The Civil War Navies Message Board

Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!

Little Rock was the last Confederate installation held on either the Arkansas or White River systems. All other installations had been abandoned by the Confederates in order to concentrate at Little Rock. If it was burnt by the Confederates it was burnt at Little Rock. When the Confederates abandoned Little Rock they retreated toward Benton, and Arkandelphia, Arkansas and abandoned the entire Arkansas River to the Federals. They were forced to retreat almost 100 miles from the Arkansas R. because of drought and no food supplies until they reached the Red River valley.

In my studies of the Confederate defence of the Lower Arkansas and White River valleys from May of 1862 until August 1863, I can find no creditable documentation that indicates that the CSS Ponchartrain was ever in the White River at any time during that period. I believe that all references to the Ponchartrain being on the White River are in error and based upon faulty assumptions. Made because The CSS Maurepas was on the White River, and that Lt. Dunnington, the Ponchartrain commander, was in command at St Charles, and that two 32 lbs rifle guns, which had been carried by the Ponchartrain from Fort Randolph, Tennessee above Memphis, and had been dismounted from the Ponchartrain for the defences at St. Charles, in June of 1862. Everyone assumes that these 32 lbs rifles were disembarked directly from the Ponchartrain. However, I now believe that the CSS Ponchartrain upon leaving the Mississippi River proceeded directly to Little Rock where all of her guns were dismounted and shipped by rail to DeVall's Bluff.

If the Ponchartrain was on the White River in June 1862 it failed to engage in the battle of St. Charles, June 17th 1862. A battle where it's heavy guns could have made a difference if the boat had been on the White River. That would have been a serious tactical mistake for it not to have been engaged, had it been there. Concidering a cross fire between her guns and the shore mounted guns would have placed the USS Mound City and other Union Gunboats and Transports in serious danger. And certainly it wasn't on the White River in January 1863, when the Union Gunboat Baron De Kalb steamed to DeVall's Bluff, which was the limits of heavy steamboat navigation in the White River.

In April of 1863, commander Thomas Selfridge commented that Ponchartrain, At Little Rock, was not manned and was having to be pumped extensively to keep her afloat. In August of 1863 in a communication between Admiral David Porter and the Commander of the Arkansas River blockadeing squadron Admiral Porter commented that he would welcome the Ponchartrain "crossing the bar" (between Pine Bluff and Arkansas Post) so that the Mississippi squadron could finally get at her.

This however was impossible because the water levels of the Lower Arkansas river were too low for the Ponchartrains deep draft. And it may well be that with the poor maintaince and low water levels, which permitted Union Cavalry to ford the Arkansas River below Little Rock on September 9th, 1863 and force the evacuation of the Confederates, there is a strong likelyhood that the Ponchartrain was stuck in the mud of the River Bottom unable to move if she wanted to.

In any case there is reportedly an account of the burning of the Confederate "fleet" at Little Rock in either the Southern Historical Papers or maybe the Little Rock Arkansas True Democrat newspaper. However, I am too far from the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock, to be able to research the exact reference. That is the reason that I suggested posting a question on the Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board to enlist the help of the excellant historians on that board.

As far as an exact location, the steamboat landing at Little Rock was on the south bank of the Arkansas River just upstream from where the present day Interstate I-30 Arkansas River Bridge crosses the river. According to the article, I mention above, there were supposed to have been 7 boats burned at that location, two of which were the Ponchartrain and the CSS Bracelet.

Again there is no doubt in my mind about this information. The only question that I am a little bit uncertain about is the actual date, September 10th, or October 9th. Given the conditions I can not imagine the Ponchartrain being anywhere else other than Little Rock and I can't imagine anyone moving her to the White River. There would have been no purpose in that even if they could have done it.

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Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
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Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
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Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
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Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!
CSS Ponchartrain, I knew I would find it!
Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!