the dough at the head of Chickasaw Bayou, and, supported
by Steele, was to push straight for the Bluff at the
nearest spur where there was a battery in position,
and to effect a lodgment there and in the earthworks.
General Sherman gave his orders in person to Morgan
and Steele. I understood Morgan to promise that
he would lead his division in person, and he seemed
to expect an easy victory, and expressed himself freely
to that effect. The aides were sent out, until
I was left alone with the general and a couple of
orderlies. He located himself in a position
easy of access, and the most convenient afforded to
the point of attack. He directed me to see what
I could, and report if I met anything that he should
know. I galloped as fast as possible to the
right, and found part of the Sixth Missouri pushing
over the sand-bar covered by the Thirteenth Regulars
with a heavy fire. We supposed, if once across,
they could get up the bank and turn the levee against
the enemy, and left with that impression. Being
in heavy timber, I was not quite sure of my way back
to the general, his location being new, and therefore
pushed full gallop for Morgan’s front, catching
a good many stray shots from the sharpshooters behind
the levee, as I was compelled to keep in sight of
the bayou to hold direction. Something over half-way
along Morgan’s division front, the commander
of a Kentucky regiment hailed me and said he must
have support, as he was threatened by a masked battery,
and the enemy was in force in his front, and might
cross any moment. I answered, rather shortly,
’How the devil do you know there is a masked
battery? If you can’t get over, how can
the rebels get at you?’ He insisted on the battery,
and danger. I finally told him the bayou was
utterly impassable there, but, if he insisted the
enemy could cross, I would insist on an advance on
our side at that point. Hurrying on to make
up lost time, I soon reached Morgan. He was
making encouraging speeches in a general way, but
stopped to ask me questions as to Steele’s rank,
date of commission, etc. I was very much
disturbed at this, fearing want of harmony, and rode
on to Steele, whom I found cursing Morgan so fiercely
that I could not exactly make out the source of the
trouble, or reason why; but saw want of concert clearly
enough. I hastened back to General Sherman,
and endeavored to impress my ideas on him and my fears;
but, while he admitted the facts, he could not be
made to believe that any jealousy or personal quarrel
could lead to a failure to support each other, and
a neglect of duty. The signal for attack had
already been given, and the artillery had opened,
when I left him again for Morgan’s front.
I found Morgan where I left him, and the troops advancing.
I had understood that he was to lead his division,
and asked about it, but, getting no satisfaction,
pushed for the front, crossing the slough at the little
bridge at the head of the bayou. I found the