Thank you Mr Bova, I have not turned up anything new myself on the subject of Ship Island but I printed out your message and hope to find a way to look at those documents. Please keep me in mind if you run across anything to help me in my search. Speaking of books there are a couple of people I know that are in process of writing books on Culpeppers Battery from SC. These boys made two trips to Ship Island. Once after Fort Gaines and another after Ft Blakeley. I hope to make a trip out to Ship Island and Mobile in October. Thanks Mike kirby