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| The “General Price” --a Confederate war-boat that changed hands This was one of the fourteen river-steamers condemned and seized for the Confederate Government by General Lovell at New Orleans, January 15, 1862. Converted into a war-boat, she took a bold part in the engagement near Fort Pillow, which resulted in the sinking of the “Cincinnati.” She arrived on the scene just as the “General Bragg” was disabled and boldly rammed the Federal gunboat for the second time, when a shot from the “Carondelet” disabled her. In the engagement with the Ellet rams off Memphis, she met the same fate as the “General Bragg” and the other vessels. She and the “General Beauregard,” while making a dash from opposite sides upon the “Monarch,” both missed that speedy vessel and collided with each other. The “General Price” was so badly injured that her captain ran her upon the Arkansas shore, to be added to the prizes won by the Ellet rams. The action put an end to the river-defense flotilla of the Confederates. Like the Federal river fleet at first, this organization was not under control of the Confederate navy, which, on the Mississippi, was commanded by Flag-Officer George N. Hollins, C. S. N. General Polk and the whole Mississippi delegation had urged upon the Confederate Congress the fitting out of this independent flotilla, which cost more than the million and a half dollars appropriated for it. The Confederate General Lovell at New Orleans had no faith in its efficiency because of his belief that the fleet was not properly officered. He stated emphatically that “fourteen Mississippi captains and pilots would never agree about anything after they once got under way.” |
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[85]
Review of Reviews. New York. 1912.
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