The Civil War Navies Message Board

Re: Confederate Naval Post At Little Rock!

I agree, And I think to be open minded that without Hindman's report being 100% verifiable, that Doyle's statement, that there is no evidence that the Ponchartrain was ever on the White River, is also equally correct.

In fact given her depth of draft it does seem highly unlikely that she was. Since, appearently she could only navigate the White River in the deeper pools, or during high water periods, as she could only do on the Arkansas River also. She was clearly not adaptable to the shallow waters of either river. And was better suited to the Mississippi River. Both the Arkansas and White rivers were subject to sudden rises and fall in water levels in the 1860's. So it would have been highly dangerous for a boat with as deep a draft as the Ponchartrain, and as heavily loaded as she evidently was from the evacuation of Fort Randolph, Tn to proceed up the White River. In fact the Ponchartrain's mission to Arkansas may well have been to carry those supplies from Fort Randolph to Little Rock in order to assist in the rebuilding and reorganization of the Confederate Army there in early June 1862, which was in desprate need of supplies of any kind.

The Confederate Military situation in Arkansas at that time was so desperate that the Governor of the State, Henry M Rector, abandoned Little Rock and moved the State's government to Hot Springs, Arkansas, in preparation to flee to Texas, due to the Union Army's threat on the upper White River. And threatened to seceed from the Confederacy, if Arkansas did not recieve assistance from the Confederate Government.

This mission may have been the reason for both she and the CSS Maurepas not being with the Confederate Mississippi River Squadron and to miss being involved in the Naval Battle of Memphis. We all assume that the Ponchartrain and Maurepas entered the Arkansas and White River systems to excape the Union Fleet in the Mississippi River after the defeat of the Confederate Fleet at Memphis in June of 1862. But In fact both of these boats were evidently absent from the Confederate fleet prior to the Battle of Memphis.

So the CSS Ponchartrain's presence at Little Rock may have well been as much "political", as it ever was of military necessarity. "Gunboat Diplomacy" Confederate Style if you want to see it that way. Whether we every find any "Hard Evidence" of such things is highly doubtful. Clearly such a mission would have been a highly secret affair, because of the highly charged political nature and danger to the stability of the Confederacy which was involved. This could also explain the reason for the "disappearence" of the Ponchartrain and Maurepas from records until the Battle of St Charles.

Now, Don't get me wrong. I am saying that given the Military and political situation, this is what COULD HAVE BEEN happening. As you said there are a lot of missing records which could answer so many questions. But, there does seem to be much more to the story of the CSS Ponchatrain, and of CSN Lieutenant/CSA Colonel Dunnington, than would appear to a casual observer's examination. And I think that's what Doyle was trying to point out.

Messages In This Thread

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