Our men, with the exception of details that had gone to the front after the wounded, were now either aboard the transports or very near them.

Those who were not aboard soon got there, and the boats pushed off.

I was the only man of the National army between the rebels and our transports.

The captain of a boat that had just pushed out but had not started, recognized me and ordered the engineer not to start the engine; he then had a plank run out for me.
My horse seemed to take in the situation.

There was no path down the bank and every one acquainted with the Mississippi River knows that its banks, in a natural state, do not vary at any great angle from the perpendicular.