the eight regiments of Emory, but not counting four regiments of
infantry and five battalions of cavalry diverted to other fields,
the reinforcements for the Department of the Gulf finally included
thirty-nine regiments of infantry, six batteries of artillery, and
one battalion of cavalry. Of the infantry twenty-one regiments
were composed of officers and men enlisted to serve for nine months.
Even of this brief period many weeks had, in some cases, already
elapsed. To command the brigades and divisions, when organized,
Major-General Christopher C. Auger, and Brigadier-Generals Cuvier
Grover, William Dwight, George L. Andrews, and James Bowen were
ordered to report to Banks.

The work of chartering the immense fleet required to transport this
force, with its material of all kinds, was confided by the government
to Cornelius Vanderbilt, possibly in recognition of his recent
princely gift to the nation of the finest steamship of his fleet,
bearing his own name. This service Vanderbilt performed with his
usual vigor, "laying hands," as he said, "upon every thing that
could float or steam," including, it must be added, more than one
vessel to which it would have been rash to ascribe either of these
qualities.

Before the embarkation each vessel was carefully inspected by a
board of officers, usually composed of the inspector-general or an
officer of his department, an experienced quartermaster, and an
officer of rank and intelligence, who was himself to sail on the
vessel. This last was a new, but, as soon appeared, a very necessary
precaution. When every thing was nearly ready the embarkation
began at New York, and as each vessel was loaded she was sent to
sea with sealed orders directing her master and the commanding
officer of the troops to make the best of their way to Ship Island,
and there await the further instructions of the general commanding.
Ship Island was chosen for the place of meeting because of the
great draught of water of some of the vessels. At the same time
Emory's force, embarking at Hampton Roads, set out under convoy of
the man-of-war _Augusta_, Commander E. G. Parrott, for the same
destination with similar orders.

For three months the _Florida_ had lain at anchor in the harbor at
Mobile, only waiting for a good opportunity to enter upon her
historic career of destruction. Since the 20th of August the
_Alabama_ was known to have been scourging our commerce in the
North Atlantic from the A