The guns of the enemy and the report of being surrounded, brought officers and men completely under control.

At first some of the officers seemed to think that to be surrounded was to be placed in a hopeless position, where there was nothing to do but surrender.

But when I announced that we had cut our way in and could cut our way out just as well, it seemed a new revelation to officers and soldiers.

They formed line rapidly and we started back to our boats, with the men deployed as skirmishers as they had been on entering camp.
The enemy was soon encountered, but his resistance this time was feeble.
Again the Confederates sought shelter under the river banks.

We could not stop, however, to pick them up, because the troops we had seen crossing the river had debarked by this time and were nearer our transports than we were.