The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-11-06
CAMP WILLIAMS, Occupied by
9Th Rect Mich. Vol. Oct. 18th. lS6

Mr.. EDITOR This Camp is won
derful place, situated on what is called
Metaine ridge; back of the city of New
Orleans toward Lake Ponchartran.
One acquainted with the nature of this
country would expect to find here
some sort of elevation in the surface,
but with the exception of the levee,
between which flows the Mississippi,
in high water several feet above the
level, any land hereabouts, there is
nothing like rise of any kind in the
surface of the earth, it is all one vast
swamp, one continuous quagmire,
generally overgrown with thick for
est of live oak and cypress, beneath
which fourisher every kind of briar,
brake and cane. There is such a laby
rinth of bayous that it is uncertain
what is island and what is mainland.
The high water every years before the
levees were built, flooded so much of
the country SO many months that it
might be said to belong under water as
much as above water. The work of
creation is incomplete. The washing
Of the river diffused over the land by
annual inundation would, in the course
of time, have made habitable region,
but men have audaciously interfered
with the work of creation, and have
been punished for their inpiety, as is
shown by the great crescent Of grave
yards hemming in the city. The earth
refuses to receive the dead who die
trespassing here. Kennels of brick
and stone, shipped from distant parts.
are built and i'm there the coffirs are
set up several feet above the mud,
when this expense is impossible the
dead are simply sunk in the mire and
this is called burial. Notadrop of water
fit 10 drink except rain water was ever
seen here; the inhabitants cannot make
cisterns or wells on account of the un
certain nature Of the ground, and eve
~ house has tall vat into which the
water is conducted. The air is seldom
stirred by wind and is always full of
the steam or stencil which the hot sun
causes to arise. Such is the volume
of their poisonous exhelation that a
clear sky is almost unknown. Water
taken from the bayou near our camp is
covered, after boiling, with a thich
scum, resembling the venom Of rattle
snake yet the means of getting rain
water or even river water are So difficult
that this bayou water is the water our
regiment have to use for cooking some.
times, even, for drinking. Fish that
come from the lake into these bayous
generally die before they can get back.
Even the shark cannot endure the black
juices which the sun here boils ont of
the swamp, of which the alligator and
and the Cotton-mouthed snake are the
only proper inhabitants. The singing
of birds is never heard, but there is a
kind of lizard, numerous as locnsts,
that climb into all trees and during the
hottest hours make an incessant noice
which resembles the fling of saws. AT
night, the unearthly hooting and yell
ing of owls surpasses all sounds ever
made by flying fowl. The hawk or the
eagle is seldom seen, but owls and bats
increase and multiply. Musquetoes
are SO numerous that they keep up
ceaseless hum day and night, which
the oldest negro whites being very
short-lived) never heard TO cease for
moment. There would be space in
the forest above the tops of the under
growth through which air might circu-
late, but lifelong swinging moss, called
air-plant, hanging everywhere to the
highest twi9gs stops every breeze.
The open space which men have made
along the river gives those encamped
there the benefit of the wind when
there is any, but our camp is three
miles from the river and completely
surrounded by moss,hung forest and
swamp. asa
When we came here in August
about six hundred contrabands were
sncamped on the dryest side OF our