The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-09-26
From the Vermont 9Th Regiment.
Murderous Attack by Guerillas.

To the Editor of The Caledonidn:
1t has become my duty to record wicked
and disastrous attack of guerillas upon por-
ton of the Sth Vermont, and wish to make
known the facts through your paper to the
friends of our regiment, and especially to the
relatives of the members comprising compa- |
mics E, Capt Hall, G, Capt Craig, and K. COM
handed by myself If you will examine the
map of Louisiana you will find there rail- |
road from this city to Berwick's Bay. At
BAYOU des Allemand, 30 miles from this sta
ton, was a fine bridge which had been des-
troyed BY the rebels, and SO far repaired by
our regiment as to allow the passing of trains
over it. In case an expedition should be
seut overland into Texas, this road would be
needed for transportation, and to secure
ready communication with headquarters. and
for several weeks companies E, G and X have
been stationed at this bridge to save it from
a second confagration. At Boutte-eight
miles this side of the Bayou and three from
tine Mississippi river-is small settlement
of rebel Union friends. 1t is the first wood
and water station from the city, and is most
ly surrounded with heavy forests, thrifty
weeds and bushes, ard fine patch of corn,
afFording splendid ambush for any force the
enemy might wish to conceal there. Since
the LIST Of September the contrabands have
frequently reported that a force of 700 Tex
ans were encamped about s miles from Bout
tie, upon one Of the river plantations, and We
had thought that an attack upon the up train
and our camp was among the possibilities.
Once. perhaps twice, force had been sent
down to meet the up train and render it such
protection as might be necessary, but no reb-
els had been seen.
On the morning of the Sd / went to this
station upon the train going to Algiers. to
load and send down there large number of
con6scated negroes, cattle and mules from
Gen Taylor's, Capt Rsnson's, (both active
rebel officers)and other adjoining plantations,
and to learn if possible whether this rebel
force was designing our capture. was
there full five hours, conversed with white
men and negroes from the river, and found
that no advance had been made for three
days.
The next morning, Sept 4, l was ordered
to detail 20 men from each of the three COM
panies, 10 men from the battery and gun,
and proceed to Boutte to look after the safe
ty of the coming train, to learn what could
respecting the rebels, and to gather in and
send off the balance of confscated property
there. My train consisted of two platform
cars forward of the engine and one open cat
tie car behind it. The gun and ID men were
upon the forward cars, ) upon the tender and
10 upon the rear car. got upon the engine
that might direct its movements, and order
ed the men 10 load their rifles, keep vigil
liant lookout, and to signal to me should any
thing wrong or unusual appear. As We APP
preached the settlement and going at very
slow rate, our best vision was insufficient to
detect rebels foot or head, and nothing but
smoke rising from the place where Indians
had been the day before, and two or three
horses tied at the grocery, indicated the pres
ence of any one, till within 30 rods of the
station, | discovered the wire and one pole to
be cut. While speaking of this to the engi-
neer signal gun was heard and in a mo-
ment the full volley of company came into
and about the engine and rear car, from our
right and rear, and another from our right
into my men upon the forward cars. Soon
as possible, l ordered the men to FIRE, fall
down and work as best they could. Finding
it impossible to retreat without losing every
man and the train, directed the engineer to
put on steam and carry US through if posi-
bic. These two volleys had killed three or
four, wounded more than half of the force,
and SO completely disabled the battery that
when Corporal Pierce handed the cartridge
there was not man left upon the car able
to drive it home. As we passed the shed
where they wood and water the train another
terrible shower of leaden hail was sent into
my thinned ranks, which completely swept
the cars and seemed to take every live man
had left. At the shed We were switched up
on side track, which is about 100 rods long
and connects with the main track at both
ends. Upon this was passenger car with
the breaks hard set, and upon it the rebel.
had also been careful to place road timbers,
expecting that if we ventured so far to see
US either thrown from the track by those tim
bers, or stopped upon it by that car. But
God directed otherwise. Somehow the tim
bers were knocked out of the way, and the
breaks were broken SO that We passed along
with but little injury to cars or speed. Sew
eral of the men who had jumped or were
thrown from the train ran along and got a.
board of the passenger car, and one, Lewis
J. ingalls,, seeing the switch so arranged that
we must be thrown from the main track ,leap-
ed off and adjusted it in season to run us out
Of and away from the trap they had supposed
We could not escape. They were close upon
US, and gave their best all along that run up
on that side track. Their object was to cap
ture both trains and tben .urnr;.a Oh. Damn