Shortly after the Louisiana was launched, the Union fleet under Flag Officer (later Rear Admiral) David Farragut moved into the lower Mississippi River, threatening Forts Jackson and St. Philip. The forts commanders urgently requested help from the Confederate fleet at New Orleans and, even though she was not yet finished, the Louisiana was commissioned
The Louisiana's engines had been installed, but the screw propellers hadn't and it was also found that the engines were too weak so the ship had to be towed down the river with workmen still aboard. There, she was tied to to the river bank a short distance above Fort St. Philip.
The ship's next problems came from the gun carriages being found to be either too high or too low and had to be modified. Gun crews were unable to practice firing because of all the workmen tools on the deck, plus the crews were incomplete owing to the fast commissioning. Soldiers had to be transferred from the forts.
After nearly a week of bombardment from the Union mortar ships, Farragut determined it to be ineffective and he moved his fleet past the forts on the night of April 24, 1862.
--Old B-Runner
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