July 16th. Commenced with pleasant and calm weather, as usual. Crew at quarters at nine A. M., and loosed sail to day. Took the fish off the mizzen-mast, and got topsail-yard ready for sending aloft; at eleven forty-five, furled sail, and during the remainder of this day, employed in repairing rigging, and fishing mizzen-mast.
July 15th. At seven forty-five A. M., the U. S. mail steamship Columbia arrived from New York, bringing mails and passengers. This afternoon, broke down the cotton bales around poop, and sent them ashore (sixteen bales), since we needed them for a barricade no longer, our fighting days being over; also employed coaling ship, repairing [...]
July 14th. Commences with clear and pleasant weather. Engaged during the whole 24 hours, coaling ship; at one P. M., gave liberty to 2nd Division, twenty-four hours; at two, the steamer Zephyr came down the river; at five the Albatross went down the river.
July 13th. At one thirty A. M., the U. S. mail steamer Creole came up the river; at seven o’clock, U. S. mail steamer George Cromwell, arrived; at ten thirty, a heavy rain shower came up from the southward and westward which lasted about an hour. Carpenters were engaged repairing ship’s side. The boatswain and [...]
July 12th. At anchor off New Orleans. Between the hours of four and eight o’clock this morning, the gunboat Winona arrived from up the river; at ten o’clock inspected crew at quarters, also performed Divine service. This afternoon, commenced giving liberty to our men, about fifty at a time.
July 11th. Commences with light winds from the westward; at four forty-five A. M. got under way and steamed down the river; at nine ten went to general quarters; at nine thirty anchored off Donaldsonville; at ten fifty went to general quarters once more, and prepared for action; fired the forward Parrott rifle at the [...]
July 10th. At six o’clock this morning we hove up anchor, got under way, and steamed up to the batteries at Port Hudson, the Albatross in company with us. Came to anchor off same; hove up anchor and shifted our berth on account of eddies; some of our officers left the ship to visit the [...]
July 9th. At one A. M., received despatches from General Banks, and half an hour afterwards ordered the transports to get under way and report at Mount Pleasant Landing. Colonel Smith came on board, a bearer of despatches form General Banks, with orders to report for passage to Vicksburg. At three thirty A. M. the [...]
July 8th. At eight o’clock in the morning an orderly from General Banks’s headquarters came on board, bringing despatches for the Commodore. Very soon after he had left the ship we started fires and got up steam, as did also all the gunboats and army transports around us. Between the hours of four and six [...]
July 7th. The miniature army steamer Bee (General Banks’s despatch boat,) came down from Bayou Sara, at 12 o’clock midnight, bringing the cheering news of the fall of Vicksburg, which she had previously received from the steamer Gen. Sterling Price, just arrived from Vicksburg, and now lying aground off Point Coupée, opposite Bayou Sara. General [...]
July 6th. At nine in the morning inspected crew at quarters. Ship’s company engaged in repairing fore and main standing-rigging, which has been shot away in action. Between the hours of four and six in the afternoon, U. S. naval batteries were engaged with the enemy at Port Hudson. From eight o’clock till twelve midnight, [...]
July 5th. At ten A. M., ship and crew inspected by the Commodore. Performed Divine service on the quarter-deck. Occasional firing at Port Hudson all this day.
July 4th. This is the eighty-seventh anniversary of our national independence—a day dear to every true American heart on account of the event it commemorates; but since no salute has been fired by us in honor of the day, and Jack looks rather crest-fallen in the phiz on that account, still we have far more [...]
July 3d. At seven A. M., sent some ammunition ashore to our naval battery; at ten thirty, Mr. Jas. B. Kimball, chief-engineer, left the ship, being detached and ordered North; at three P. M., steamer Bee came down from Bayou Sara and communicated with us. Firing in rear of Port Hudson still going on.
July 2. Commences with pleasant but very warm weather; at nine A. M., inspected crew at quarters; from eleven A. M., until three P. M. firing of heavy guns heard in the rear of Port Hudson; the rebel water batteries firing at lower fleet.
July 1st. Commences with clear and pleasant weather; at nine A. M., inspected crew at quarters; at ten thirty steamer Estrella came down the river and communicated with us; our naval battery below has been firing steadily all day, but the rebels did not reply.
June 30th. At eight in the morning the steamer St. Maurice came down the river with a load of contrabands,—men, women and children,—which she got off of some plantation near Red river. Brisk artillery and musketry firing heard in rear of Port Hudson all this day. At three thirty in the afternoon received a mail [...]
June 28th. Commences with pleasant weather. Occasional firing at Port Hudson by the army mortars and great guns. At nine fifty A. M., inspected crew at quarters, and performed Divine service. Firing still going on at Port Hudson. This afternoon despatches were sent by Paymaster Meredith to Gen. Banks’s headquarters. At one P. M. an [...]
June 27th. At seven thirty A. M., steamer Bee came down from Bayou Sara. Cannonading going on at Port Hudson all this day.
June 26th. This morning received on board two deserters from Port Hudson. They made their escape by swimming Thompson’s creek, and report the rebel garrison living on half rations, and in expectancy of soon having to eat mule beef. If such be the case, Port Hudson must soon be surrendered to our forces. Many are [...]
June 25th. Early this morning, before daylight, slight firing of musketry and artillery commenced, and continued during nearly the whole day, at Port Hudson.
June 24th. At seven thirty A. M. the steamer Bee came down the river with despatches. All quiet at Port Hudson.
June 23d. The forenoon of this day pleasant, but afternoon and evening squally and rainy. Firing at intervals heard at Port Hudson during the whole day.
June 22d. Firing of musketry and artillery the whole forenoon of this day, in rear of Port Hudson. At nine P. M. steamer Laurel Hill arrived from Natchez.
June 21st. Commences with pleasant weather. From twelve to four A. M., heavy firing going on at Port Hudson, mostly of musketry. At ten A. M., inspected crew at quarters, and performed Divine service upon the quarter-deck. Between the hours of eight P. M. and twelve midnight, heard reports of great guns in rear of [...]