One small steamer and some barges were got through this channel, but no further use could be made of it because of the fall in the river.  Beyond this it was no more successful than the other experiments with which the winter was whiled away.  All these failures would have been very discouraging if I had expected much from the efforts; but I had not.  From the first the most I hoped to accomplish was the passage of transports, to be used below Vicksburg, without exposure to the long line of batteries defending that city.

This long, dreary and, for heavy and continuous rains and high water, unprecedented winter was one of great hardship to all engaged about Vicksburg.  The river was higher than its natural banks from December, 1862, to the following April.  The war had suspended peaceful pursuits in the South, further than the production of army supplies, and in consequence the levees were neglected and broken in many places and the whole country was covered with water.  Troops could scarcely find dry ground on which to pitch their tents.  Malarial fevers broke out among the men.  Measles and small-pox also attacked them.  The hospital arrangements and medical attendance were so perfect, however, that the loss of life was much less than might have been expected.  Visitors to the camps went home with dismal stories to relate; Northern papers came back to the soldiers with these stories exaggerated.  Because I would not divulge my ultimate plans to visitors, they pronounced me idle, incompetent and unfit to command men in an emergency, and clamored for my removal.  They were not to be satisfied, many of them, with my simple removal, but named who my successor should be.  McClernand, Fremont, Hunter and McClellan were all mentioned in this connection.  I took no steps to answer these complaints, but continued to do my duty, as I understood it, to the best of my ability.  Every one has his superstitions.  One of mine is that in positions of great responsibility every one should do his duty to the best of his ability where assigned by competent authority, without application or the use of influence to change his position.  While at Cairo I had watched with very great interest the operations of the Army of the Potomac, looking upon that as the main field of the war.  I had no idea, myself, of ever having any large command, nor did I suppose that I was equal to one; but I had the vanity to think that as a cavalry officer I might succeed very well in the command of a brigade.  On one occasion, in talking about this to my staff officers, all of whom were civilians without any military education whatever, I said that I would give anything if I were commanding a brigade of cavalry in the Army of the Potomac and I believed I could do some good.  Captain Hillyer spoke up and suggested that I make application to be transferred there to command the cavalry.  I then told him that I would cut my right arm off first, and mentioned this superstition.