Colonel Schaefer, of the Second Missouri Infantry, had been absent on sick-leave during the Kentucky campaign, but about this date he returned to duty, and by seniority fell in command of the second brigade.  He was of German birth, having come from Baden, where, prior to 1848, he had been a non-commissioned officer in the service of his State.  He took part as an insurgent in the so-called revolution which occurred at Baden in that year, and, compelled to emigrate on the suppression of the insurrection, made his way to this country and settled in St. Louis.  Here the breaking out of the war found him, and through the personal interest which General Sigel took in him he was commissioned a colonel of volunteers.  He had had a pretty fair education, a taste for the military profession, and was of tall and slender build, all of which gave him a student-like appearance.  He was extremely excitable and nervous when anticipating a crisis, but always calmed down to cool deliberation when the critical moment came.  With such a man I could not be less than well satisfied, although the officer whom he replaced—­Colonel Laiboldt —­had performed efficient service and shown much capacity in the recent campaign.

Colonel G. W. Roberts, of the Forty-Second Illinois Infantry, also came to me in the reorganization.  He was an ideal soldier both in mind and body.  He was young, tall, handsome, brave, and dashing, and possessed a balance-wheel of such good judgment that in his sphere of action no occasion could arise from which he would not reap the best results.  But he too was destined to lay, down his life within a few days, and on the same fatal field.  His brigade had been performing garrison duty in Nashville during the siege of that city while Buell’s army was in Kentucky, but disliking the prospect of inactivity pending the operations opening before us, Roberts had requested and obtained a transfer to the army in the field.  His brigade relieved Colonel Dan McCook’s, the latter reluctantly joining the garrison at Nashville, every one in it disappointed and disgusted that the circumstances existing at this time should necessitate their relegation to the harassing and tantalizing duty of protecting our depots and line of supply.

I was fortunate in having such brigade commanders, and no less favored in the regimental and battery commanders.  They all were not only patriots, but soldiers, and knowing that discipline must be one of the most potent factors in bringing to a successful termination, the mighty contest in which our nation was struggling for existence, they studied and practiced its methods ceaselessly, inspiring with the same spirit that pervaded themselves the loyal hearts of their subordinate officers and men.  All worked unremittingly in the camp at Mill Creek in preparing for the storm, which now plainly indicated its speedy coming.  Drills, parades, scouts, foraging expeditions, picket and guard duty, made up the course in this school of