I've noted from your past posts that you seem to have a lot of knowledge about Civil War-era steamboats and hope you might be able to shed a little light on some family research I'm doing. I have a great-great grandfather who was in Missouri's 45th Regiment Infantry Volunteers. Most of the regiment's companies seemed to have been involved in the defense of Jefferson City during Price's Raid in the fall of 1864. Shortly after Price's Army left the Jefferson City area, the 45th was rushed to Tennessee in anticipation of its need in the Franklin-Nashville campaign. According to information I found in the Official Records, the 45th, on Dec. 16, departed up the Ohio River from Cairo for Paducah on the steamer "Des Moines." The same steamer subsequently took them to Nashville via the Cumberland River. My question is: would such a steamer have the capacity to move a regiment that had 700-plus men (not to mention their equipment)? The OR isn't very explicit on this point. With my limited knowledge about all this, it seems to me unlikely that one steamboat of that era could transport 700-800 men.

Also, I would be interested in any general info you might have about the "Des Moines," as well as about the "Robert Moore," which later transported the regiment from Paducah to Johnsonville, Tenn., via the Tennessee River (where my great-great grandfather apparently witnessed the explosion of the steamboat "Eclipse.") Finally, I'd be interested in any information about the "Taconey," which took the regiment back to St. Louis in the latter part of February, 1865.

Again, any information about these vessels and their carrying capacity would be greatly appreciated.

George Williams