New Gulf Commander

OCTOBER 12TH, 1864:  Rear Admiral Cornelius K. Stribling relieved Captain Greene as commander of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron.  Captain Greene had assumed temporary command upon the departure of Rear Admiral Bailey in August 1864.

ALSO:  USS Chocura, Lt. Commander Richard W. Meade, Jr., captured blockade-running British schooner Louisa off Aransas Pass, Texas, wit cargo including iron and tools.

--Old B-Runner

Yellow Fever in Key West

JULY 27, 1864:  Rear Admiral Bailey wrote Secretary Welles from Key West describing the severe epidemic of yellow fever among the officers and men of his squadron:  "My worst fears have been more than realized, and for more than two months the disease has held course without abatement and now as virulent as at any time....

"The mortality on the island I am told has reached as high as 12 to 15 in a day.... The squadron is much crippled."

Yellow Fever Was a Problem on Both Sides.  --Old B-R'er

Quite the Accomplishment-- Part 2: In Porter's Words

Porter later recalled this thrilling moment: "Thirty thousand voices rose in one  deafening cheer, and universal joy seemed to pervade the face of every man present."  But, all of his ships were not yet safe as the larger warships remained above the  falls.  "The accident to the dam," the admiral recalled, "instead of disheartening Colonel Bailey, only induced him to renew his exertions, after he had seen the success of getting four vessels through.."

Bailey and his men, despite the fact that eight days of their endeavors had been swept away, turned immediately to work on a new dam.

I doubt that the Confederates were too happy about the dam's success.

--Old B-R'er

Ingenuous Plan to Save Porter's Fleet

APRIL 29TH, 1864:  Union Army and Navy commanders accept a daring plan proposed by Union Lt.Col. Joseph Bailey to raise the water level of the Red River to enable the vessels to pass the treacherous rapids.  He proposed  the construction of a large dam of logs and debris across the river to back up the water level to a minimum height of  seven feet.

The dam would be broken and the ships would ride the crest of the rushing water to safety.  Work on the dam began on April 30th.

Porter wasn't sure about it, but any effort to save the ships was worth the attempt.  He wrote: "The proposition looked like madness, and the best engineers ridiculed it, but Colonel Bailey was so sanguine of success that I requested General Banks to have it done... two or three regiments of Maine men were set to work felling trees...every man seemed to be working with a vigor seldom seen equalled....These falls are about a mile in length, filled with rugged rocks, over which at the present stage of water it seemed to be impossible to make a channel."

Doubtful Porter, But Anything Is Worth a Shot At This Point.  --Old B-R'er