The Portland daily press., 1862-11-29
Correspondence of the Press.
Letter from the Gulf Region.
CAMP PARAPET, NEAR New Or
LEANS, Nov. l3, 1862.


LEANS, Nov. 13, 1862
Editors Press I'm the last letter l wrote
you babe almost formal adieu to further
attempts at correspondence ofa public nature;
for 1t is simply impossible for one who does his
duty in the camp, to elaborate and adorn ma
terial from which he builds his newspaper fab
ric. His brain may tecm with thoughts thick
er than other times ever knew, and his heart
throb with emotions of hopelulness, or chill
with strange forebodings from and upon which
volumes might be spoken or written;
and yet, soldier can hardly be a con-
sistent and even letter writer. If upon
some genial sunshine day. he lives season of
philosophic turn, and his impressions and in
stincts assume the shape of opinions, and no
seeming premature drill-calls break the spell,
or, better still, he does not have TO mount
piebald and worn-out ani-mule and visit guard
posts, he may put such impressions and opin-
ions in form for others, and they be deemed
even valuable; but such seasons seldom come.
Nothing would please me better than to be
able to give you the current history this de-
partment is making, but / can only touch
lightly those things most prominent in the line
of observation.
As matter of "war news" the expedition of
Brigadier General Weitzel into the Opolousas
territory, west of the river, is the principal
Item. 1t Is success If, opening that rich
country to the trade of the world aud the dis
enthrallment of oppressed thousands is a sue
cess. A commission has already been created
that is to take inventories of all such property
as Is liable to confiscation, while the same sys-
tom of government adopted in the neighbor-
hood already occupied, is TO be carried thith-
er. The brigade is supposed to be strong
enough for all its present needs, though dare
not undertake to give details of its expected
movements, nor am prepared to furnish ac-
counts of the skirmishes with the enemy; but
will send you the city journal switch will do
this much better than l can do at this present
time. For some time, too, the occupation of
Galveston and surroundings has been in the
plan of the General commanding but whether
troops are to be spared from here at present
or not, is not yet settled. Ten thousand more
troops would enable this division TO achieve
more important results than the history of any
other department can probably show. We
have constantly heard that new troops were
coming but see no evidence of it in anything
around us. We are confident of our ability
to hold all we occupy, and whatever misgiv-
ings we have, are all concerning commands on
the northern and western frontiers. Our own
camp is eight miles above the city, well situa-
ted, and barring the mud which sticks to us
much closer than our postage currency, is de-
sirable enough. We can hold the line of for
tifcations, and the river can take care of it.
self. The prevailing ievers are on the decline,
and considering all things, we may be deemed
fortunate In our sanitary condition. Our brig
ade consists of our own regiment, the 4th Wis
consin, 2lst Indiana and two batteries, COM
manded by Col. Paine OF the Wisconsin, act
ing Brigadier General He is a splendid SOL
der and gentleman, and deserves to hold per-
manently the place he so admirably fills. 1t
will be remembered that ours is the First Brig
ade, and our regiment the right Of the line
"Bulty for the Tcelthro
Do you know we are getting out of patience
OfCi inc dblChNdub On TIE new MAINE
regiments-where three hundred dollars were
in some instances paid for ''able-bodied white
male citizens ?"-and we even hear that some
Of the officers have already got furloughs "to
spend few days with their families
wouldn't say thing unkind, or at all provo
catiye of comparisons, but we all think there
have been too many "sword presentations"
n. L
be remembered, that our soldiers got no boun-
ty, nor have the officers been paid one plea
yune for recruiting; and of the abundance
layished upon our new friends, it does seem
as though our soldiers who have braved the
dangers of years service and the malaria OF
southern swamps, might be remembered in
the distribution.l