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his men for a moment leaving their much-exposed position. While the bow of the Queen
was yet resting against the side of the Indianola, his guns were still manned and fired,
though he and his men were completely exposed. Aside from the courage thus shown, his
skill and judgment in manoeuvring his piece in so contracted a space is certainly deserving
of the highest commendation.

The officers and crew of the Indianola were made prisoners, and the vessel
formed a valuable addition to the small Confederate fleet on the Mississippi. Her
subsequent career, however, was a brief one, as she was fired and abandoned by a
Lieutenant of infantry, who, with a small detachment, was in charge of her.
The enemy above Vicksburg had devised an imitation iron-clad (made of a coal
barge, with pine logs for guns, and turned it adrift. ) As it floated down near
the Indianola, the Lieutenant in charge became alarmed at the approach of so
formidable a craft and decamped, after setting fire to his vessel.

Admiral Porter was much chagrined at the capture of this fine vessel, of
which so much had been expected, and thus announced his loss :

UNITED STATES MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, February 27, 1863.

To Secretary Gideon Welles :

Sir :—I regret to inform you that the Indianola has also fallen into the hands of the
enemy. The rams Wcbb and Queen of the West attacked her twenty-five miles from here
and rammed her until she surrendered, etc.

DAVID D. PORTER.

Lieutenant Patten, on March 1, was ordered to Red River to take command
of the section of the Third Maryland aboard the Queen of the West. He found
her at Shreveport, Louisiana.

Early on the morning of the 14th of April Captain E. A. Fuller, now in
command of the Queen, with the Lizzie Simmons as a supply boat, attacked the
enemy's fleet on Grand Lake, Louisiana, consisting of the Calhoun, Estrella and
Arizona, but before the vessels came within short range, an incendiary percussion
shell from the Calhoun penetrated the deck of the Queen, exploded and set the
vessel on fire. About twenty minutes afterward the fire reached the magazine,
and the career of this celebrated boat was closed. After discovering the boat to be
on fire, Lieutenant Patten rolled a cotton bale off the side of the vessel and jumped
upon it, but it turned with him and he sank, not being able to swim. Thus
perished one of the noblest and bravest of the Marylanders who went South. He
was a man of commanding physique, polished manners and rare attainments, a
soldier who reflected credit upon the cause he espoused; and in his death the