But there is never any danger of erring on the side of secrecy, in a military department; and I resolved to avoid all undue publicity for our plans, by not finally deciding on any until we should get outside the bar.

This was happily approved by my superior officers, Major-General Hunter and Brigadier-General Saxton; and I was accordingly permitted to take three steamers, with four hundred and sixty-two officers and men, and two or three invited guests, and go down the coast on my own responsibility.

We were, in short, to win our spurs; and if, as among the Araucanians, our spurs were made of lumber, so much the better.

The whole history of the Department of the South had been defined as "a military picnic," and now we were to take our share of the entertainment.
It seemed a pleasant share, when, after the usual vexations and delays, we found ourselves (January 23, 1863) gliding down the full waters of Beaufort River, the three vessels having sailed at different hours, with orders to rendezvous at St.Simon's Island, on the coast of Georgia.
Until then, the flagship, so to speak, was to be the "Ben De Ford," Captain Hallet,--this being by far the largest vessel, and carrying most of the men.

Major Strong was in command upon the "John Adams," an army gunboat, carrying a thirty-pound Parrott gun, two ten-pound Parrotts, and an eight-inch howitzer.