Item No. 4398292

A letter dated September 5, 1863, by Lieutenant Commander Thomas O. Selfridge, Jr., commanding the U.S. Steamer Conestoga, to Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter, commander of the Mississippi River Squadron, reporting on Union gunboat deployments near the Red River and a coal shortage affecting operations on the White River.

With the capture of Vicksburg in July, Porter’s vessels were, at the time of the letter, solidifying control of the Mississippi River to New Orleans. Selfridge forwards Porter “a communication just received” (though not included here) from General Nathaniel P. Banks, who was then operating out of New Orleans. Selfridge states that he assured Banks that “there were a sufficient force of gunboats in the vicinity of Red river to neutralize any attempt of the enemy to impede navigation.”

He further reports cruising between Napoleon, Arkansas, and Catfish Point, and explains that he “took the responsibility to detail one of the ‘Brown’s’ barges at that point.”

Selfridge signed the letter with his name and rank. He was a prominent Navy officer who survived the sinking of the USS Cumberland by the Confederate ironclad Virginia at Hampton Roads and briefly commanded the famous ironclad Monitor. He later commanded the ironclad Cairo and timberclad Conestoga, both of which sank during the war. Conestoga was lost in a collision with the General Price on March 8, 1864. Selfridge had a lengthly postwar Navy career and went on to become a rear admiral, retiring in 1898.

The letter was written on one side of a letter sheet measuring about 7 3/4” x 9 3/4”. Creased at the original folds. The letter’s full transcript appears at the bottom of this listing.

There’s an additional connection between Selfridge and the no-longer-existing town of Napoleon, Arkansas. The town stood near the confluence of the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers. In April 1863, however, Selfridge had cut a channel across a bend in the Mississippi to prevent Confederate guerrillas from attacking passing Union vessels, creating what became known as the Selfridge Cut-off. The altered current eroded the river’s banks, and by 1874 the Mississippi had swallowed the town’s buildings.

U.S. Stm. Conestoga
Off Napoleon Sept 5th 1863

Sir:
I forward you by mail a communication just received from Genl. Banks, which I have duly acknowledged.

I informed the General that there were a sufficient force of gunboats in the vicinity of Red river to neutralize any attempt of the enemy to impede navigation.

I am at present cruising by order of Capt. Owens between this point & Catfish Pt.

The supply of coal at White river being entirely exhausted, I took the responsibility to detail one of the ‘Brown’s” barges at that point.
Very Respectfully
Your Obt. Servt.
Thos. O. Selfridge
Lt. Commander

Rear Admiral
D. D. Porter
Comdg. Miss Squadron