t, and a
battery with horses, were just packed on board. Just imagine how we
must have been crowded together.

April 12th. We steamed out of the bay at 9 o'clock, the Clifton
flagship ahead, then the Calhoun, Arizona, Laurel Hill, and St. Mary,
also several tugs. We were now under convoy of these gunboats; they
were to pilot us up through the chain of lakes from Burwick Bay into
Grand Lake, where we arrived about 12 o'clock. It was an extremely hot
day for so many to be crowded together, and we slept but little.

April 13th. We went ashore at one o'clock. There was some firing on our
picket line at night. I was detailed to go back to the lake and help
bring up some rations where our forces were stationed. There was a
heavy thunder shower and we slept but little all night.

I want to say here that we landed our forces, after sending out a party
to reconnoitre under cover of the Calhoun, which shelled the woods
while we came ashore. Our object was to cut off the retreat of the
Confederates while Emory's and Sherman's division crossed Burwick Bay
to attack them.

April 14th. On this date came the hard-fought battle of Irish Bend. We
started out at daylight as skirmishers without any breakfast. When we
had gone about a mile, brisk firing commenced on both sides. We
advanced very fast, loading and firing as we went. When we had advanced
very near the Rebel batteries and supposed that everything was going
well, we were flanked by the enemy. We were immediately ordered to fall
back a short distance. The Thirteenth Connecticut took our places soon
in solid column, when the tune changed and the Confederates retreated
into the woods, whence they came. When our brigade got together and
formed in line of battle, we were again ordered to the front, where the
Rebels sent shells into our ranks from their gunboat Diana. They burned
her about two o'clock and retreated.

April 15th. This morning I thought I must write a little in my diary. I
think it was through the mercy of God that my life was spared through
the previous day's fight. It seemed a miracle that one came out alive.
I felt very thankful that I was able to come out of the Battle of Irish
Bend without a scratch, after hearing the horrible results. Our
regiment suffered severely. For about two hours we were under a hot
fire entirely unsupported. We went into the fight with 380 men and lost
83 killed and wounded and 14 missing. Our third brigade was about the
only one eng