The plans of the government coming to my knowledge, I sent a note to the medical director, offering to ship a lot of hospital supplies, and asking him to designate the boat on which I should ship them. My note came back indorsed,—
“Send supplies down on the Tigress.”
I still have that letter on file.
The Tigress was a trim, stanch little craft which General Grant had used for headquarters. And feeling sure the swift, trim little steamer would make the passage safely, I shipped a heavy lot of supplies on her.
There were six wooden steamers, with barges in tow, laden with army supplies.
On the night of the 26th of April, 1863, they ran the blockade.
All the important machinery was protected by bales of cotton and bales of hay.
All the boats got through safely, except the Tigress.
In the midst of the fiery channel a solid shot cut through the heavy gunwales of the barge she was towing, and went through her hull, just below the water-level. Her crew deserted her, and made their escape in the small boats which were there for that purpose.
She filled with water so slowly that she drifted down into the Union lines before she sank, sinking near the shore on the Louisiana side of the river.