was empty of cargo since it had just dropped off supplies at Port Hudson, Louisiana. The other two ships were laden with food supplies headed toward Vicksburg. The Queen of the West rendezvoused with the De Soto and on February 12, Ellet directed both ships down the Atchafalaya River to Simmesport, Louisiana, in search of Confederate forces. The crew went ashore, destroyed all supplies found and looted the residential area. On the way back up the Mississippi River, the Queen of the West received Confederate gun fire and the 1st mate was injured. In retaliation, Ellet and his crew burned three plantations that were believed to be the residences of those that injured the 1st mate. Loss of the Queen of the West On February 14, Ellet led the Queen of the West and De Soto up the Red River and captured the steamboat Era No. 5 carrying 4,500 bushels of corn. Ellet moved the Queen of the West upstream to investigate reports of steamships at Gordon's Landing near Marksville, Louisiana. She came under heavy fire by the shore batteries of Fort DeRussy and was run aground onto the right bank by her pilot instead of backing down river as ordered. She was directly in the sight of Confederate guns, which pounded her until Ellet ordered "abandon ship". The Queen of the West was not burned out of concern for the 1st mate, who was wounded and could not be moved. The USS Queen of the West was captured, repaired and re-entered into service as the CSS Queen of the West by the Confederate forces. Ellet and the crew escaped and floated downstream on bales of cotton and were rescued by the De Soto. The De Soto and the Era No. 5 fled down the Red River to rejoin the Union forces. During their escape downstream, the pilot grounded the De Soto and severely damaged the paddles by continuing to run them long after contact, whereupon the pilot was placed under arrest by Ellet. In his official report, Ellet alleged the grounding was done purposely by the pilot, whom he accused of being a rebel sympathizer. The De Soto was set ablaze to prevent her capture by Confederate forces and Ellet and crew escaped on the Era No. 5. The CSS Queen of the West joined forces with the CSS Webb to attack and sink the USS Indianola on the