He took command of gunboat Carondelet on March 4, 1863, skippering that ship during the joint Army‑Navy Expedition in Steele's Bayou under Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter from March 18 to March 24, in which he landed with two boat howitzers and 300 men near Rolling Fork to hold that place until the Union ships could cover it with their guns. One of his officers was Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Julius H. Kroehl.
He took command of the gunboat Carondelet on March 4, 1863, serving under Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter during the joint Army-Navy Expedition in Steele's Bayou from March 18 to March 24. He landed with two boat howitzers and 300 men near Rolling Fork to secure it until Union ships could provide cover. Lieutenant Julius H. Kroehl was one of his officers.