George

This report is referring to the Confederates capture of the "Blue Wing" at Cypress Bend, Arkansas. Confederates from Arkansas Post were supposedly responcible. But the federals suspected that the "Blue Wing's" Captain was a southern sympathizer who ran the "Blue Wing" aground on purpose.

The reduction Sherman is talking about being necessary was the reduction of Fort Hindman at Arkansas because it was becoming an increasing threat to the Union supply fleet on the Mississippi, as pointed out by the capture of the Blue Wing and it two barges of coal.

The "Blue Wing" was definately still afloat in April of 1863. There is some discussion of this in the Naval OR's and it's being used along with the "Tom Sugg" to carry supplies up the White River to Marmaduke's campaign in Missouri, and in Marmadukes Order Books.

What Mark C. is wanting to know is what happened to the "Blue Wing" after April 1863?

In my opinion the Confederate steamboat fleet by this time on the Arkansas and White rivers was getting very small indeed. And we know from letters of Union Soldier as they occupied Little Rock that several boats including the "Ponchartrain" were burned by the Confederate as they abandoned Little Rock.

Without any information to prove or disprove the fate of the "Blue Wing", her shallow draft made her an ideal vessel to navigate the White and lower Arkansas River where she would have been protect from Union gunboats because of the bar at the mouth of the Arkansas River.

As the Union Army advance on DeVall's Bluff after the Battle of Helena in July 1863, I would think that the "Blue Wing" would have been withdrawn from the White River as it was no longer of any use there, back to the Arkansas River for protection and to transport men, equipment and supplies of Frost's brigade from Pine Bluff to Little Rock in late July and August 1863.