reorganization of brigades and divisions was well filled by the Fifth Iowa, Lieutenant-Colonel Matthies, and Fifty-ninth Indiana, Colonel J. I. Alexander, Colonel Worthington commanding the brigade thus constituted.

On the night of the 4th Colonel Worthington, with four guns, and Colonel Smith's command from the Forty-third Ohio, five companies of the Fifth Iowa, and two companies of the Fifty-ninth Indiana, drove in the enemy's pickets nab opened a brisk fire on his position. (See his report herewith.) The general commanding having decided to occupy Point Pleasant, 7 miles below New Madrid, I cheerfully proposed Colonel J. B. Plummer and the Second Brigade of my now Second Division for this service. This brigade consisted of the Eleventh Missouri, Lieutenant-Colonel Panabaker, and Twenty-sixty Illinois, Colonel Loomis. He proceeded on it on the 5th instant. At his request, my aide-de-camp, Lieutenant William B. Gaw, accompanied him. The success which crowned Colonel Plummer's efforts reflected honor on the Second Division.

On the 6th, by direction of the commanding general, I detailed Major Robertson, in command of two companies of the Fifth Iowa, and Forty-sixth Indiana, Colonel Fitch, of General Palmer's division, temporarily attached to my division, to report to Colonel Gordon Granger, who pressed the enemy on our left vigorously, driving in his skirmishers, impression, on account of the heavy fire of the enemy's gunboats and the exposed character of the position, without undue exposure of our troops. Colonel Granger speaks in the following terms of the officers and men engaged in this affair:

CAMP IN FRONT OF NEW MADRID, March 6, 1862.

As commander of the column mentioned within, which moved upon New Madrid yesterday, it affords me much satisfaction to more than corroborate every statement of the modest but gallant Major Robertson. His officers and men, under a terrific fire of rounds hot and shell for some two hours, behaved like veterans, and quite surprised me by their coolness and indifference to the danger which surrounded them. Major Robertson was especially conspicuous, never dismounting from his horse, although their sharpshooters tried best to pick him off. Lieutenant Gordon, Fourth United States Cavalry, aide-de-camp, displayed rare courage with the skirmishers, and deserves especial notice.

On the 7th instant a demonstration was made by the First Brigade of the Second Division, in conjunction with General Stanley's division. (See report herewith.) Colonel Plummer having received promotion as brigadier-general, a reorganization again took place on the 11th instant, and the Tenth Iowa and Twenty-sixty Missouri were constituted the Second Brigade of the Second Division, under Colonel Perczel.

On the 13th the Second Division was held in reserve as the support of the First Division. On the 14th, at 2 o'clock a. m., with Colonel Slack's brigade of General Palmer's Third Division, composed of the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Indiana, the Second Division was formed to march to the relief of General Stanley's First Division and the guards of the trenches. The darkness was palpable. The rain poured down in torrents. The men were obliged to wade through pools knee-deep. Silence having been strictly enjoined, the division, hoping to have the honor of leading in the assault on the enemy's works, moved steadily forward with cheerful alacrity, those assigned to that duty taking post in the rifle pits, half full of water, without a murmur. A heavy fog shrouded everything from view as the day dawned, and we waited