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 willows cut off eighteen inches or two feet long, with sharp points above the mud, making it slow and difficult to pass, save at the bridge.  I overtook the rear of the advance about two or three hundred feet up the gentle slope, and was astonished to find how small a force was making the attack.  I was also surprised to find that they were Steele’s men instead of Morgan’s.  I also saw several regiments across the bayou, but not advancing; they were near the levee.  A heavy artillery and infantry fire was going on all this time.  While making my way along the column, from which there were very few falling back, a shell burst near me, and the concussion confused me at the time and left me with a headache for several months.  When I got my wits about me again I found a good many coming back, but the main part of the force was compact and keeping up the fight.  I did not get closer to the woods than about five hundred feet, and found that a large number had penetrated into the enemy’s works.  When our men fell back, very few ran, but came slowly and sullenly, far more angry than frightened.  I found General Frank Blair on foot, and with him Colonel Sea, of Southwest Missouri, and learned that Colonel Thomas Fletcher, afterward Governor of Missouri, was captured with many of his men.  They both insisted there on the spot, with those around us, that if all the men ordered up had gone up, or even all that crossed the bayou had moved forward, we could have readily established ourselves in the enemy’s works.  I was firmly of the same opinion at the time on the ground; and, an entrance effected, we could have brought the whole force on dry ground, and had a base of operations against Vicksburg—­though probably, in view of later events, we would have had to stand a siege from Pemberton’s army.  After explanations with Blair, I rode to where the men were, who had crossed the bayou, but had not advanced with the others.  I found them to be De Courcey’s brigade; of Morgan’s division, which General Sherman supposed to be in advance.  In fact, it was the intended support that made the attack.  A correspondence and controversy followed between General Blair and Colonel De Courcey, most of which