wanted to see me. I bade General Smith adieu, and was at once with Generals Buell and Nelson. A small steamer was approaching the landing from below and was soon to proceed up the river. The remainder of the officers and men had returned from the swamp without success, but a large, fine-looking Tennessean, who professes to be a strong Union man and a desperate hater of rebels, is with the two generals. He says he knows every pass through the swamp; that he can conduct the infantry to the battle-field, but that wagons and artillery cannot get through the deep mud. It is about noon. General Buell orders General Nelson to march through the swamp if the boats do not soon appear in sight. General Buell and staff take passage on the steamer and start up the river for Pittsburg Landing. General Nelson orders me to my camp, to have my command formed ready to march either by boat or by land. About 1 p. m. an officer came with the guide and orders from General Nelson to march through the swamp, as no boats were in sight. The column being ready the forward is sounded; the march is commenced along a ridge. The teams, artillery, and guard are left in camp. General Nelson goes to start the other brigades of his division. The Tenth Brigade marches at a good rate, on a dry road at the beginning, to the music of the cannons' roar. On we go; the battle is evidently nearer, and we imagine the sound of small-arms can at times be heard. Three miles of good road on the ridge and our fine-looking guide leads down into the black-mud swamp, and consoles us by saying there are only about 5 miles more of it to the Landing. On the men march through the mud; cross a log bridge across a ditch full of water (bridge fastened down), to get into mud again. Our guide leads through a forest; no improvements. If there is a road, the subsiding waters leave but indistinct traces. The roar of cannon continues; the volleys of musketry can be distinguished. The men appear cool, yet marched a good rate through the mud; appear anxious to meet the foe. The Thirty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Colonel W. Grose, is in front. This regiment had not been under fire; has not seen much service. The Sixth Ohio, Lieutenant Colonel N. L. Anderson, is next; has seen more service than the Thirty-sixth, but has not been under fire as a regiment, although has had skirmishes, &c. The Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel F. C. Jones, brings up the rear. This regiment has been under severe fire several times; behaved well, but does not appear as anxious as the other regiments to get into a fight. In spite of the mud and water we are making our way through the dense forest. General Nelson comes dashing along, followed by his staff and escort. Says to me, "I will take your guide; hurry on; you can follow our trail." A hundred horsemen moving rapidly by twos over such ground left a trail that we had no difficulty in following. Heavy as the marching is the men do their best to hurry on; no stop at the end of the hour; no lagging behind; all the men are eager to comply with the wish of their brave, impetuous general; rough at times, but always takes good care of the men under his command, and they have full confidence in his skill to direct their movements in battle, and to extricate them, if necessary, in good order, &c. The sound of the guns is more distinct; imagination hears the shout of the combatants; the field of strife is much nearer. Some distance in front of the head of the column a courier at full speed meets, halts, and says, "Colonel Ammen, the general sends his compliments, to hurry up or all will be lost; the enemy is driving our men." "How far to the river?" "A mile and a half or two miles." "Return, and tell the general we are coming as fast as possible." I ordered my