Cruise of the U.S. Flag-Ship Hartford – From the Personal Journal of Wm. C. Holton.

May 11th. Is ushered upon us with pleasant weather, and light breezes from south-east. From noon to 1 o’clock, A. M., heavy firing heard down the river; at five fifty U. S. steamer Estrella came down Red river from Alexandria, with despatches to Commodore Palmer; at six forty-five the Albatross got under way and stood up the river; sent our pilot, Mr. Carroll, on board of her; at nine o’clock inspected crew at quarters, employed placing logs on port side of ship to protect the boilers and machinery against assaults from the enemy’s rams or iron-clad boats; Albatross came down the river and anchored in her old berth; at noon, a tug came down from upper fleet, Porter’s, with despatches and a mail; at one P. M., the gunboat Estrella got under way and entered the mouth of Red river on her return to Alexandria; at one thirty the tug-boat followed her, steaming away very fast; at three o’clock the steam tug and tender to the ship Benton came down and out of Red river, having Rear-Admiral Porter on board, and came alongside of us; Admiral Porter came on board of us and communicated with the Commodore. These are all the important occurrences of this day, also all the arrivals and departures of vessels at this station.