breastworks of the enemy. Here they remained three days, the troops being engaged in foraging
and repairing the roads, to facilitate the march of General Thayer's division, which was in the

rear.°°

On the 6th, the column moved, and after some skirmishing the enemy fled, leaving over a mile of
breast-works of timber and earth crowning the hills which overlook the bottom and perfectly
commanding the road along which we had to march. On the 7th, working parties were sent back
to repair the roads so as to pass General Thayer's train. At nightfall it commenced to rain, and
lasted for several hours.

Daylight the next morning showed that all the work of the day before was undone;
corduroying and bridges were all afloat, the whole bottom nearly was under water, and the Little
Missouri was no longer fordable, having risen 3 feet. The bridge train was ordered to the ferry,
and working details placed on the road to repair the worst places....°

April 6th. Resumed the march, forded the Little Mo. about noon, and come up to the main army
about sun-set, at a place called Elkins’ Ferry. After crossing the river the roads became, worse
and worse. Corduroy roads were built through pine swamps with quicksand for foundation,
and in some places were actually afloat. It was in these woods that our artillery played on the
rebs and made them skedaddle. The trees on both sides of the road were completely nddled
with shot and shell.

We remained at Elkins' Ferry until the 10th. Thayer's troops came in on the 9th; they are
mostly from Kansas and Arkansas, with some Indians and two colored regiments.”

Resigned. Quartermaster Wm. N. Shafter, of the 27th regiment, has resigned his
commission in consequence of ill health, under the advice of the Surgeons of the army at Little
Rock. He has been unfit for duty much of the time since his return to the regiment after his severe
sickness of last summer. He arrived here on Tuesday morning last, and shortly after went to
Gibbsville, where his family have been living during his absence in the army.

He reports the 27th as being the best drilled and most soldierly looking regiment in
General Steele's army, and so acknowledged by the general officers of the army; that Col. Krez
is more thoroughly versed in military matters than any officer of his rank there, and even more
so than many of his superiors in position.

Adjutant Meyer, of the same regiment, has also been compelled to resign his commission
from physical disability, being afflicted with a chronic liver complaint. He is said to have made a
thorough and efficient officer, and to have been well liked by the men. He has also returned

 

*° E. B. Quiner, Military History of Wisconsin, p. 762.

20 James Harris Atkinson, "Forty Days of Disaster", p. 4, quoting from the report of
Capt. Junius B. Wheeler (Union forces).

“ Evergreen City Times, Sheboygan, May 28, 1864, p. 2/2 (no. 13/27 of note).

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