I have, but nothing came of it.  On reaching the bayou, I found that Thayer’s brigade, of Steele’s division, had in some way lost its direction and filed off to the right.  Remembering the masked battery, I suspected that had something to do with the matter, and, on following it up, I learned that the Kentucky colonel before mentioned had appealed for aid against the masked battery and invisible force of rebels, and that a regiment had been ordered to him.  This regiment, filing off into the timber, had been followed by Thayer’s brigade, supposing it to be advancing to the front, and thus left a single brigade to attack a superior force of the enemy in an intrenched and naturally strong position.  By the time the mistake could be rectified, it was too late.  Our loss was from one hundred and fifty to two hundred killed, and about eleven hundred prisoners and wounded.  During the afternoon I went with a flag of truce, with reference to burying the dead.  I saw between eighty and one hundred of our men dead, all stripped.  There were others closer into the enemy’s works than I was allowed to go.  On going later to where the Sixth Missouri crossed, I found that they were under the bank, and had dug in with their hands and bayonets, or anything in reach, to protect themselves from a vertical fire from the enemy overhead, who had a heavy force there.  With great difficulty they were withdrawn at night.  Next day arrangements were made to attempt a lodgment below Haines’s Bluff:  This was to be done by Steele’s command, while the rest of the force attacked again where we had already tried.  During the day locomotives whistled, and a great noise and fuss went on in our front, and we supposed that Grant was driving in Pemberton, and expected firing any moment up the Yazoo or in the rear of Vicksburg.  Not hearing this, we concluded that Pemberton was throwing his forces into Vicksburg.  A heavy fog prevented Steele from making his movement.  Rain began to fall, and our location was not good to be in after a heavy rain, or with the river rising.  During the night (I think) of January, 1, 1863, our troops were embarked, material and provisions having been loaded during the day.  A short time before daylight of the 2d, I went by order of the general commanding, to our picket lines and carefully examined the enemy’s lines, wherever a camp-fire indicated their presence.  They were not very vigilant, and I once got close enough to hear them talk, but could understand nothing.  Early in the morning I came in with the rear-guard, the enemy advancing his pickets and main guards only, and making no effort at all to press us.  Once I couldn’t resist the temptation to fire into a squad that came bolder than the rest, and the two shots were good ones.  We received a volley in return that did come very close among us, but hurt none of my party.  Very soon after our rear-guard was aboard, General Sherman learned from Admiral Porter that McClernand had arrived at the mouth of the Yazoo.