Dedication….i
Acknowledgements …..iii
Table of Contents …..v
Table of Illustrations, Maps and Photos …..xxi
Introduction …..xxiii
Prologue …..1
Encomium to Edward Chatfield - June 13, 1843 …..4
Chapter 1:  Escalation into War….. 9
"… to his mother's relief, he would wait until 1862 …"
Letter - May 26, 1860
Letter - [August 15, 1862 - date estimated]
Letter - August 21, 1862
Chapter 2:  Camp Hancock …..19
"I am as hearty as a buck, never felt better than I do now."
Letter - September 25, 1862
Letter - October 2, 1862
Diary - October 25, 1862
Diary - October 26, 1862
Diary - October 27, 1862
Letter - October 27, 1862
Diary - October 28, 1862
Diary - October 29, 1862
Diary - October 30, 1862
Diary - October 31, 1862
Diary - November 1, 1862
Diary - November 2, 1862
Diary - November 4, 1862
Chapter 3:  Real Soldiers Off to War …..27
"At daylight Sunday morn we heaved anchor and started on down the river."
Diary - November 6, 1862
Diary - November 8, 1862
Diary - November 10, 1862
Diary - November 11, 1862
Letter - [November 12 or 13, 1862 - date estimated]
Diary - November 12, 1862
Diary - November 13, 1862
Diary - November 16, 1862
Diary - November 17, 1862
Diary - November 18, 1862
Diary - November 19, 1862
Chapter 4:  The Central Mississippi Campaign …..33
"We are now truly in an enemies country…"
Diary - November 24, 1862
Diary - November 26, 1862
Letter - November 30, 1862
Diary - November 30, 1862
Diary - December 3, 1862
Diary - December 4, 1862
Letter - December 6, 1862
Diary - December 12, 1862
The December 12 Saga of the U.S.S. Cairo
Chapter 5:  To Vicksburg by Water …..47
"I have my gun cleaned, my knapsack packed,
and I'm ready to go."
Diary - December 13, 1862
Diary - December 14, 1862
Diary - December 17, 1862
Holly Springs, December 20, 1862
Diary - December 20, 1862
Diary - December 21, 1862
Diary - December 23, 1862
Diary - December 24, 1862
Diary - December 25, 1862
Diary - December 26, 1862
Chapter 6:  Battle of Chickasaw Bayou …..55
"Of all the horible things, war is the worst that can be thought of."
Diary - December 27, 1862
Diary - December 28, 1862
Diary - December 29, 1862
Diary - December 30, 1862
Diary - December 31, 1862
Letter - December 31, 1862
Diary - January 1, 1863
Diary - January 2, 1863
Diary - January 3, 1863

Chapter 7:  An Important Secret Mission …..63
"The fleet . . . landed just opposite the mouth of the
White River after dark."
Diary - January 4, 1863
Diary - January 5, 1863
Diary - January 6, 1863
Diary - January 7, 1863
Diary - January 8, 1863
Diary - January 9, 1863
Chapter 8:  The Battle of Arkansas Post …..69
"The ground fairly seemed to tremble."
Diary - January 10, 1863
Diary - January 11, 1863
Diary - January 12, 1863
Diary - January 13, 1863
Diary - January 14, 1863
Diary - January 15, 1863
Diary - January 16, 1863
Diary - January 17, 1863
Diary - January 18, 1863
Diary - January 19, 1863
Diary - January 20, 1863
Chapter 9: Changing the Course of a River
--and Possibly a War …..77
"Lincoln championed the strategy…"
Chapter 10:  Butler's Ditch…..81
"I saw the mighty wonder, Butler's Ditch, for the first time today. I think it will not amount to much."
Diary - January 21, 1863
Diary - January 22, 1863
Diary - January 24, 1863
Diary - January 25, 1863
Diary - January 26, 1863
Diary - January 27, 1863
Diary - January 28, 1863
Diary - January 29, 1863
Diary - January 30, 1863
Diary - January 31, 1863
Letter - January 31, 1863
Diary - February 1, 1863
Diary - February 2, 1863
Diary - February 3, 1863
Diary - February 4, 1863
Diary - February 5, 1863
Diary - February 6, 1863
Diary - February 7, 1863
Diary - February 8, 1863
Diary - February 9, 1863
Diary - February 10, 1863
Diary - February 11, 1863
Diary - February 12, 1863
Diary - February 13, 1863
Diary - February 14, 1863
Letter - February 14, 1863