New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-10-15
NUMBER 19l.
Letter from Virginia.
Spe I'll to The NV OIL, ans GreFran,I s1a 7.4. ~

and your numerous readers to be left somewhat in
tie dark as to the Whereabouts and doings Of t1e
Leutsianians in this part Of the world but I aia /
slad to announce to yDuobia almost entire Teeos-
cry, sufficiently &c, at all events TO daily ceamnni
cate any movement or incident Of importance |
"hch at any moment may interrapt our present |
camp fnonotony. In the meantime consider these
lines merely as connectng link from your" oc.
casionaf.n u" z [p ps575 t,,- fs7> &1
For several weeks encanped near CentrevlIe,
the brigade was at last fully organized and is
styled the Eighth OF Louisiana Brigade, composed
of the. Sixth Regiment Col. Seymour, Seventh
Col. Hays, Eighth, Col. Kelly, Ninth Col Taylor
First Special Battalion, Major Wheat, Lathan,s
Battery and South Carolina Battery, and a small
force of cavalry. etle whole commanded, by Cen.
Walker. His staff consists OF Major - Anderson,
well lknown officer Of the late United States, who
besides having the reputation Of an excellent sol
diera IS by far the best looking man have seen in
the army, and handles his charger with grace
which must be eseen to be admired Capt suzette,
volunteer aid likewise a gentleman of decided
military bearing: and last, bat not least, Capt.
Hartstene, the old popular commander OF the
steamship Falcon, and more recently OF - Reso-
Lutte fame. He forms capital contrast to his
I companions, as Il dryland sailor on horseback, but
is trump and no mistake. Major Davis, of New
Oreans-now Brigade Comulissary, is likewise at
tached to the Generals staff. Aa for Gen. Walker,
he has been described so often that it wonld be
folly for me to attempt it. All can say is, he is
TALL spare man, about forty-ive years of age,
heavy beard, with pair of eyes which, when
fixed at yon put you inVountarily in mind of bull
lets: when standing, IS as straight as an arrow:
when in saddle. he appears to have grown fast to
it, as aot the slightest sway to or fro can be OBJ
served at any time; his general appearance at
once stamps him soldier and General, and from
his eyes any common observer can CLEAN the gra-
tuitous information that be is ''soHle discipline
rian." I cannot but mention a little circumstance
in connection with this assertion. One of the com
manding officers of @he of the corps composing
the brigade had some trouble with nnruly soldier
in enforcing his commands and last resort palt
ed out his revolver and shot the man in the cheek
knocking several teeth out but not dangerously
wounding him. The officer, of course, reported the
occurrence to headquarters. where, presume, to
judge from the sequel his course was approved.
The affair created some talk, which, however was
brought hastily to a close by Communication read
to the brigade on dress parade, discipline,
alluaing t0the affair in most approving TERMS the
General, however, expressing his deep regret that
| the pistol was too small and the aim not high
| enough. This was rather consung to the one on
whom this patent dental operation was performed,
as well as bis sympathizers, was it not? No
| had the General taken command Of the Brigade
than every afternoon nearly the whole Brigade was
put through naneuyers and exercises as Brigade,
something which was entirely new not only to the
men but also to the officers. Youmay Imagine that
at first it came rather hard on the boys, and now
they even delight in it, as it is by far more inter-
esng than the State company drills, OF which they
are heartily tired. In this way matters went on
| until about ten days ago, when orders came TO
march, move camp and ALL In less than six hours
our old camp was desert, and cur new quarters
fully in order near Germantown, about mile to
the left of the road to Fairfax Courthouse. day
| or two of rainy weather prevented our arranging
| everything as well for the comfort Of the men as
| might have been desired, but now everything is
| in first rate style.
| On Saturday. the 2Sth orders were received for
the three regiments, battery OF six pieces and
squad ofcavalry to be ready to march at daylight
| the following Sunday morning. Day break eae1e,
| and SO did the General, and without knowing
Whereto, all heartily joued in the expedition. On
| they marched, unthit finally became apparent that
| this was not inaneuver or play. but something
| more serious, particularly as they went directly
| III the direction of the Potomac and the enemy.
! They finally halted at Dranesvile, a villas ge about
three miles from the Potomac, where they caTped
| over night. 0nthe following morning the General
ordered the battery and one regiment, the Seventh
| of course, farther ahead to point called Great
ltFalE. Hare ,tbty awaited the clearing aWayof the
heavy fog, and no sooner became Inc warehouse
| occupied by the Yankees on the other side visible
than the battery commenced pou.Ing into it red not
shot until it was quite demolished. The scene on
the other side is represented US udiCrOus in the
| treme, everybody running with clothes bundles,
some of them in the deepest n6ggG, Tor dear life.
nobody knowing who this unwecome early visitor
, might be- where he game from or ranytAlug else
| Having accomplished all he desired, the General
| ordered rs to march to Seneca Falls some
height where the Yankee camps could plainly be
seen. While on tho way, and when several miles
|
tlllery. commenced sheIling the woods where the
early morning visitor Was still supposed to be
gagged at breakfast, and continued in their destruC-
| tion of alnmunitions for some, time. Arrived in
full sight of the Yankee camps, the General held
| sort OF dress parade, put the whole regiment in
| line, marched them by the flank off the hill, and,
| fired q salute of one or two shots at the Yankees,
| and joined by the remainder of his command, re-
| turned to camp the same day. This, Of itself,
| would have been q very pleasant little excursion,
| but when taken in connection with the fact that
| there are more than twenty thousand Yankees in
| less than fifteen miles OF that vicinity, and that
| this small force on its way homeward passed as
| close as two miles distant body of ten Thousand
| Yankees, which, had they known it could have cut
if oil with ease, it assumes the characteristics OF
| one of those impromptu little exploits for which
| the General is proverbial, and to which he no
| doubt owes in great measure the comprehensive
cognomen," 8" Fighting Billy Walker" The officers
| and men OF the expedition behaved throughout
remarkably well, and seemed TO have satisfied the
Generals expectations entirely.
| On the following day grand review Of the
| troops around Fairfax, by President Davis Gen.
| Beauregard and other notabes, took place. The
Louisiana Brigade was spoken of by all in the
highest terms of praise and in tthe Seventh Regi-
ment holds, and will hold its place as the ne plus
| uN1G; the new uniform is now all here complete,
| and can assure you, to see one Thousand men all
| dressed alike, makes far different impression on
o spectator than. variety of coors, caps and
| hats, coats and Jackets and such like mixtures. |
| wish you were here to witness but one brigade
|
however to be understood by any means MS speak
| ing dsparagngy OF the other regiments, which ali
abound in excellent material and really drill re-
| mafkably well even the Ninth which suffered SO
greatly by sickness, is steadily recovering its nu
merica strength, and soon will have its full pro rata
| in ranks. Everybody expects fight. every one
| talks Of fight nobody knows when or where there
will be lig4t, and all can say IS, that the news
of the fights in Western Virginia, Missouri and the
news from Kentucky came ' music 10 our ears.'
The veteran, Col. Seymour, looks remarkably
well, he seems to be in his proper sphere at the
head OF his regiment greatly respected by all his
officers, he is really loved by the men.
Col. Hays enjoys better health than ever before
during the war; camp life seems to agree with
linn; he is proud OF his regiment and his regiment
of him. The thorough discipline Of the Seventh can
only be traced, first to the material Of which it is
| composed, and secondly, to the early inculcations
| by none more and with more effect than by Col.
| Hays Col. Kelly is OF course at home, takes mat
ters as matters OF course, and it is question of
doubt with some, whether or not he imagines him
self still the frontier actually realizes the fact
| Of being in Virginia. Whatever his imaginations
are do not kaow, but do know he is in the right
| place when called upon. Col. Taylor is still ut
the sprngs in rather delicale health, Lieut. Col.
| Randolph having charge of affairs Major Wheat
has formally taken command of his battalion, thay
ing been tOr several weeks in charge Of Col. De-.
| ChoseOl The Major looks well, ana says fight
| would surely cure him: his reception in camp was
| Ian ,i,,D Ipst itUtn nF and hpF tha