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Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Opening of Attack on Port Hudson
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

Opening of Attack on Port Hudson

Artifact IDMO 1959.16
Object Type Painting
Artist (British-American, 1828 - 1891)
Date1863
Mediumink and watercolor on paper
Dimensionsmat (mat folder) H 13 1/2 in x W 17 1/2 in (34.3 cm x 44.5 cm )
 sheet H 11 in x W 14 3/4 in (27.9 cm x 37.5 cm )
 image H 8 1/2 in x W 12 5/8 in (21.6 cm x 32.1 cm )
Physical DescriptionAn original gouache painting of the opening of the nighttime attack on Port Hudson, Louisiana on March 13, 1863. It depicts a nighttime scene of four steam-powered sailing ships lined up along the left side of the painting. Cannon fire is seen issuing from the ships and the cloudy and smoke-filled sky is dotted with explosions. The painting is signed by artist in the lower left corner of image: A R Waud. The tile is written in pencil along the bottom margin of the artwork page: Opening of Attack on Port Hudson / The Hartford - Farragut - leading, lashed to the Albatross. The number "B974" is written in ink in the upper left corner of the page, and "3602" is written in the right margin.

The painting is mounted in a white window mat.
Historical NoteArtist Alfred R. Waud was working as a "pictorial correspondent" for Harper’s Weekly when he painted this image of the March 1863 Civil War battle at Port Hudson, Louisiana on the Mississippi River. Waud captured the action as Union Admiral David Farragut’s flagship, the USS HARTFORD and the gunboat USS ALBATROSS attempted to fight their way past the Confederate defenses.
Additional Details
Credit LineEstate of Franklin D. Roosevelt
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesUnited States Navy Materials (National Archives Identifier 782673)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
In Collection(s)
Not on view
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