I haven't found the page or the date this action happened, and it may be it was a Federal amphip landing.

Same source page 20---

Capt. John D. Howard's Biloxi Rifile Guards capture Ship Island Jan. 13, 1861. They became the first infantry unit in the state to to initiate offensive action against the US government.

I recall a post of a good while back, you and Jmaie were discussing hurricanes the Gulf Cosat in while the 7th Miss. was camped here. Mr. Howell mentions a gale and a hurricane of 1860. Do you info from those references?

GP