1863 — April 14, Queen of the West magazine explosion, fire from shelling, Grand Lake, LA-26

–26 Bowman. “Civil War Steamboat Models by John Bowman USS Queen of the West Ram.”
–26 Gaines, W. Craig. Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks. LSU Press, 2008, p. 72.
–26 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]… 1999, p. 382.

Narrative Information

Bowman: “….the Queen ran aground near Gordons Landing, Louisiana where she was captured to become a Confederate ram. On the Atchafalaya River during the Battle of Grand Lake, March 14 [sic., was Apr 14], 1863 the Queen was struck by a percussion shell which, set afire cotton bales piled aboard her for protection. In the fire her magazines exploded with the loss of twenty-six hands.”

Gaines: “USS Queen of the West (CSS Queen of the West). Union. Side-wheel cottonclad ram, 212 or 406 tons…Complement of 120, with one 30-pounder, one 20-pounder, and three 12-pounder howitzers…Purchased by the Union army in 1862. Was captured by Confederates at Fort De Russy, La., on the Red River on February 14, 1863….Chased by the USS Clifton, USS Estrella, and USS Calhoun on the Atchafalaya River. Disabled on Grand Lake by shells from the USS Estrella, USS Calhoun, and USS Arizona on April 14, 1863, with 90 of the Confederate crew rescued and 26 killed. Drifted two to three miles down the lake, grounded, and its magazine blew up….”

US Navy: “Queen of the West. (SwRam: t. 212 or 406; 1. 180’; b. 37’6”; dph. 8’; cpl. 120; a. 1 30-pdr., 1 20-pdr., 3 12-pdr. how.)

“Queen of the West, Cincinnati-built in 1854, was purchased and converted into a ram by the United States Army in 1862. She was one of the vessels of Ellet’s Ram Fleet operating in conjunction with the U.S. Navy. The Confederates sank her off Fort De Russy, La., on the Red River, on 14 February 1863, and later raised her.

“Queen of the West, cottonclad with iron protection around her machinery, operated thereafter under the Confederate Army. In conjunction with another Confederate ram, Webb, she forced the surrender of USS Indianola off the Red River on 24 February 1863. On 14 April 1863 she was attacked on the Atchafalaya River, La., by the Union vessels Estrella, Calhoun, and Arizona. A shell from Calhoun set fire to Queen of the West’s cotton and her burning wreck drifted down the river for several hours before she grounded and exploded.” (U.S. Dept. of the Navy, Civil War Chronology, 1861-1865 (Vol. 6). Washington, 1971, p. 289.)

Way: Queen of the West. Sidewheel wood-hull packet, built in Cincinnati in 1854. At 406 tons, measuring 181 x 36 x 6. “….Was run aground (accidentally?) and captured – to become a Confederate gunboat, this on Feb 19, 1863. During the Battle of Grand Lake, Mar. 14, 1863 [sic., Apr 14], she was struck with a percussion shell which set afire cotton bales piled aboard for protection, set the bales afire, and she burned and her magazine exploded, with loss of 26 hands.” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]… 1999, p. 382.)

Newspaper

March 25: “By telegraph, Wednesday afternoon [25th]. We have the following:

“Dispatches have been received from Admiral Farragut, which put a new face upon the rebel reports of a victory at Port Hudson. Seven of Farragut’s ironclads have run the batteries at that place. Four of them are guarding the mouth of Red River; the other three have arrived below Vicksburg, and communicated with Admiral Porter. They recaptured the Indianola, without resistance….The Queen of the West was seen lying in a bayou, on the Mississippi side, but out of reach of the boats. She will eventually be captured or destroyed. Important news may soon be expected from down the river.” (White Cloud Kansas Chief, KS. “Latest. – By telegraph.” 3-26-1863, p. 2, col. 5.)

March 26: “Cincinnati, March 26….The Commercial’s Memphis dispatch says that Farragut’s vessels had discovered the Indianola at Hard Times’ Bend, and recaptured her without resistance. The Confederates had been at work on her, and she was nearly ready for service. The Queen of The West was up Black river out of the reach of the Federal vessels….” (Alexandria Gazette, VA. “Postscript. Latest From The West.” 3-26-1863, p. 2, col. 3.)

April 3: “….The rebels have a strong fortification at Bute La Rose, and it is reported that the ram
Queen of the West has been down to that point.” (New York Times. “Department of the Gulf.” 4-3-1863, p. 8, col. 2.)

April 12-16: “The Era No. 7 left Washington, La., on Wednesday morning last [15th], and reports that on Sunday [12th] the enemy was repulsed three different times, our boys driving them back about five miles. They were landing troops at Charenton, twenty-four miles above our forces. Gen. Taylor sends 1,500 men to prevent their landing. Our gunboats and three transports left Bute a la Rose on Monday evening.

“We have since learned by a transport which arrived at Fort deRussy, on Thursday night [16th], that our gunboat, the Queen of the West, was burned in the lake, and it is supposed that all on board perished. The enemy is also said to have captured one of our transports.” (The Pelican, Marksville, LA. “Late from Berwick’s Bay!”

April 14: “Ponchatoula, April 17.—The New Orleans Era of the 14th has the following: The captured ram Queen of the West was destroyed this morning at 10 o’clock, by our gunboats, on Grand Lake, and her crew captured….” (Memphis Daily Appeal, TN. “Latest By Telegraph…Reports of Federal Successes.” 4-18-1863, p. 1, col. 5.)

Sources

Alexandria Gazette, VA. “Postscript. Latest From The West.” 3-26-1863, p. 2, col. 3. Accessed 10-19-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alexandria-gazette-mar-26-1863-p-2/

Bowman, John. “Civil War Steamboat Models by John Bowman USS Queen of the West Ram.” 12-4-2016. Accessed 10-19-2020 at: https://steamboat-birthplace-wheeling.com/index.php/2016/12/04/civil-war-steamboat-models-by-john-bowman-3/

Gaines, W. Craig. Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2008.

Memphis Daily Appeal, TN. “Latest By Telegraph…Reports of Federal Successes.” 4-18-1863, p. 1, c. 5. Accessed 10-20-2020: https://newspaperarchive.com/memphis-daily-appeal-apr-18-1863-p-3/

New York Times. “Department of the Gulf.” 4-3-1863, p. 8, col. 2. Accessed 10-20-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-times-apr-03-1863-p-8/

United States Department of the Navy, Civil War Chronology, 1861-1865 (Vol. 6). Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1971. Accessed 10-192020 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015011708644&view=1up&seq=315

Way, Frederick Jr. (Author and Compiler), Joseph W. Rutter (contributor). Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats of the Mississippi River System Since the Advent of Photography in Mid-Continent America (Revised). Athens OH: Ohio University Press, 1999.

White Cloud Kansas Chief, KS. “Latest. – By telegraph.” 3-26-1863, p. 2, col. 5. Accessed 10-19-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/white-cloud-kansas-chief-mar-26-1863-p-2/

1863 — April 14, Queen of the West magazine explosion, fire from shelling, Grand Lake, LA-26

–26 Bowman. “Civil War Steamboat Models by John Bowman USS Queen of the West Ram.”
–26 Gaines, W. Craig. Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks. LSU Press, 2008, p. 72.
–26 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]… 1999, p. 382.

Narrative Information

Bowman: “….the Queen ran aground near Gordons Landing, Louisiana where she was captured to become a Confederate ram. On the Atchafalaya River during the Battle of Grand Lake, March 14 [sic., was Apr 14], 1863 the Queen was struck by a percussion shell which, set afire cotton bales piled aboard her for protection. In the fire her magazines exploded with the loss of twenty-six hands.”

Gaines: “USS Queen of the West (CSS Queen of the West). Union. Side-wheel cottonclad ram, 212 or 406 tons…Complement of 120, with one 30-pounder, one 20-pounder, and three 12-pounder howitzers…Purchased by the Union army in 1862. Was captured by Confederates at Fort De Russy, La., on the Red River on February 14, 1863….Chased by the USS Clifton, USS Estrella, and USS Calhoun on the Atchafalaya River. Disabled on Grand Lake by shells from the USS Estrella, USS Calhoun, and USS Arizona on April 14, 1863, with 90 of the Confederate crew rescued and 26 killed. Drifted two to three miles down the lake, grounded, and its magazine blew up….”

US Navy: “Queen of the West. (SwRam: t. 212 or 406; 1. 180’; b. 37’6”; dph. 8’; cpl. 120; a. 1 30-pdr., 1 20-pdr., 3 12-pdr. how.)

“Queen of the West, Cincinnati-built in 1854, was purchased and converted into a ram by the United States Army in 1862. She was one of the vessels of Ellet’s Ram Fleet operating in conjunction with the U.S. Navy. The Confederates sank her off Fort De Russy, La., on the Red River, on 14 February 1863, and later raised her.

“Queen of the West, cottonclad with iron protection around her machinery, operated thereafter under the Confederate Army. In conjunction with another Confederate ram, Webb, she forced the surrender of USS Indianola off the Red River on 24 February 1863. On 14 April 1863 she was attacked on the Atchafalaya River, La., by the Union vessels Estrella, Calhoun, and Arizona. A shell from Calhoun set fire to Queen of the West’s cotton and her burning wreck drifted down the river for several hours before she grounded and exploded.” (U.S. Dept. of the Navy, Civil War Chronology, 1861-1865 (Vol. 6). Washington, 1971, p. 289.)

Way: Queen of the West. Sidewheel wood-hull packet, built in Cincinnati in 1854. At 406 tons, measuring 181 x 36 x 6. “….Was run aground (accidentally?) and captured – to become a Confederate gunboat, this on Feb 19, 1863. During the Battle of Grand Lake, Mar. 14, 1863 [sic., Apr 14], she was struck with a percussion shell which set afire cotton bales piled aboard for protection, set the bales afire, and she burned and her magazine exploded, with loss of 26 hands.” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]… 1999, p. 382.)

Newspaper

March 25: “By telegraph, Wednesday afternoon [25th]. We have the following:

“Dispatches have been received from Admiral Farragut, which put a new face upon the rebel reports of a victory at Port Hudson. Seven of Farragut’s ironclads have run the batteries at that place. Four of them are guarding the mouth of Red River; the other three have arrived below Vicksburg, and communicated with Admiral Porter. They recaptured the Indianola, without resistance….The Queen of the West was seen lying in a bayou, on the Mississippi side, but out of reach of the boats. She will eventually be captured or destroyed. Important news may soon be expected from down the river.” (White Cloud Kansas Chief, KS. “Latest. – By telegraph.” 3-26-1863, p. 2, col. 5.)

March 26: “Cincinnati, March 26….The Commercial’s Memphis dispatch says that Farragut’s vessels had discovered the Indianola at Hard Times’ Bend, and recaptured her without resistance. The Confederates had been at work on her, and she was nearly ready for service. The Queen of The West was up Black river out of the reach of the Federal vessels….” (Alexandria Gazette, VA. “Postscript. Latest From The West.” 3-26-1863, p. 2, col. 3.)

April 3: “….The rebels have a strong fortification at Bute La Rose, and it is reported that the ram
Queen of the West has been down to that point.” (New York Times. “Department of the Gulf.” 4-3-1863, p. 8, col. 2.)

April 12-16: “The Era No. 7 left Washington, La., on Wednesday morning last [15th], and reports that on Sunday [12th] the enemy was repulsed three different times, our boys driving them back about five miles. They were landing troops at Charenton, twenty-four miles above our forces. Gen. Taylor sends 1,500 men to prevent their landing. Our gunboats and three transports left Bute a la Rose on Monday evening.

“We have since learned by a transport which arrived at Fort deRussy, on Thursday night [16th], that our gunboat, the Queen of the West, was burned in the lake, and it is supposed that all on board perished. The enemy is also said to have captured one of our transports.” (The Pelican, Marksville, LA. “Late from Berwick’s Bay!”

April 14: “Ponchatoula, April 17.—The New Orleans Era of the 14th has the following: The captured ram Queen of the West was destroyed this morning at 10 o’clock, by our gunboats, on Grand Lake, and her crew captured….” (Memphis Daily Appeal, TN. “Latest By Telegraph…Reports of Federal Successes.” 4-18-1863, p. 1, col. 5.)

Sources

Alexandria Gazette, VA. “Postscript. Latest From The West.” 3-26-1863, p. 2, col. 3. Accessed 10-19-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alexandria-gazette-mar-26-1863-p-2/

Bowman, John. “Civil War Steamboat Models by John Bowman USS Queen of the West Ram.” 12-4-2016. Accessed 10-19-2020 at: https://steamboat-birthplace-wheeling.com/index.php/2016/12/04/civil-war-steamboat-models-by-john-bowman-3/

Gaines, W. Craig. Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2008.

Memphis Daily Appeal, TN. “Latest By Telegraph…Reports of Federal Successes.” 4-18-1863, p. 1, c. 5. Accessed 10-20-2020: https://newspaperarchive.com/memphis-daily-appeal-apr-18-1863-p-3/

New York Times. “Department of the Gulf.” 4-3-1863, p. 8, col. 2. Accessed 10-20-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-times-apr-03-1863-p-8/

United States Department of the Navy, Civil War Chronology, 1861-1865 (Vol. 6). Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1971. Accessed 10-192020 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015011708644&view=1up&seq=315

Way, Frederick Jr. (Author and Compiler), Joseph W. Rutter (contributor). Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats of the Mississippi River System Since the Advent of Photography in Mid-Continent America (Revised). Athens OH: Ohio University Press, 1999.

White Cloud Kansas Chief, KS. “Latest. – By telegraph.” 3-26-1863, p. 2, col. 5. Accessed 10-19-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/white-cloud-kansas-chief-mar-26-1863-p-2/