June 20th. Slight firing early this morning in rear of Port Hudson; at five A. M. the steamer Bee arrived from above Bayou Sara, having on board the pilot of gunboat Lafayette, who has come down as bearer of despatches to Commodore Palmer. At four twenty P. M., heavy artillery firing going on in rear [...]
June 19th. Commences with calm and pleasant weather. At nine A. M., inspected crew at quarters. Mr. Watson and Lieut. Eaton of U. S. A. signal Corps, went overland to lower fleet. From eight P. M. to midnight, occasional firing in rear of Port Hudson.
June 18th. Bombardment of Port Hudson by our army and navy going on at an early hour this morning; at three forty-five P. M., the steamer Arizona came down the river. Nothing more worthy of mention occurred during the day.
June 17th. Early this morning, mortars of lower fleet firing at intervals. At ten A. M. gunboat Sachem came down the river with despatches, and anchored ahead of the Albatross, off Falls river; burned several buildings on left bank of river; artillery and musketry firing in rear of Port Hudson, which continued until twelve o’clock; [...]
June 16. Commences with pleasant weather, and the bombardment of Port Hudson still going on—enemy not deigning to make any reply; at ten A. M. received some fresh beef on board from shore, for ship’s company. Gunboat Estrella, and steamers Louisiana Belle and Bee, got under way and started up the river—destination, Bayou Sara. Saw [...]
June 15th. At 1 o’clock A. M. the mortars of the army and navy firing into Port Hudson; at two forty-five A. M. the mortars of lower fleet ceased bombardment. From this time up to four A. M. brisk firing of musketry—the rebels replying with two guns; at two thirty P. M. got up steam; [...]
June 14th. At ten A. M. inspected crew at quarters, and performed Divine service. Slight artillery and musketry-firing in the rear of Port Hudson. Slight northerly breezes. Bombardment of Port Hudson, by the army and navy, kept up throughout this day, with slight intermission.
June 13th. A fire was seen early this morning down by the lower fleet, also at the same time, heavy bombardment of Port Hudson going on, by our army and naval forces. Between the hours of four and eight A. M., heavy firing of musketry, artillery, &c., at Port Hudson; at nine A. M. inspected [...]
June 12th. At one thirty A. M., steamer Laurel Hill came down from Natchez, with despatches. Occasional artillery firing, also navy and army mortars bombarding the batteries of Port Hudson—rebels reply with a large rifle; at eight A. M., heavy musketry and artillery firing in rear of Port Hudson. Steamer Bee, despatch boat, came down [...]
June 11th. Commenced with pleasant weather, wind from the S. W.; at three thirty A. NI., a squall of wind came up, we having only one anchor down, the starboard one, thought proper to let the good old ship ride the gale out with two, so let go the port anchor; we had no sooner [...]
June 10th. Commenced with pleasant but warm weather. Thin clothing is the order of the day. At a little before daylight, the mortar vessels of lower fleet, engaging the rebel batteries; at nine A. M., inspected crew at quarters; at about this hour, great guns were fired in and in the rear of Port Hudson. [...]
June 9th. Commences with calm and warm weather. Mortar vessels bombarding batteries at Port Hudson from one thirty to four A. M. Between the hours of ten and twelve o’clock M., a cavalry detachment made a reconnoissance to left bank of land. The bombardment of Port Hudson by our army and navy continued, with slight [...]
June 8th. At one thirty A. M., mortar vessels below opened fire upon the batteries; at nine A. M., inspected crew at quarters. Artillery firing heard in rear of Port Hudson. From eight P. M. to twelve midnight, firing of great guns heard, at Port Hudson.
June 7th. Slight firing from pieces of artillery, heard in rear of Port Hudson, early this morning; at ten A. M. ship and crew inspected by Commodore; at ten thirty, called all hands to muster, performed Divine service, and mustered crew around capstan. Nothing more, worthy of being recorded, occurred during this day. I forgot [...]
June 6th. Early this morning the shell from the mortar vessels was seen exploding over the rebel batteries; at ten A. M. our Assistant Surgeon, S. D. Kennedy, being detached, left the ship for New Orleans, for passage North. Artillery firing was heard in rear of Port Hudson during the remainder of this day.
June 5th. Slight firing heard at Port Hudson, from twelve, midnight, until two o’clock A. M.; at four A. M. firing again heard at Port Hudson. Nothing of importance occurred during the remainder of this day, although our army in the rear of and fleet below Port Hudson, engaged with the enemy. Having the range [...]
June 4th. Commences with pleasant and calm weather. Slight firing heard, early this morning, at Port Hudson. Nothing worthy of mention occurred during the remainder of this day.
June 3. During the early part of this day, or even the whole morning, all was quiet at Port Hudson and on the Mississippi. During early part of the afternoon the steamer General Sterling Price arrived from Vicksburg; fighting still going on in that quarter; at five thirty the steamer Price and Gen. Banks went [...]
June 2d. Early this morning vessels of lower fleet fired a few shots; later, during this forenoon, sent seven rebel prisoners ashore to be taken across the point of land opposite Port Hudson to lower fleet; at nine o’clock heavy firing in rear of Port Hudson by our army; during the evening the upper batteries [...]
June 1st. Commences calm and pleasant; firing of musketry this morning heard at Port Hudson; in fact no day has passed since the investment of this rebel stronghold and siege of same commenced, but what more or less bombarding of it has been going on by our army and naval forces, and skirmishing with their [...]
May 31st. At three A. M., mortar vessels below still firing upon the rebel batteries at Port Hudson; at 10 o’clock called all hands to muster on the quarter-deck, and performed Divine service; nothing of importance occurred during the remainder of this day. The weather continues pleasant, and occasional guns were heard at Port Hudson [...]
May 30th. Commences with pleasant weather. This morning, early, sent the body of Michael Walsh, marine, on shore for burial; he died at ten o’clock in the evening of yesterday, after a brief illness. During the afternoon of this day the steamer General Price, of upper fleet, came down from Vicksburg, bringing a mail for [...]
May 29th. The cessation of hostilities on both sides seems to have, in part, taken place, and our forecastle is not crowded with officers and blue jackets, like on the two previous days, straining their eyes almost out of their sockets in their anxiety to see where our shells and those of our armies fell [...]
May 28th. At three o’clock this morning hostilities commenced again between the two contending armies, with all its former ferocity, and the loud booming of cannon was in great contrast and bold relief to the low but quick mutterings of numerous volleys of musketry. The rumor of yesterday in regard to several thousand of our [...]
May 27th. At daylight this morning it was apparent to all who heard the heavy firing of artillery, and rapid discharges of musketry, that an attack had been made by our forces upon the enemy’s works. The firing continued without intermission during the whole forenoon of this day. During the afternoon, occasionally heavy firing of [...]