position of Island Number Ten was at the lower point of a
V-shaped bend in the Mississippi, with Federal forces at the two
upper points. But the Federal troops could not close on the
Confederates without crossing over to the east bank; and their
transports could not run the gauntlet like the ironclads. So the
Engineer Regiment of the West cut out a water road connecting the
two upper points of the V. This admirable feat of emergency field
engineering was effected by sawing through three miles of heavy
timber to the nearest bayou, whence a channel was cleared down to
New Madrid. Then the transports went through in perfect safety
and took Pope's advanced guard aboard. The ironclad Pittsburg had
come down, through another thunderstorm, this same morning of the
seventh; and when the island garrison saw their position
completely cut off they surrendered to Foote. Next day Pope's men
cut off the greater part of the Confederates on the mainland.
Thus fell the last point near Johnston's original line along the
southern borders of Missouri and Kentucky. Just before it fell
Johnston made a desperate counterattack from his new line at
Corinth, in northwest Mississippi, against Grant's encroaching
force at Shiloh, fifteen miles northeast, on the Tennessee River.

Writing "A. S. Johnston, 3d April, 62, en avant" on his pocket
map of Tennessee, the Confederate leader, anguished by the bitter
criticism with which his unavoidable retreat had been assailed,
cast the die for an immediate attack on Grant before slow Halleck
reinforced or ready Buell joined him. Johnston's lieutenants,
Beauregard and Bragg, had obtained ten days for reorganization;
and their commands were as ready as raw forces could be made in
an extreme emergency. They hoped to be joined by Van Dorn, whose
beaten army was working east from Pea Ridge. But on the second