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would do the rest unfortunately the
point selected was above the angle at
which the current struck the shore and
the project failed. This discouraging
circumstance, the labor it entailed and
the exposure endured, coupled with the
unfavorable situation of the camps & had
a serriously depressing effect and subjected
the men to every disease known to medical
science. The most alarming "epidemic"
however was from another cause, and came
to be known as Emancipation fever. A Major
and fifty men so afflicted left one of the Illinois
regiment in a body. The victims of the other
maladies were buried in the levee the only
place where a dry grave could be secured
and thousands of the best men of the Army of
the Tennessee found an honorable burial along
side of the great Father mother of nations. The history
of the deserters interested us no more.

As an accredited artist for Frank Leslie's
Illustrated newspaper, I was able to
contribute a sketch now and then. I had
forwarded an illustrated account of the
battle of Arkansas Post. The papers arriving
about this time brought me into notice
which I mention as the sequel to the incident I am about
to relate would indicate