CSS ''Bienville'' was a light draft steamer "substantially built" of

yellow pine In ecology and forestry, yellow pine refers to a number of conifer species that tend to grow in similar plant communities and yield similar strong wood. In the Western United States, yellow pine refers to Jeffrey pine or ponderosa pine. In the S ...

and white oak under contract by John Hughes and Co., at Bayou St. John, La., in 1861-62. Collaborating and inspecting for the Government in the Hughes yard was S. D. Porter, Acting Constructor, CSN. She was launched in February 1862 and delivered on 5 April. Her commanding officer was Lt. C. B. Poindexter, CSN. On 21 April 1862, as the battle of New Orleans impended, Bienville was still without a crew, consequently her officers were obliged to destroy her in

Lake Pontchartrain Lake Pontchartrain ( ; ) is an estuary located in southeastern Louisiana in the United States. It covers an area of with an average depth of . Some shipping channels are kept deeper through dredging. It is roughly oval in shape, about from w ...

to prevent capture.

References

Gunboats of the Confederate States Navy Ships built in New Orleans Shipwrecks of the American Civil War 1862 ships Maritime incidents in April 1862 Scuttled vessels {{AmericanCivilWar-ship-stub