, 1862-06-04
A CHICAGO. BOY IN NEW Or
Arrival of the 9th Mich.
gan Regiment in the
Crescent City.
INTERESTING DETAILS: or THEIR
PASSAGE.
The Federal Troops among the
Inhabitants.
.:-
Suffering and Scarcity among
the Citizens. 4:

HEADqUARTERs 6rH MICHIGAN REG1.l .
HEKT. e. s. BRANCH MINr BUILDING,
NEW ORLEANS. La, May 7, 1862.
Our regiment arrived here On the Sd
inst, after q most tedious passage Of sew
entcen days, from Ship Island. will leave
detail Of suffering while on board, only
reminding you that there: were 5000
souls crowded On one ship. wish could
give you graphic description of the many
novel sights which greeted our sea-weary eyes
during our trip up the river. Everything was
new to Us. The rank tropical luxuriance Of
the vegetable products, the number and Tari-
ETY. Of the birds, the strange landscapes Of
mingled land and water, with numberless and
nameless other combinations Of nrt and ma
ture, all united to render our passage in the
highest sense gratifying. But all the gorgeous
scenery only served to in1ame our minds and
keep our imaginations at fever heat until the
chief objects Of interest, viz: Forts Jackson
and st. Philip doomed up in the distance.
The Sun was just sinking into the Gull, which
was separated from US by only a narrow strip
Of lew ground, as We steamed past the two
works within rife shot Of the guns Of either.
Our hearts were swelling with deep emotion
as We contemplated the scene, fraught as 1t
WAS, with SO many reflections and associations
Of noble daring, sublime martyrdom and glo-
rious triumph, How could they pass? was
the question continually breaking from the
wondering and awe-stricken beho1ders. The
! exploit does seem almost miraculous to an
observer from the river while looking up at
the frowning battlements crowned by a hun
| dred cannon which raked the stream up and
down for upwards Of mile. It Was proVi-
Dental, say all. But some irreyerently insinu-
through by daylight. The nature Of the
ground prevents Improvements below the
forts, but the huts Of fishermen and pilots are
scattered at distant intervals along the bank,
frequently surrounded By water, and only ap
proachahle by boats. Above the forts p1anta
1ions begin to appear, and increase in mum
Der and richness as nc neared the city. They
are mostly sngur plantations. Upon some {
great number Of blacks are kept as appear;
from the long roWs OF huts where they live
For seyenty-tiye miles below the city the Mis-
I sissippi is kept from oyerruuning the coun
try by artlGei1 breakwateTs. The broad acres
beautiful old style residences, nearly hiddeI
by copses Of orange and the taller cypress
relieved by the White-blossomed magnolia
| Ill tl1b uuflt a1tu COIlD4uAt1U4 VI QCA0
ty and opulence sleeps TRANQUILITY 70
many feet below the surface Of the might.
! stream, whose majestic volume rushes o.
seemingly able but not ac,Uing to oVerleap tn
| narrow border, and transform the matches
| bcauty'!of the landscape to scene OF Wrecl
and desolation. On or very near the spot
which jackson gained his famous victory owe
the enemies OF his country, the rebels hay
/ thrown up somewhnt formidable earth
, work; but it would have vanished like del
l ! before morning sun bad it not been fol
= saken By the enemy before our gunboats aI
| peared. am interrupted in my writing b
!, the arrival Of q mail, but alas no letter fo
me! Well, Tar has hardships. But mu:
r hasten on TO the city. AS We passed up th
3 river the skeletons Of burned steamers an
tleet ncated the city, they we're set on FIRE b
| the people, many Of them loaded with cottol
As They sunk below the surface, the peop
would shout in exul;ation, "Ah! Ha! "
rs hare baficd yc1 You want to. steal our co
!. ton" Among the many delusions Of the'
o1 people this is prominent, viz: that our moti1
= in visiting the city is plunder.
}. As we ncared Tie wharf our bands peal<
out the anthems oi that government who
representatives we we're, and for whose s
T. The first Michigan trooos who tread the SC
of Louisiana were detachment of compa1
ct G, under the command # lieutenant Sta
4 y aided b Your humble hum A AeoTespondent. =
"a crowd which had collected; Int from whn
stony lips not syllable Of welcome had com
nd not single waving handkerchief. not q g.
ture Of greeting in Ill that grim sea Of hums
ity. Stark led the way and took command
nd half the men; the other Ealf We dr.
up in single file on the edge Of
nm dock; brought the men to an arm
= port, and moved slowly upon the silent,
= fuctant, yet receding crowd. We made =
for the regiment and they came in she
loaded their guns with ball, and took up
liae Of march for their commodious quart
in the house built BY our government,
which has OF late been converted to the use
the rebels. There are about 5,
Union troops here, besides corps Of Ere
zet citizens who aid in keeping the city gu
But have no doubt that ID the event OF
Gus attack, they would aid the rebels. All {
zens must be at home after nine ?. N.
Is. places Of business are closed. Tie wol
are .admonished to keep In doors. In
K. the whole city wears Eubdued and silent
pect. Despite, however, the great shoQ
- mourning, our coming will be great bl
Ing to the poor. The present prices arc c
:,ans and must soon have brought on T
tition of the famous bread mobs Of z
, =, | Flour So5 per bar1el; potatoes 81 per bus
I'll Our future is unknown, but all seems TX
well with the cause.