CONTINUING TOWARD ARKANSAS POST

On this day, Pvt. Newt Gorsuch tells us that troops of the 16th Ohio, apparently tied up on shore in the early morning, captured six mules and a wagon load of provisions meant for the Rebel army. He adds that the flotilla, or at least his ship, started north on the river in the morning until 10:00am when it stopped to take on wood. They resumed their northerly course on the Mississippi River at noon and continued until after dark. They again stopped on shore and worked all night taking on wood for fuel.

It is not known how far the ships travelled that evening so the web author will take the liberty of estimating their distance.

* Some information from Civil War Diaries and Selected Letters of Robert Newton Gorsuch, a private in Company B, 16th OVI, recently published in book form by Newt Gorsuch's great grandson, Everett Gorsuch Smith, Jr. The book is available for purchase from various Internet sources.

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Modern day map of the 16th Ohio's journey north on the Mississippi River toward Arkansas Post, Arkansas (positions approximated):

Green pin - Millken's Bend, Louisiana, on the Mississippi River, where Sherman's flotilla reach and docked on the night of January 2, 1863
Aqua pin -Notional point where Sherman's flotilla reached on the night of January 3, 1863
Purple pin - Notional point where Sherman's flotilla reached on the night of January 4, 1863
Yellow pin - Notional point where Sherman's flotilla reached on the night of January 5, 1863
Blue pin - Notional point where Sherman's flotilla reached on the night of January 6, 1863
Lavender pushpin - Site of Arkansas Post or Fort Hindman, Arkansas, a Confederate stronghold and Gen. McClernand's destination