Shirk's report, like that of Davis, which I mentioned in my previous posting, was also an assumption, as he begins the last sentence of that stated paragraph with the words, "We also hear...," indicating an unconfirmed report. I suppose, without the proper official documentation, especially documentation from the Confederate Navy commanders and subordinates, it would be almost difficult to confirm completely whether the PONTCHARTRAIN had definitely been on the White River or not. Perhaps someone, sometime, will come across such documentation, or even better, the deck log of the vessel itself. Pity so much has been lost on the CSN.
I can understand the Union reports being in error about the CSS PONTCHARTRAIN being on the White River, but Hindman's report, and especially the passage, "I had there in rifle pits 50 infantry, under Captain Williams, of my staff, together with two 8-inch guns, manned from our gunboats MAUREPAS and PONTCHARTRAIN, under Captains Fry and Dunnington," [ORN 1, 23, 197] would seem to suggest that, instead of sending a force from the Army (from Little Rock), he chose to send a force from the Navy, because, perhaps, they were close at hand? After all sailors, on land, are mostly like fish without water.
This is quite an interesting series of dispatches, and I will continue to peruse them further, especially the Naval related items.