ned Smithland at the mouth of the
Cumberland. Grant suggested the feasibility of capturing Columbus, and
on September 10th asked permission to make the attempt. No notice was
taken of the request. His command was, however, continually reinforced
by new regiments, and he found occupation in organizing and disciplining
them. General Polk meanwhile was busy fortifying Columbus, where the
river-bank rises to a high bluff, until the bluff was faced and crowned
with massive earthworks, armed with one hundred and forty-two pieces of
artillery, mostly thirty-two and sixty-four pounders. At the same time
heavy defensive works commanding the river were erected below at Island
No. Ten and New Madrid, and still farther below, but above Memphis, at
Fort Pillow.

On November 1st, General Fremont being on his expedition to Springfield,
his adjutant in charge of headquarters at St. Louis directed General
Grant to make demonstrations on both sides of the Mississippi at
Norfolk, Charleston, and Blandville, points a few miles north of
Columbus and Belmont. Next day he advised Grant that Jeff. Thompson was
at Indian Ford of the St. Francois River, twenty-five miles below
Greenville, with about three thousand men, and that Colonel Carlin had
started from Pilot Knob in pursuit, and directing Grant to send a force
to assist Carlin in driving Thompson into Arkansas. On the night of the
3d, Grant despatched Colonel Oglesby with 3,000 men from Commerce to
carry out this order. On the 5th, Grant was further advised by telegraph
that General Polk, who commanded at Columbus, was sending reinforcements
to Price, and that it was of vital importance that this movement should
be arrested. General Grant at once sent an additional regiment to
Oglesby, with directions to him to turn his course to the river in the
direction of New Madrid; requested General C. F. Smith to make a
demonstration from Paducah toward Columbus; and also sent parties from
Bird's Point and Fort Holt to move down both sides of the river, so as
to attract attention from Columbus.

On the evening of the 6th, General Grant started down the river on
transports with five regiments of infantry, the Twenty-second,
Twenty-seventh, Thirtieth, and Thirty-first Illinois, and the Seventh
Iowa, Taylor's Chicago battery, and two companies of cavalry. The
Twenty-seventh, Thirtieth, and Thirty-first Illinois were made into a
brigade commanded by General John A. McClernand; the Twenty-second
Illin