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and the four mosquito boats next, followed by transports enough
to carry every man here that is able to do duty, put on steam,
and never stop until we ran our bows on shore; and what guns
the boat could not silence before we reached them I would take
with the bayonet. I believe the place could be taken with
less loss of life than would die of disease in four weeks ly-
ing here. Rumor says that there will~be an attack in the morn-
ing, but I do not think there will be until we have more rein-
forcement.
I have just returned from a trip with my company up the
river some five miles after rails for the boats to use for fuel;
we got the boat pretty well loaded and returned before dark.
There has been a rumor today that our regiment is to send to
St. TLouis for provost guard, but I think there is no foundation
in it; there is much more probability of our being sent to
Tennessee, which I would much prefer to being housed at St.
Louis. Our regiment has the name of being the best in this
district, both in discipline and effectiveness of the men: we
have all labored hard to accomplish it, not without a large
amount of grumbling from the men for being kept so strict but
they are now all proud of our reputation and acknowledge that
we have used the best means to bring it about; if we do not
fight well (if we can get a chance) we shall disappoint every-
body.
I was a little under the weather last week partly being
so used up with hard work and was much pleased when I came back
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