were all in position at Paine's Dock. It was arranged between Colonel Hoyt and myself that his regiment should lead the advance, moving by the right flank, and when he (Colonel Hoyt) had gained sufficient ground to the right he would flank to the left in line of battle toward the works on Johnson's Point. I was to continue moving by the right flank, passing to the rear of the Fifty-second Pennsylvania, and when I had gained sufficient ground to the right to get all my boats in line beyond the bar I was to flank to the left and advance toward Simkins. With this understanding the boats left Paine's Dock at 2 a. m. I had formed the regiment into three divisions of five boats each, Captain Gurney commanding the right, Captain Allison the center, and Captain Henry the left. Each chief of division had a lieutenant in his boat and each of the other boats was commanded by a commissioned officer and ordered to follow their division leaders. My own boat contained, besides myself, the adjutant, sergeant-major, a bugler, and signalman, 4 oarsmen, and a cockswain.

Before we reached the mouth of Vincent's Creek I found that Captains Gurney and Henry's divisions had passed ahead of eight or ten of the boats of the Fifty-second Pennsylvania. I ordered them to halt and allow the Fifty-second Pennsylvania to pass. Soon after the line halted I went forward to see what the trouble was, and found that the boat immediately in advance of the boats containing the major of the Fifty-second Pennsylvania had halted without cause and was between 200 and 300 yards in rear of its file leader. I asked the major if he was aware that the boat ahead of him had stopped. I forget what answer he made, but soon after the line moved on slowly. When near Fort Putnam the line field to the left and advanced a short distance and again halted. I went forward to see what the matter was, and again found that a number of the boats of the Fifty-second Pennsylvania had halted without cause. While urging them to move on, Colonel Hoyt came form the right of the line and ordered them to move on faster, saying that the other boats were half a mile ahead. Again the line moved on somewhat faster. At this time day began to break. In about ten minutes afterward I discovered that a large number of boats were congregated together, some of them with their oars locked, none of them trying to move forward. I found that they had inclined too much to the left, and were south and east from the bar the juts out from Simkins and close to the land. On the other side of the bar I saw two or three boats moving toward Johnson's Point. There was a narrow break as fast as possible and land with the boats ahead. Among this group of boats I found the major of the Fifty-second. I said, "Major Jayne, why don't you exert yourself, and order your boats to move forward?" I cannot remember what reply he made; some one in his boat said that they were awaiting orders, or that somebody wanted to give orders. I asked if the colonel or lieutenant-colonel was there. I could get no answer. About 100 yards in rear of this group I saw a boat that looked like the one used by Colonel Gurney; thinking he was aboard, I rowed out to it. I found it contained Lieutenant Haviland, who was acting as aide to Colonel Gurney. I asked him where Colonel Gurney was. He said Colonel Gurney was at Paine's Dock. I told him that the boats would not move forward. He said,