thatinWashington，beforecomingWest，hehadbeenintroducedtohimbyPresidentLincoln，andhehadtakenastrongprejudiceagainsthim。Ibeggedhim，forthesakeofharmony，towaivethat，whichhepromisedtodo。Returningtothecabin，theconversationwasresumed，and，onourofferingtotowhisgunboatsuptherivertosavecoal，andonrenewingtherequestforShirktocommandthedetachment，Portersaid，\"SupposeIgoalongmyself？\"Ianswered，ifhewoulddoso，itwouldinsurethesuccessoftheenterprise。
AtthattimeIsupposedGeneralMeClernandwouldsendmeonthisbusiness，butheconcludedtogohimself，andtotakehiswholeforce。OrderswereatonceissuedforthetroopsnottodisembarkatMilliken’sBend，buttoremainastheywereonboardthetransports。Mytwodivisionswerecommanded——theFirst，byBrigadier—GeneralFrederickSteele，withthreebrigades，commandedbyBrigadierGeneralaF。P。Blair，C。E。Hooey，andJ。M。Thayer;
theSecond，byBrigadier—GeneralD。Stuart，withtwobrigades，commandedbyColonelsG。A。SmithandT。KilbySmith。
Thewholearmy，embarkedonsteamboatsconvoyedbythegunboats，ofwhichthreewereiron—clads，proceededuptheMississippiRivertothemouthofWhiteRiver，whichwereachedJanuary8th。OnthenextdaywecontinuedupWhiteRivertothe\"Cut—off;\"throughthistotheArkansas，anduptheArkansastoNotrib’sfarm，justbelowFortHindman。Earlythenextmorningwedisembarked。Stuart’sdivision，movinguptheriveralongthebank，soonencounteredaforceoftheenemyintrenchedbehindalineofearthworks，extendingfromtheriveracrosstotheswamp。ItookSteele’sdivision，marchingbytheflankbyaroadthroughtheswamptothefirmgroundbehind，andwasmovinguptogettotherearofFortHindman，whenGeneralMeClernandovertookme，withthereportthattherebelshadabandonedtheirfirstposition，andhadfallenbackintothefort。Byhisorders，wecounter—marched，recrossedtheswamp，andhurriedforwardtoovertakeStuart，marchingforFortHindman。ThefirstlineoftherebelswasaboutfourmilesbelowFortHindman，andtheinterveningspacewasdensely，woodedandobscure，withtheexceptionofsomeoldfieldsbackofandclosetothefort。Duringthenight，whichwasabrightmoonlightone，wereconnoitredcloseup，andfoundalargenumberofhutswhichhadbeenabandoned，andthewholerebelforcehadfallenbackintoandaboutthefort。PersonallyIcreptuptoastumpsoclosethatI
couldheartheenemyhardatwork，pullingdownhouses，cuttingwithaxes，andbuildingintrenchments。Icouldalmostheartheirwords，andIwasthuslisteningwhen，about4A。M。thebuglerintherebelcampsoundedasprettyareveilleasIeverlistenedto。