GrantwasrestoredtothecommandofallthetroopsuptheTennesseeRiver，byreasonofGeneralSmith’sextremeillness，andbecausehehadexplainedtoGeneralHallecksatisfactorilyhisconductafterDonelson;andhetoomadehisheadquartersatSavannah，butfrequentlyvisitedourcamps。Ialwaysactedonthesuppositionthatwewereaninvadingarmy;thatourpurposewastomoveforwardinforce，makealodgmentontheMemphis&Charlestonroad，andthusrepeatthegrandtacticsofFortDonelson，byseparatingtherebelsintheinteriorfromthoseatMemphisandontheMississippiRiver。Wedidnotfortifyourcampsagainstanattack，becausewehadnoorderstodoso，andbecausesuchacoursewouldhavemadeourrawmentimid。Thepositionwasnaturallystrong，withSnakeCreekonourright，adeep，boldstream，withaconfluent（OwlCreek）toourrightfront;andLickCreek，withasimilarconfluent，onourleft，thusnarrowingthespaceoverwhichwecouldbeattackedtoaboutamileandahalfortwomiles。
Atalaterperiodofthewar，wecouldhaverenderedthispositionimpregnableinonenight，butatthistimewedidnotdoit，anditmaybeitiswellwedidnot。Fromaboutthe1stofAprilwewereconsciousthattherebelcavalryinourfrontwasgettingbolderandmoresaucy;andonFriday，the4thofApril，itdasheddownandcarriedoffoneofourpicket—guards，composedofanofficerandsevenmen，postedacoupleofmilesoutontheCorinthroad。
ColonelBucklandsentacompanytoitsrelief，thenfollowedhimselfwitharegiment，and，fearinglesthemightbeworsted，I
calledouthiswholebrigadeandfollowedsomefourorfivemiles，whenthecavalryinadvanceencounteredartillery。Ithen，afterdark，drewbacktoourlines，andreportedthefactbylettertoGeneralGrant，atSavannah;butthusfarwehadnotpositivelydetectedthepresenceofinfantry，forcavalryregimentsgenerallyhadacoupleofgunsalong，andIsupposedthegunsthatopenedontheontheeveningofFriday，April4th，belongedtothecavalrythatwashoveringalongourwholefront。
Saturdaypassedinourcampswithoutanyunusualevent，theweatherbeingwetandmild，andtheroadsbacktothesteamboatlandingbeingheavywithmud;butonSundaymorning，the6th，early，therewasagooddealofpicket—firing，andIgotbreakfast，rodeoutalongmylines，and，aboutfourhundredyardstothefrontofAppler’sregiment，receivedfromsomebushesinaravinetotheleftfrontavolleywhichkilledmyorderly，Holliday。AboutthesametimeIsawtherebellinesofbattleinfrontcomingdownonusasfarastheeyecouldreach。Allmytroopswereinlineofbattle，ready，andthegroundwasfavorabletous。Igavethenecessaryorderstothebattery（Waterhouse’s）attachedtoHildebrand’sbrigade，andcautionedthementoreservetheirfiretilltherebelshadcrossedtheravineofOwlCreek，andhadbeguntheascent;also，sentstaff—officerstonotifyGeneralsMcClernandandPrentissofthecomingblow。Indeed，McClernandhadalreadysentthreeregimentstothesupportofmyleftflank，andtheywereinpositionwhentheonsetcame。