Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-23
AlistelIanp.
tOur War Correspondence
From the 7th Vermont Regiment.
BATON ROUGE, Ia, Aug. 10, II

bhlON INOJHEi Id.J aug. lJj loOAs
FRIEND WILLARD Il think promised when
left Montpelier, that if anything worthy Of note
occurred in relation to the 7th VI. Reglm ent, !
would keep you posted in regard to it. Most Of
your readers presume, have fewer acquaintance
in this regiment than any other that has left Yer
mont, owing to the fact that all the members are
from distant parts Of the State with the exception
ofthe Mortified Co.. but as they are all Vermont
ers d few words may not prove uninterestlDg.
About the middle Of June they received orders
to proceed up the river from Camp PanpeI, some
miles above New Orleans, without tents or bag
gage to Vicksburgh or opposite that place. They
were put with other regiments 10 digging canal
IN order TO turn the course Of the rlyer so that
Vicksburgh would be left out one side, and our
vessels could pass outside the range Of their guns,
but the river falling SO rapidly, me enterprise was
postponed ton 'he present. During their stay 81
shat place. they were subjected 70 lne seyerest hard
ships of q soldier, lite, without rents or any COM
forts whatever They remained 10 that swiupy re-
gon, exposed TO a the diseases prevalent 10 those
low marshes on tie Mississippi until hardly one
fifth o. lhc men ecre able % do duty, 10 this
condition the, returned 10 Bl'on Rouge, lhe
29h Of JuN. and sent nlo camp Iua VERY healthy
location iu tAe eastern out.kirl. ID the CITY, 10
short time thlfe wa, decided improvement IN
thc Appearance " the regiment.
might relate one sad incident tnit occurred
previous 20 the departure from Ncksburgh, show
lng Tie utter van, oi principle and total disregard
Of al. feelings oi humanity, with which bs wicked
var IS vaged on the part Of the Coniedemtes,
and resulting 10 the death of one q ,he finest
officers ID the regiment, J.. d. Brooks Of
the Saaulon Co. Capt. Brooks 10 company with
seyert others officers and ptvates, had charge Of
large squad OF negroes, who had been working
10 toe canal, aud was on the humane mission o.
returning them safely 10 their osner,. The reb-
e., in The meantime, had passed down on The OPP
po,te side Of the river and erected small masked
battery on the shore and there laid 10 ambush
awaiting the approach Of the transport. They
were very cautious however, not 20 fire upon her
AS .he passed down the river, lest, perchance they
might destroy some Of their own property, which
they were all so over sensitive about They
waited I'LL the boat returned 10 the dead ol night,
and then opened murderous fire upon the de.
fencsess craft that had Just been doing them a
Kindness The officers on board Immediately ex.
tingushed all lights and fortunately but one cas-.
uaty occurred II was not known for some hall
an hour that any one was injured, II being very
DARK, but finally Capt. Brooks vas found with bis
cody nsarly severed oy a cannon bail that passed
through the cabin. Such barbarous acts can
hardly fail to rebound with Sithering condemna-
ton upon the heads Of the nstgators.
The regiments had hardly been in camp at thi:
place four days, when information, through seces'
SION sources. was conveyed to General John t.
breckenridge, at Camp Moore, that the troop
were al prostmted by sickness, and that the cap
ture OF the place would be an easy task. Accord
ingy be collected his forces some seven or eight
thousand men, and decided TO make the attack on
the morning OF the 9TH Of August
h order 20 make bis victory doubly sure, Ih'
celebrated rebel ram .irkapsds that YOU hay,
al! heard SO much about that passed our fleet a
Nck,burgh uuh4rmed, aud was the terror OF "a,
Union men this SIDE OF Memphis was TO oom'
down and engage our fleet, while Brecknrdg'
was to altAck To- the rear The plan was admir-
ah.y arranged, and SO confident was the rebe
General Of success, that the day previous TO ih
attack be- made d speech 20 ms soldiers Satn;
thltme Yankees we've all SICK, and that all tha
would be necessary would be 10 hre voiey
make one charge, anu the day would be theirs
H. also stated that the band would play In
Bonnie Blue Flag from the dome ct the optic
at noon The next day. lh> | learned from
reoel prisoner
~ the monster ram made It's appearance aooy
The town, all eyes were turned in that direcuo
and many a cheek grew pale. But, aas tn
hand OF Providence seemed uplitted against the
netorous schemes The ram was suddenl
aground, and all efforts to exlricale i,sei were VI
awiling. Our gun-boals taking advantage OF IN
occasion, opened their batteries upon her. In
crew, in order TO avoid her falling into our hand
set her on ire made tor the shore in small boa
and escaped. ln short time the fire reached tn
magazine and terrific explosion ensued, and Il
great rebel ram Arkansas was no more, and, liz
the Merrimac, it only lives in history. In ii
meantime, and previous to the above transaction
there had been a fierce contest going on betwee
the and forces, Our picketS were driven in abo'
three o'clock A. NJ. The rebels took position
a graveyard and corn6ed adjoining and con
menced the attack at daylight.
Ii is useless to deny the fact that they iougl
with great bravery and courage, especially Il
3O,h Louisiana Regiment, which was compos,
largely of citizens from Baton Rouge and yicinit
who felt they we're fighting for their homes al
families; but they were met with equal determl
alton and yalor by our own brave troops. Ihr
times the attempt was made to take certain ba
ter, By charge. They would advance with unil
terng step, as it were into the very jaws OF deaf
and when at the right distance, the battery wou
open upon them with canister with deadly etfec
in moment the ihinned ranks would be aga
filled, and again they would push ON for the pril
bu, only to meet with the same fate as befoI
After the third charge they broke, leaving I
ground covered With their dead and dying. Tn
succeeded, however, in killing nearly all the hors
attached to the battery some forty or fifty
number, aud several of the men. The bait