Web Author's Notes:
The following image was submitted to this website by a donor. The transcription, below, is by the web author and reflects the actual text as accurately as possible.

This is a list of the Union ships that ran past the Confederate blockade of the Mississippi River at Vicksburg on April 16 and 22, 1863. On the night of April 16, Union Admiral David Porter sent at least 10 boats, under cover of darkness, down the river to attempt passing the many Confederate cannons on the Vicksburg bluffs. The list, below, names 12 boats and it is not known if several of these did not get recorded in history or if Lt. Boling's information was inaccurate. Of the boats listed, only the Henry Clay did not make it, as shown by Boling's note burned. On April 22, also noted by Boling, six more boats were sent past the blockade by the U. S. Army, only one, the flagship Tigress, not succeeding, sinking just past the batteries.

The purpose of this event was to gather enough ships south of Vicksburg to transport Grant's army across the Mississippi at or near Grand Gulf, enabling Grant to attack Vicksburg from the rear. History records Grant's great success with Vicksburg surrendering on July 4, just two and a half months and several large battles after the ships, below, made it past the city.

Only two of Boling's entries, indicated by ?, cannot be interpreted by the web author. The other names have been confirmed as ships used by the military during the blockade or at other times during the war.