merchant service
and carrying a light battery. She was sent at night to speak a strange
sail, which proved to be the Confederate steamer Alabama, and was sunk
in a few moments. The disproportion of force was too great to carry
any discredit with this misfortune, but it, combined with the others
and with yet greater disasters in other theatres of the War, gave a
gloomy coloring to the opening of the year 1863, whose course in the
Gulf and on the Mississippi was to see the great triumphs of the Union
arms.

The military department of the Gulf had passed from General Butler to
General Banks on the 17th of December, shortly before these events
took place. It was by Banks that the troops were sent to Galveston,
and under his orders Baton Rouge also was reoccupied at once. These
movements were followed toward the middle of January by an expedition
up the Bayou Teche, in which the gunboats Calhoun, Estrella, and
Kinsman took part. The enterprise was successful in destroying the
Confederate steamer Cotton, which was preparing for service; but
Lieutenant-Commander Buchanan, senior officer of the gunboats, was
killed.

FOOTNOTES:

[12] The Carondelet, by returns made to the Navy Department in the
following month, August, had four VIII-inch guns, six 32-pounders, and
three rifles--one 30, one 50, and one 70-pound. Assuming her rifles to
have been in the bows, the weight and distribution of battery would
have been--

Carondelet. Arkansas.
Bow 150 106
Broadside 170 165
Stern 64 120
--- ---
384 391

The Arkansas' battery, as given, depends upon independent and agreeing
statements of two of her division officers. A third differs very
slightly.

[13] Commanded by Lieutenant Henry Erben.

CHAPTER V.

THE MISSISSIPPI OPENED.

Flag-Officer Davis had been relieved in command of the Mississippi
flotilla on the 15th of October, by Commander David D. Porter, holding
the local rank of acting rear-admiral. The new commander was detained
in Cairo for two months, organizing and equipping his squadron, which
had been largely increased. A division of vessels was still stationed
at Helena, patrolling the lower river, under the command of Captain
Henry Walke.

During the fall of 1862 and the following winter, two new types of
vessels were added to the squadron. The first, familiarly