obliged to jump overboard from the hurricane deck, and swim ashore. We attempted to escape, but were picked up by the enemy's cavalry 'ere we had gone 500 yards, I was carried to Gen. Weitzel's H'd Q'rs and reported, where I met several officers who had been at West Point with me. (During the fight I fired over 500 shells, and many of them with signal effect, lost 4 men killed, 2 mortally wounded, and 6 others severely.)….. … I was confined in the Court House, and was treated with as much attention as could be expected under the circumstances."
[https://31massinf.wordpress.com/narratives-letters-diaries/oliver-p-semmes-confederate-officer/]

 

[CT Ertz]

My attempt at designing a model of this ship, however I got some of the details wrong.... Sadly.

 

[USS ALASKA]

THE LAST MOMENTS OF THE GUNBOAT DIANA, AND HER ALMOST FINAL RESTING PLACE
Horace J. Beach, Ph.D.
Clayton, California
2010
© Copyright by Horace J. Beach, Ph.D., 2010 All Rights Reserved

Students of the American Civil War in Louisiana know the story of the Diana: how in 1863, the gunboat was recaptured by Confederate Colonel Grey and his 28th Louisiana Infantry and subsequently became the anchor of the Confederate forces both at the conflict at Bisland, and finally at Irish Bend. Eighteen days after her recapture, the Diana would meet a fiery end on April 14. While some of the Diana's actions are described in the Official Record, the story of the Diana has tended toward conflicting speculation surrounding her last moments while covering Confederate General Taylor's retreating army. The present article is an attempt to clarify the events surrounding her extinction, and may also be thought of as an addendum to Morris Raphael's groundbreaking work, A Gunboat Named Diana.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f5795e657b11511380d8bfd/t/6081d33f31193a402f7a5cc8/1619120962068/Gunboat+Diana+%28Article%29.pdf

Because of copyright, please use above link.

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[rebelatsea]

My attempt at designing a model of this ship, however I got some of the details wrong.... Sadly.View attachment 158536

well if you don't try you never learn (that could have been a CSN motto !)