Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-07-18
cned down a little. After landing, we

of those great cotton presses and then
moved to the Mechanics Institute which
we found to be quite comfortable quarters,
and on the twenty third of May we were
ordered (that is, three companies of u.s.
to the 4th District, to do police duty while
the city police were undergoing regen-
Grafton, which was accomplished in the
course of week, and we returned to our
old quarters. This was on Saturday, the
3lst, and Sunday, June lst we were Or
dered to Algiers, opposite, where are our
headquarters for the present. There is a
Railroad called the n O., Opelouses &
Great Western, which runs from here to
Berwick Bay, and Col. Miller of the 2lst
INDIANA Regt., who occupied this point
before us, had taken possession of the
road and the two Lieuts. who had charge
of the trains were taken prisoners and
have not been heard from since. On TAX
ing the road there was one compay sent
to Lafourche, SO miles from this point,
where on the 10th of June we were sent
with three companies, and remained till
the 18th and were ordered back to AL
giers, leaving Co. H at Desallmands, 32
miles. They remained there till Sunday,
the ed, and then as the train was pro-
ceeding slowly with about 80 of the CON-
pany on board, some miles from here,
they were fired into by party lying in
ambush and 5 men were killed and s
wounded. The train with the wounded
and two of the dead was sent immediate
ly to Algiers, Qcaving dead on the track, }
when 8 companies, A, /, and Il were or
dored up to relieve Co. H. 1t is low
sunken plain with very bad water, and
plenty of mosquitoes. We supposed when
we came here that we were to advance at
once, and a battery was ordered to sup
port us, but the order was countermanded
by Gen. Butler, and, as we understand,
we are to hold this place till after the
fall of Vicksburgh, when we are to have
some gun boats to operate in the bayou
in conjunction with us.
When we were at Lafourche we had a
pretty good chance to try the temper Of
our men three times Our pickets were
driven in, and at one time they reported
five hundred men close upon us, and the
officers believed it and told them so, but
every man marched out as bold as a lion,
and was surprised to see how cool they
took it. One fellow of Co. A, by the
name of Geo. E. Midget, just after the
line was formed, told the Capt. that he
thought he had better pass along the
beans while we were waiting, as we had
some cooked for breakfast, while others
were discussing the merits of the cook, &c.
feel free to say that Co. A is known
wherever they 60 and none question their
pluck. have seen a good deal written
in relation to our fare, which cannot en-.
dorse, and | would say that it is as good
as | expected to find it, and that he that
goes into the army without meeting with
hardships and privations will be very
sure to be disappointed. In moving
about from place to place, we suffer the
most, as it takes some time always to gel
things to going. / have had some curl
GUS questions asked me in relation t.
these things, from time to time. One la
dy, only few days age, that lives about
IL miles from your place, wrote to know
if | was out of money. She said she haC
not drawn any of the allotted money, bu
if | was in need she could raise some fol-
me. Now | think the friends at HON,
have too much trouble about us. w,
have always plenty of beef and porl
and hard bread, generally of the bes
quality.
Two Of the wounded in the train tn,
other day were both Lieuts. in Co. H, ant
were thought to be mortally wounded a
first, but hopes are now entertained o
their recovery. Yours Truly,
LIEUT.. MCFARLAND.