Porter's Situation on Red River Getting Worse

APRIL 14TH, 1864: With water level still not rising, Porter's situation on the Red River was continuing to worsen. He wrote Welles: "I found the fleet at Grand Ecore somewhat in an unpleasant situation, two of them being above the bar, and not likely to get away again this season unless there is a rise of a foot.... //// If nature does not change her laws, there will no doubt be a rise of water, but there was one year--1846-- when there was no rise in the Red River, and it may happen again. The rebels are cutting off the supply [of water] by diverting different sources of water into other channels, all of which would have been stopped had our Army arrived as far as Shreveport." //// He also praised the efforts of his pilots. //// --Old B-Runner