I Was Captured On The Steamer Emma.

In May of 1864, a rebel battery made its appearance at Fort De Russy and sunk the steamer Emma. This statement is a little play on words. The word ( sunk ) is to imply that the Emma was hit by cannon fire, which is far from the truth. Emma was coming down the Red River from Alexandia, after leaveing a load of soldiers there to reinforce the banks. When the rebles showed up Captain Aiken tried to keep ahead of them and all the while the rebles were yelling “stop that boat”, and firing at the same time. The Emma could not out run them as she was out of steam and had to come to. Captain Aiken, hoisted a white flag and landed the boat. The boat landed near Snaggy point, here the rebles under General Major broaded her and too everything they could take, then the Emma was ordered to be set a fire. There is no official records that this author could find that states the numbers of those wounded or killed if any.

The were at lest five Emma's in the civil war.
1. Emma.
2. Emma Boyd.
3. Emma Bell.
4. Emma Bett.
5. Emma Duncan.

As the Emma had just unloaded those captured on her was the crew? There is no mention of their manes but four.  Captain (?) Aiken, Frank Hanlon, Fireman, Joseph Britton and Patrick Fleming. A year after the war the crew of the Emma had a Memorail in Congress asking for relief. This author found no record that they got it.

In July of 1867, Congress passed a Bill, asking for statements from all soldiers that were captured by the Confederates and tell what they saw and the treatment they received by them. Three of the crew of the Emma give statements their names were:

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1. Frank Hanlon.
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2. Joseph Britton.
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3. Patrick Fleming.
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