on the 14th of April, and terminating with the battle of Port Gibson, on the 1st day of May:

Marching over heavy roads from the Bend on the 16th, under orders to leave our camp and garrison equipage behind, we arrived at Dawson's farm, on the Roundaway Bayou, on the SECOND day.

On the 18th, marched to the mouth of Gilbert's Bayou, with direc-

tions to make a reconnaissance in the direction of the Mississippi River, and ascertain whether a practicable route could be found. Descending the bayou, I met General Osterhaus coming up from the river on the same business, and on comparing notes the route was deemed practicable, and so reported to Major-General McClernand.

In four days from that date my DIVISION, with the aid of Captain Petterson's pioneers, built four bridges over about 1,000 feet of water and cut 2 miles of road through the woods, thus opening up the great military route through the overflowed land's from Milliken's Bend to the Mississippi River below Vicksburg. During this severe task many of my men worked for hours up to their necks in water, and I take this occasion to thank them for the devotion and energy displayed. To Captain George W. Jackson, thirty-fourth Indiana, and his pioneer corps, praise is particularly due for the performance of this herculean task.

On the 28th, we embarked on steamers for the purpose of aiding in the attack on Grand Gulf, and on the 29th witnessed the brilliant assault by the gunboats upon that place.

As it was supposed at the time that a battle would take place at Grand Gulf, the horses of all officers, except those commanding DIVISIONS, and all kinds of transportation, were left behind. Subsequent events made this very onerous upon the officers and upon the command.

On the 30th, we again disembarked at Bruinsburg Landing, MISS., below Grand Gulf, and at 3 p. m. took up our line of march for Port Gibson, the order of march by DIVISION being Carr's (Fourteenth),

Osterhaus' (NINTH), Hovey's (Twelfth), Smith's (Tenth).

The organization of the Twelfth DIVISION at that time was-

First Brigade, general George F. McGinnis commanding. -The Twenty fourth Indiana, commanded by Colonel W. T. Spicely; Forty-sixth Indiana, commanded by Colonel T. H. Bringhurst; Eleventh Indiana, commanded by Colonel Daniel Macauley; Twenty-NINTH Wisconsin, Commanded By Colonel Charles R. Gill; Thirty-fourth Indiana, commanded by Colonel R. A. Cameron; SIXTEENTH Ohio Battery, commanded By Captain J. A. Mitchell; SECOND Ohio Battery, commanded by First Lieutenant August Beach.

SECOND Brigade, colonel James R. Slack commanding. - The Twenty-fourth Iowa, commanded by Colonel E. C. Byam; Twenty-eighth Iowa, commanded by Colonel John Connell; FIFTY-sixth Ohio, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel W. H. Raynor; Forty-seventh Indiana, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J. A. McLaughlin; First Missouri Battery, commanded By Captain Schofield; Peoria Light Artillery, commanded by SECOND Lieutenant Fenton.

We continued our march through the night. near 2 o'clock in the

morning of May 1, cannonading was heard in our front, which continued for several minutes. The column pressed forward, and at daylight reached Center Creek, about 3 miles WEST of Port Gibson.

At this point, at 5. 30 a. m., my DIVISION was ordered to take position a few hundred yards in advance, upon the right of the road, on the crest of two hills nearly opposite the Shafer

farm-house, at that time the