Reached the Coldwater River today and disembarked the troops for the purpose of cleaning the boat and giving the men an opportunity of cleaning themselves and washing their clothes. I had quite an adventure:—Got our horses off to exercise them a little, and while riding along the bank of the river I wanted to give my horse a drink; the water came over the banks, but I did not know it, and the horse having more sense than I had hesitated about going deeper in the water than he was, but I gave him the spur, and over he went into the river. We went down, but came up again, and I turned his head for the shore and tried to make him mount the bank, but it was too steep. I threw the reins over his head, threw myself off and swam ashore. I then tried to get him up on shore, but he could not get a foothold. I thought he would drown, when General Quimby came along in a yawl, and by his assistance and with ropes I got him out. It was a narrow escape for both, as the water was very swift and we were liable to get entangled in the brush.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
