CSS/USS Diana-- Part 2: Captured at New Orleans, Then Recaptured in Louisiana

The Diana, a sidewheel merchant steamer was captured by the U.S. Navy  17 April 1862 at New Orleans, Louisiana, and turned over  on 7 May  to General Benjamin Butler, the Union Army commander in New Orleans.  She was used by the Union Army as a transport until November 1862, then returned to naval service, Acting Master Weeks in command.

During her short career in the U.S. Navy, the Diana assisted in the capture of two vessels with sugar and molasses on board on 6 December 1862.  Later, it took part in an attack on Confederate forces  in Bayou Teche, Louisiana, and the destruction of  the CSS J.A. Cotton 14 January 1863.

For the remainder of her Union service,the Diana assisted other Union gunboats and Army detachments in Berwick Bay, Louisiana,, until 28 March 1863, when she was recaptured by the Confederates while on a reconnaissance of Grand Lake and Atchafalaya River in Louisiana.

I know that it was at Galveston when it helped John N. Maffitt and his CSS Owl escape.

--Old B-Runner

CSS J.A. Cotton-- Part 2: Some More Information About the Ship

**  It was named for its owner, John A. Cotton, a Unionist before the war but he put the ship at the disposal of the state of Louisiana.

**  It was a large ship and Confederates had some flexibility in armament and hardening machinery spaces (protecting them).  It's beam was on the downside of the ledger.

**  There was a lot of mention of the Cotton continually backing up during fighting.  Was this because it was too difficult to turn?

**  The ship's commander, Fuller, said that the reason for the backing was that that the partial iron rail cladding was forward of the wheels and it was cotton clad aft of them.  He kept his protection where it would do the best good.

**  The ship's gun crews, however, were left out on the open forward deck and suffered heavy losses.  They had a small rifled gun on the deck above, but likewise, it wasn't inside the casemate.

--Old B-Runner

CSS J.A. Cotton-- Part 1: Some Confusion As to the Name

This is the Confederate ship that fought the USS Calhoun, Diana, Estrella and Kinsman several times over a three month period 1862-1863.

There seems to be a lot of confusion as to particulars concerning the ship.

From the Civil War Navies Message Board Forum.

There was quite a long thread of discussion about the ship.  Here are some of the comments:

**  The CSS Cotten, Cotton, was sunk Janaury 14, 1863 on the Teche Bayou in Louisiana.

**  Most often referred to as the J.A. Cottom.

**  Possibly the mine that exploded and damaged the USS Kinsman was an electric one.  It shivered the ship's stern.  CS Torpedo operators did it.  The ORN reports that a set of wires and an operators' pit were found shortly after the incident.

--Old B-R'er

Action at Bayou Teche-- Part 5: Aftermath and the CSS J.A. Cotton

The Union eventually the area and Federal troops collected horses, mules and sugar in large quantities.

Planters began taking the Oath of Allegiance and were ten allowed to make contracts with freed saves to harvest their sugar crop.

The CSS J.A.Cotton, sometimes referred to as an ironclad ship because of the small amount of railroad rails tacked on its sides.  It is also called the CSS Cotton.

It was burned and sunk on January 10, 1863.

--Old B-Runner

Action At Bayou Teche-- Part 4: Second Battle

The second engagement at Bayou Teche took place 14 January 1863.  It involved the same ships as the first fight.

Union General Godfrey Weitzel (later at Fort Fisher) learned that the J.A. Cotton was planning an attack on his force at Bertwick Bay.  Once again, the four ships from the previous fight steamed into the bayou followed by Union transports.  They passed the debris that obstructed the bayou and engaged the Cotton.  The Kinsman hit a mine and unshipped its anchor.

The CSS J.A. Cotton was badly damaged and set on fire by her crew to prevent capture.

The Union was unable to hold Bayou Teche and eventually had to invade it again in 1863 and 1864.

--Old B-Runner

November 3, 1862: Action At Bayou Teche-- Part 3: Between the CSS Cotton and Union Ships in Louisiana.

Actually, there had been an engagement a month earlier between the same ships.

NOVEMBER 3RD, 1862:  The CSS Cotton, Lt. Edward W. Fuller, and shore batteries engaged the USS Calhoun, Kinsman, Estrella and Diana in Berwick Bay, Louisiana.  In this close and spirited action against heavy odds, Captain Fuller caused considerable damage to the Union squadron until exhaustion of cartridges forced the Cotton to retire.

Captain Fuller reported that the legs of the men's pants were cut off to use as improvised cartridge bags to fire parting shots as he withdrew.

--Old B-Runner

Action at Bayou Teche-- Part 2: Still Fighting

Over the next two days, two other fights took place between the Union ships and the CSS J.A. Cotton and each time the Cotton won.

That night, the Union ships captured the A.B. Seger, a small Confederate Navy steamer used as a dispatch boat.  Five days later, the USS Kinsman and the A.B. Seger captured and burned the steamers J.P. Smith and Osprey in Bayou Cheval.

--Old B-R'er

Action at Bayou Teche, Louisiana, November 3-5, 1862-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Bayou Teche is a 125-mile long waterway in Louisiana which was originally the course of the Mississippi River.

During the Civil War, two gunboat engagements took place here.  I wrote about one on Wednesday regarding the USS Diana.

The first occurred November 3-5, 1862, when the USS Kinsman, Calhoun, Estrella and Diana, mounting 24 cannons, passed obstructions placed by Confederate General Alfred Mouton and engaged the CSS J.A. Cotton near Cornay's Bridge for one and a half hours.

The CSS Cotton, a wooden steamboat modified with a casemate of timber and cotton bales and a small amount of railroad iron along its sides was struck several times, but managed to escape.

--Old B-Runner

USS Diana-- Part 2: Recaptured By Confederates

The USS Diana had a short career.  It captured two vessels on December 6, 1862, near Vicksburg as I wrote about on Wednesday.  It also took part in the attack on Bayou Teche, Louisiana, that resulted in the destruction of the CSS J.A, Cotton on 14 January 1863.

Next, it served with Navy and Army detachments in Berwick Bay, Louisiana, until 23 March 1863, when it was recaptured while on a reconnaissance mission to Grand Lake and Atchafalaya River in Louisiana.

A book has been written about this ship:  "Gunboat Named Diana, A, And Other Exciting Stories of Civil War Battles Which raged in the Bayou Country of Louisiana" by Raphael Morris.

--Old B-R'er

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: Oct. 31st to November 3rd, 1862-- Pooks and Improvising the Cartridge Bags

OCTOBER 31ST TO NOVEMBER 7TH

Naval expedition of USS Hetzel, Commodore Perry, Hunchback, Valley City and Army gunboat Vidette, opened fire on Confederate encampment at Plymouth, NC, forcing them to retreat.  Then the expedition was ordered to meet Gen. John G. Foster at Williamston on Nov. 3rd to support Army assault on Hamilton, NC.  Nov. 4th, Confederates evacuated Hamilton and troops took possession.

Then, an Army attack on Tarboro failed.  The Union fleet transported 300 sick and wounded soldiers back to Williamston.

NOVEMBER 2ND

Rear Admiral Porter writes Fox seeking authority over the Ellett rams in western waters.  They were needed badly because the "The old 'Pook Turtles' are only fit for fighting--they can not get along against the current without a tow."  Fox agreed and took it to Lincoln who also agreed and on November 7th, all war vessels on the Mississippi transferred to the Navy.  This provided much greater efficiency for operations there.

CSS Alabama captured and burned whaling ship Levi Starbuck near Bermuda.


NOVEMBER 3RD

The CSS Cotton and shore batteries engaged4 Union ships at Berwick Bay, Louisiana and caused considerable damage to them until the Cotton ran out of cartridge bags forced the Confederate ship to withdraw.  The Cotton's commander reported that the final shots were fired using the legs of his men's pants as improvised cartridge bags.

Commander Henry Thatcher wrote Fox about the cruise of the historic USS Constellation in the Mediterranean Sea and requested more ships at that station to make other countries think the US Navy is stronger and can spare ships from the blockade.  Also, he wanted them in case a Confederate cruiser slipped into that body of water.

I kind of doubt that he got more ships.

The USS Penobscot, Cmdr. Clitz, destroyed b-r British ship Pathfinder after forcing it aground off Shallotte Inlet, NC.

Old B-Runner