The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

CSS Ponchartrain

Is there anyone from the Arkansas Maritime Museum that reads this Board?

The reason that I ask is because of a responce by a Mr Will Stevens on the Civil War Navies Board about the CSS Ponchartrain (formerly the Lizzie Simmons) and his comment that it was sunk on the North side of the river from Little Rock, very near where the Museum is today. In fact while I don't believe that the exact location can be known it may be that the USS Razorback may be presently anchored over the spot. It was in the process of being refitted, with railroad rails, as an Ironclad Ram at the time of the fall of Little Rock, in the same manner as the CSS Arkansas, when she was burned to prevent her capture.

I was wondering if a 150th anniversary memorial should be concidered at the Maritime Museum to the CSS Ponchartrain. The only known naval combat vessal to be sunk at that site.

PS One of her 7 guns still sit across the river on the lawn of the Old Statehouse Museum.