A study of the deck logs, not only of the vessel concerned, but of other vessels operating in tandem with each other, can usually reveal a lot about the activities on board. No doubt a study of the deck log of the CRICKET, and perhaps any other diaries (other than Porter's account)of personnel aboard, would yield more data on these extra personnel (contrabands, civilians, etc.).
In my perusal of the copies of the few deck logs and diaries and letters that I have, I have come across some rather unusual and sometimes amusing entries. I know of one dispatch, for instance, in a volume of the Naval Official Records, in which the commanding officer of a vessel actually refers to a particular sailor as being "worse than worthless."