hundred—­should make a rush (protected as our lookout had been by a heavy fire) across the sand-bar, and get a footing under the other bank of the bayou, as the nucleus of an attacking force, if General Sherman decided to attack there, or to make a strong diversion if the attack was made at the head of Chickasaw Bayou, in front of Morgan.  General A. J. Smith, commanding First and Second Divisions, approved of this.  While returning to General Sherman, I passed along the Second and part of the Third Division.  On the left of the Second I found a new Illinois regiment, high up in numbers, working its way into position.  The colonel, a brave but inexperienced officer, was trying to lead his men according to the popular pictorial idea, viz., riding in advance waving his sword.  I was leading my horse, and taking advantage of such cover as I could find on my course, but this man acted so bravely that I tried to save him.  He did not accept my expostulations with very good grace, but was not rough about it.  While I was begging him to dismount, he waved his sword and advanced.  In a second he was shot, through the chest, and dropped from his horse, plucky to the last.  He died, I was told, within the hour.  Many of the regiments were new and inexperienced, but as a rule behaved well.  The fire along the bayou was severe, but not very fatal, on account of the cover.  I was constantly asked what news from Grant, for from the moment of our arrival in the Yazoo we were in expectation of either hearing his guns in the rear, or of having communication with him.  This encouraged the men greatly, but the long waiting was disappointing, as the enemy was evidently in large force in the plenty of works, and a very strong position.  Careful estimates and available information placed their force at fifteen to twenty thousand men.  I returned to headquarters about the middle of the afternoon, and made my report to the general.  We were busy till after midnight, and again early in the morning of the 29th, in preparing orders for the attack.  These were unusually minute in detail.  It seemed as though no contingency was left unprovided for.  Urgent orders and cautions as to rations and ammunition were given.  Drawings of the line of attack, orders for supports, all and everything was foreseen and given in writing, with personal explanations to commanders of divisions, brigades, and even commanders of regiments.  Indeed, the commanding general, always careful as to detail, left nothing to chance, and with experienced and ordinate officers we would have succeeded, for the troops were good.  The general plan involved a feint on our left toward Haines’s Bluff, by the navy, under Admiral Porter, with whom we were in constant communication, while between him and General Sherman perfect harmony existed.  On the right a demonstration by A. J. Smith was to be made.  The Second Division (Stuart’s) was to cross the sand-bar, and the Third (General Morgan’s) was to cross on a small bridge over