FEBRUARY 3-8TH
The USS Tyler, patrolling the Yazoo River, seized 113 bale of cotton. This was keeping with Porter's directive to seize all Confederate cotton for the dual-purpose of preventing it from being run through the blockade and to protect the vessels of his Mississippi Squadron. They were placed around the boilers of the wooden ships.
FEBRUARY 4TH
Rear Admiral Porter wrote that one problem with his ironclads was the absence of all means to make signals (meaning masts I suppose). He wanted to use Army code (hand-held) and proposed having some of his officers trained in how to use it.
FEBRUARY 6TH
Porter appointed Lt. Cmdr. W. Smith to command the Yazoo Pass expedition.
Lt. Cmdr. Thomas O. Selfridge of the USS Conestoga, reported that reconnaissance showed the Confederates had no heavy guns in the river up to Little Rock and since the capture of Arkansas Post, people in that city feared Union gunboats would show up anytime.
The Confederate ram Pontchartrain didn't have steam yet and no guns either. He wants an immediate attack on Little Rock before the ram can be finished. (And he hadn't sunk the Conestoga yet.)
Old B-Runner
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