The Louisiana in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Deloges Bluff
In Response To: Deloges Bluff ()

If by "Judging from the number of hits in a short period of time that was received on there vessels, and the firing rate of an artillery piece of that time," you are referring to Porter's claim that the Cricket received 18 hits from the first volley, be advised that that particular incident only happened in the fertile imagination of David Porter.

The following is the original entry from the Cricket logbook, April 26, 1864, 4-6 PM:

"5:15 Arrived at the Mouth of Cane river where we [were] engaged by Artillery and Infantry and the boat consid [erably tho]ugh not seriously damaged. Had six (6) killed and five (5) w [ounded.] Fort Hindman, Juliet and Transports Champions Nos. 3 + 5 [lying] above the battery."

As can be seen from this entry, there was some cannonfire received by the passing boats, but nothing particularly outrageous. Now, examine this next passage. It is the entry that was taped over the original logbook entry:

"5.15 Arrived at the Mouth of Cane river where we sight of Rebel artillery, opened fire on them, which they answered with 18 pieces of cannon (24 Pdrs) and 3000 sharpshooters. We then ran past the battery and were struck with cannon while doing so, killing 8 and wounding 7 seriously. We disabled their pieces and information has since been received from a captured soldier who was there, that we inflicted heavy damages in killed and wounded the sharpshooters, as nearly all of our shrapnel bursted in their midst. Transports Champion No3 and No5 being disabled, The Gunboats Fort Hindman & “Juliet” had to go above the battery out of range with them."

Either Porter had the logbook entry changed to match the heroics he invented for his memoirs, or one of his sycophants did it for him. There are very few absolutes in life, but here is one of them: Absolutely nothing that David Porter says should ever be taken as historically accurate.

As you are no doubt aware, the Confederates had very few casualties (one killed, Capt. Cornay himself) in this engagement.

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