Re: Pointe Coupee Artillery fatality at Fort Pembe
Gen. Loring reported in writing on March 13, 1863 while at Fort Pemberton, “On Friday morning, at 10 o’clock, the enemy again opened upon our works from two gunboats abreast, their land batteries, and a 13 inch mortar. We promptly responded with every gun we had in position, and the fight raged furiously the entire day, night putting an end to it. It was in this day’s engagement that an 11 inch shell from the Chillicothe passed through the parapet, displaced a cotton bale, and ignited a tub of cartridges in the magazine of the Whitworth gun. The fire was communicated by the fuse. Fortunately the shell itself did not explode. By this casualty Lieut. [J. Q.] Wall, of the Pointe Couple Artillery, in command of the gun, was slightly [wounded], and 15 of his detachment were burned, some badly.”