New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-04-07
The Crescent Regiment.
From d Private Letter ~ s
Il GANr cREscEsr, NEAR GRAsD J5ScTIos, Ts

From Private Letter
eNr eHfses ssAn aHAsD s 'Mssas' is gsss
* It is now s o'clock r. M., and the cares
III tie day are over. With my half Of candle stuck
lii candIe-stick, with one arm leaning on a pile
of blankets, am lying down IN my tent and
huririedly scribblng 4 few lines to you. We had
avery pleasant trip to our camp, which IS delight
fully situated on gentle slope, some three miles
/ from Grand Junction. 9ss-s5.
was very glad when We were through with
bidding good. bye when we left home, for it was
sad to 60 in spite of the urgent call for aid from
our brave chieftain to come to him. Nowwe have
The satisfaction Of knowing that this sthe rstreg
iment that came to his aid since his call from Mis-
sissippi or Louisiana.
We were camped at Canton for several hours on
Sunday, while we waited for the train ON the Mis-
sissippi Central. The people were far more hos
ptable than from the description of the
newspapers. agined much Interest," was taken
i'm the movements Of volunteers, but when you see
every woman and child - mean every one-and
every man and niger wave you on with handker-
chief or cap, even when they are a quarter Of a
mile from the track, and when you see people set
out everything they have cooked upon the gallery,
and ask thirty or forty men, soldiers, to take hold,
and have dozen invitations sent to you by
strange, temporary neighbors to come to dinner,
and that . fae one you afterwards find, you are
bound to be elated, and move to your duty with a
light heart. Such has been my experience.
am convinced that there are some Federal
families mi this part Of Tennessee. This place and
vicinity is under q grade of martial law We have
plenty to eat, and that of good quality. = =
at D. o'clock P. III. . few days after our arrival.
That march was hard one. II was about three
miles, through deep. mud "a, narrow way through
oak woods and we were under very heavy KNAPP
sacks. We arrived about 1 O'Clock a. NJ at
which hour the night air was cold, We sheltered
the company under the depot gallery. A poor
shelter 1t was, and feared the men would catch
such colds as would induce pneumonia. /, With
two, men, were kept hard at work until broad day
Light in getting the tents and baggage together
the train. Just as we were about to start--about
8 o'clock of this said morning "a squad of fifteen
recruits arrived from New Orleans, and we were
all hurried into cattle and open cars and started
for Bethel. On the way the order,to go to b,
on the Tennessee river, WasSeountermanded, and
We were stopped at gorinth, Miss, where we ar
rived at midnight in therain, andit rained all the
way there. It was hard for those who were in the
two open cars. When morning came we found
our train eighth of mile from the town, with
an impossible brook between, almost out of food
and very hungry. 1t was far along in the day
before we were run into town, and when there we
were aset Of seekers for food, where but little was
TO be had. The town was lively with troops which
had just arrived. While We were there three reg
had all
scrambling for something to eat. The main hotel
Of the piaee--the Tishemingo had fed 900 men,
and was thus eaten out. party Of five Of US
went about half mile ont, and got some beef and
eggs at little eating house. The eggs costseventy
cents per dozen. Many Of the men went out
further, to houses that indicated q more wealthy
owner, where they were fed and were not permit.
ted to pay for it. Mississippians are whole-souled
We staid at miserable, old, dirty ten.pin alley
that night, and were called up, with the greatest
caution and stiffness enjoined, at o'clock in the
morning, to go by companies to get caps and cart
ridges. AT this time the Yankees were moving to-
wards US, but, hearing of our reinforcements they
Il We went out to camp "a half mile from Corinth,
the next morning. This was named Camp Smith,
and we worked very hard there for three or four
days to clear the ground, for we dug up large oak
trees by the roots and rolled them off Of the
ground Just as We had thus made a fnc parade
ground we were called to leave it; for at midnight
We were ordered to strike tents, take two days
rations and march toward the Tennessee river. +
mad not been in bed, as had an intimation from
superior officers that marching orders would come
! ihe Wild, martial music Of the drum and bngle
soaading the assembly, OF once filed the camp
Y wan llle and busy preparation. Iness than an
Aonr VIC were on the march. When first the order
came, Noticed thrsatening clouds rising and be-
fore our front company had gone a half mile, the
frst warning drops came. Immediately the order
came to eight about, march, and then The donble
quick M arch, and we hurried back to our few -.
naming tents, for we were not allowed to take mi
t@o.thirds of them with as. The night was VERY
DARK, and we were alternately blinded and lighted
BY the vivid lightning In the words of another, ii
was & grand, gloomy and peculiar Fortunately,
we arrived at onr few remaining TENTS which had
been lett ia charge Of gnatd, just as the rain be.
gan . The loaded we CONS were left standing