At Baton Rouge, Bodmer witnessed the departure of the steamboat Napoleon on the evening before his own vessel left the city. When he again observed the boat on the following day in the vicinity of Fort Adams, he made this quick study.

While at Baton Rouge on the return voyage from New Orleans, Bodmer visited the U.S. military post located on the river above the city. According to Bodmer, the master of ordnance wanted to buy his view of the barracks, but Bodmer declined to part with it.