Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-09-26
FROM THE EIGHrH REGIMENT.
NEw ORIEANs. La. sent. o.

New ORLEANS, La, Sept 9.
For the last few days the principal items Of
interest are the several reconnoissances that
have be enmade up the river, one Of which re-
suited, / am sorry to say, in the loss Of sever
al Of the Union troops, through the chronic
disregard on'the part Of the rebels of the
saqctty Of flag Of truce.
Col. Thomas, of the Stb Vermont Nolun.
tecrs, commanding the force at Algiers, has
always kept d special train at thai place. and
another at Bayou dos Alcmands, ready for a
start at any moment. except at such times
when the regular trains ran without inter-
rup ion between the two places On We'd
nesday morning last the Colonel was notified
by one Of the captains quartered at Bayou
des Almands that an attempt had been made
by large force of guerrillas % turn his flank,
adding that there was no Immediate danger as
the rebels in that vicinity bad retreated. The
captain at the same time asked permission to
send some troops on pi.f g5m, car. with a
l2-p0under howitzer in ifont Of the engine, TO
protect themselves in the event of the up
train being attacked Col Thomas gave the
required permission adding that the captain
should be cautious and guard against falling
into an ambuscade.
Accordingly on the following day the cxpe-
diuon started, numbering go infantry, with
men sufficient 10 man the howtzer on the
platform car. Arrived at Boutoe's Station.
the train by some mismanagement got switch
ed oft on the wrong track in consequence Of
which 1t encountered a passenger train, with
which il came in collision, but without doing
any serious damage on either side. At that
moment number Of gucrrillas who had been
lying IN ambush, poured voIley Of musketry
into the military tram At this critical june
tune the captain in command, seeing that
something was wrong with the switch, and
that the train was in danger Of being run off
the track, ordered the engineer 90 push the
train through irrespective of the passenger
train. At the time when the danger Of a gem
eral smash up was imminent, cannonier cal.
led ingalls,, Of Company X, Sth Vermont Vol
unteers, jumped off the car and adjusted the
switch While performing this gallant act
he received a bullet, which went through his
neck He succeeded, however, in getting
safely back TO the car. ! saw him yesterday
walking about. just as II nothing was the
matter with him. His neck is still much
swollen but he is in a fair way towards re-
covery.
The men in charge Of the howitzer, how
ever, were not so fortunate. They were twelve
in number, and every one was either killed or
wounded The train kept on its way, driving
the passenger cars, to which it had been at
tached, ahead, until about a mile from where
the junction had been formed. it met the up
train, when the engine was reversed and the
united trains returned to headquarters at
Algiers. 1t was there found that Of the small
accommodating force sent out no fewer than
seven Of them were killed and twenty-seven
wounded-soveral Of the latter mortally
On arriving at Algiers intelligence of what
had transpred was sent to Gen. Butler. and
that night gunboat was ser up the river.
Col. Mcmillan, of the 2lst -ibdiana Volun-
teers, with a strong force a,d q section OF
artillery, was also sent up CARLY on Friday
morning Two -pounders were put on
platform cars in front, followed by eight open
cars, loaded with infantry, in front of the en-
gines.
A number of platform cars that had come
down the day before were in the rear II was
intended that force under Col Thomas Of
the Eighth Vermont Volunteers should effect
a junction with the Indiana Regiment, and
that the united forces should corporate to-
gether But such was not to be. When 3
miles from Boutua tAe train came in collision
with an OK, thruNing of the most of the cars,
causing general smash up. Seven soldiers
We're severely wounded and three died the
same day. A number of others we're injured.
On hearing Of the disaster Col. Thomas
sent dispatch to Carrolton stating the i'm
possibility Of ais cooperating with Col. Nc
MILAN, as was previously agreed upon. The
consequence was the force disembarked and
marched to Algiers, II miles distant. In the
meantime Col Mcmillan, as agreed, had arrived
at Boutoe Station in the afternoon. lie there
found five wounded Union soldiers, whom he
took with him, and returned to Carrolton the
same day. The whole affair was submitted
to Gen. Butler, who did not think it advisable
to send the force back just at that time.