absentees being Lieutenant Bell and A. J. Hill on detached service,
the two Henricks and Schauer sick, and Scheer, Iwan, and Troska left
behind at St. Paul.

The regiment at once went into camp, on the bank of the river, one-half
mile above the town. Shelter tents were issued now for the first time.
The camp was called Camp Buford, and was the last one that was
officially named. Troska and Iwan rejoined on the 24th, and also the
next day A. J. Hill from detached service at Washington. Detert and
Scheibel were detailed as regimental pioneers on the 28th and A. J.
Hill as company clerk in the beginning of July.

From the beginning there was a close guard kept around the limited area
occupied by the regiment, and it was maintained several weeks. The duty
required by the District Commandant was chiefly prison and picket
guard. In the first week of July orders were issued to build quarters,
and fatigue parties were at once set to work cutting, hauling, and
sawing logs for that purpose. Wagoner Henricks rejoined on the 18th.

Companies E and F being detailed to proceed to certain points with a
view of obtaining information of the movements of the enemy, the major
part embarked, with forty men of the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry, on the
evening of the 13th, on the steamboat Dove, and proceeded up the
Mississippi River, reaching Buck Island (No. 52) on the next day, and
searched it as ordered. Returned to the levee at Helena the same night,
and lay there. Next day, the 15th, went up the St. Francis River, some
thirty-five miles, to Alligator Bayou, then returned to Helena and into
camp again. The Mississippi River part of this trip was under command
of Captain Schoenemann, and the other under that of the major of
cavalry. No guerrillas or other enemies were seen. The infantry forces
did not land, but the cavalry did and scouted between the two rivers.

Kilian was detached as nurse in the regimental hospital on the 21st.
Lieutenant Bell returned on the 22nd, and with him Scheer.

On the 26th of July the regiment went out about two miles beyond the
picket lines on the Little Rock road to cover the retreat of some
colored troops and cavalry who had been very severely handled that
morning at a creek some few miles west of town. On the 1st of August it
went out again on the same road as before, but not quite so far, and
remained on picket in the woods on the right of the road during the
night, returning to camp the next morning. I