consin, a noble and brave officer, afterwards with the
Thirteenth Connecticut. The Twenty-sixth Maine and One-Hundred and
Fifty-ninth New York, under Colonel H. W. Birge, of the Thirteenth
Connecticut, as Brigade Commander, an officer of rare ability and
bravery and a disciplinarian of the best stamp. Under his command the
Twenty-fifth served during its entire term of service. He led them in
many battles and marches and while he was strictness personified, he
was so magnanimous, brave, reasonable and such a thorough soldier, that
the men worshiped him and would follow him into the face of any fire.
Now that he is gone they revere his memory.

The first work of the regiment was on the advance on Port Hudson, March
10, 1863, when Colonel Bissell, in command of his own regiment, two
detachments of cavalry and a regular army battery, occupied Bayou
Montesano, constructed earthworks and built a bridge across Bayou Sara.
This bridge was designed by Sergeant William Webster of Company I,
after a West Point engineer had despaired of the job. The regiment was
seven miles in advance of the rest of the army and in a very exposed
and dangerous position. This position they held under a frequently
severe fire till the remainder of the army came up when they joined the
column and went on to Port Hudson. They were in the front of the land
forces when Farragut sailed by the forts in the Flagship Hartford. From
the banks of the river the Twenty-fifth witnessed this grand
bombardment and the burning of the frigate Mississippi in the night.

When the object of the expedition had been accomplished (to use the
words of General Banks' order), the regiment returned to Baton Rouge,
passing a wet and dreary night in Camp Misery, a night which will never
be forgotten, nor will any one ever forget the noble act of
Quartermaster John S. Ives, who rode his tired horse several miles to
Baton Rouge and brought out to the men coffee, which they managed to
prepare over small fires and which no doubt saved many a man's life.
After a short stay at Baton Rouge, the army made another advance on the
west bank of the Mississippi, starting March 28th, 1863, marching with
frequent skirmishes, sailing up the Atchafalaya bayou and landing at
Irish Bend, where the regiment engaged in its first real battle, April
14th, 1863. The severity of this battle may be judged of as we read in
the Adjutant-general's report: "Our loss, as you will see from the
accompanying re