Now as a matter of practicality most of the field guns inside the Fort would have been useless against the Gunboats of Porters Fleet and were not positioned to counter those gunboats. One would wonder if at least some of these guns were not moved outside to support the Infantry, since the Fort was under such a terrible fire from the Gunboats. Thus explaining Hartsill's comments. But Porter does not indicate that happening. Porter in his book says that during the night the Confederates worked to rebuild the damage of the first days bomdardment and that the fort was effective until the main batterys were silenced and his Flagship was able to moved up against the Fort and rake the interior of Fort Hindman with his two 12 Pound Boat Howitizers on the top deck of his Flagship.
So we seem to have the proverbial conflict in testimony always found in the O.R.'s and other accounts of these Battles.