Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1862-08-15
CORRESPONDENCE
From the laa, Maine Rcy,u..,
FoRr JACKSON, La. july % 1860

the Fourth Of July, orders were received
from " the Major General commanding ;, t,r
our Regiment, save two Companies which
were TO remain at Ship Island, to held ITSELF
in readiness to proceed at notice, by Com.
panies, either alone or in connection with
Others, to different posts in the recentlv ~
generated State of Louisiana. Accordingly
ON Saturday. July jth, the steamer Creolo
took on board Companies G and X, leav;,c
the former at Fort Pike at the entrance Of
Lake Borgne and the latter at For, M.
comb, near the entrance OF Lake pon.cba,
train.
On Tuesday morning July sth, the CrcoIs
returned, bringing the Paymaster who imme.
diately paid us off for four months--up to
the FIST of May, At clock p. NJ. Com.
panies \, g. X and /, embarked on board
the Creole. and at once proceeded in the d.
rection of the mouth of the Mississippi Riy.
or. Not tear in sorrow fell,'' as we babe
adeu to the Gulf of Mexico's little Sahara
on the whole of whose detestable surface no.
single oasis can be found to gladden. the
eye, or beautify the dreary waste.
No incident Of Importance occurred during
the passage, except that about ten o'clack on
tuesday evening, we ran aground, which
was not considered by the writer Of sufficient
interest to Justify his leaving comfortable
O. bed on the cabin floor. and the prospect
Of a more comfortable nap" to ascertain
wherefore and whereabouts we were ashore
and all he knows of the affair more than
this, is that the next morning, when bc
awoke, the working OF the engine, aud the
motion OF the boat Indicated that she was
aaoat, aud moving onward.
We entered the Mississippi by Pass
Loutrr" at about noon on Wednesday, and
proceeded slowly, against five knot current,
up the river. | must confess that the lower
Mississippi did not. by q good deal, meet my
expectations. thought TO find in the IA
Their OF Waters, river whose magnitude
in width. might claim the admiration eli the
world but wha, was my surprise to learn,
that our own little Pcnobscot is nearly. il
not quite as broad. MS any part Of the Mrs
issippi that have vet seen. The strip OF
land separating the Mississippi on the east,
from the Gulf Of Mexico, is very narrow in-
dccd, AMI in one place which | noticed,
verify believe, that q man with half tho
muscle Of tie stripping "son Of thy servant
Jesse, the Beihlelcmitc, and even without
sling" could easily have thrown stone
Of suitable dimensions, from the deck Of cur
little steamer, into the Gulf.
There are, perhaps, ON the river below
Fort Jae ks1n, y bali dozen houses, and some
Of tbe-s are hnllt on land ~ low, that i, Was
necessary to first build wlaTycs, or wooden
foundations ca NAtea 20 erect them. II
had sen individuals in New England, chogs
in. such places Tor huu- :, should have Te-
gurdt,i tiem a. ''candLltss eminently it,
rs the politicians say, tor = luhatlc asylum.
rs we passed ny the riSer, ~ saw tho
wreck Of thc celebrated steam Ram" which
played - conspicuous part, during the
BON hariment Il the i,rls nboyc 1t .
asllorc On the WET siic d the river, and IA
not - Formidable \ boxing craft ~ ars
misht surplss. No d,ubt. That the yrngI
,ssage, winch ii received rJbJed it partially
OF Its wafiiAc appearance.
At about tour o 'clock L. VI. we were
nearly abreast of Fort JACKSON, when one Of
lis barhettc guns spoke in tones hudet than
,r5rds, and not 70 lie mistaken, that we Mere
expected to "hclyc 10, which we according
ly dd, and waited for the Provost Marshall.
who was along siic in IN iincnt, all wing ~
g. Land immediately. Company \ proeec,i,-l
- the Quarantine four or five miles abJy, !,
and our three remaining Companies cane into
this fort 10 take the place Of four Comp4 uies
oc the 10Th Mass Rigt. who went up river
/ that evening III the Grclle 10 NV Orleans
Cpmpauics u and L. have since arrived and
are occupying Fort st. Phillip on the other
side Of the river, directly opposite thus tort.
10 rs who fer four months had sreu moth
Ing but sand. and whose eye, had bocn s,ran-
gers 10 al Scrdurc in It's different aud f.>ein-
ating aspeet,-Fort Jackson seems truly
delightful spot. The banquette and the
parapct OF the Tort IS covered with green
grass OF the most cxuberlni growth while
around the inside grows TOW ci beautiful
sycamore trees. which though - loyt IN bat
tie, with half their branches torn away, are
scarcely the less attractive. Fort jackson
8" still lives, and though il bears many
! honest scars received in BATH. and has sisd
few OF it, brickbats, it is invineibk against
any rebel force which can be brUugh, against
it. The Citadel Was very badly damaged
and wurkmvn arr now engaged in tearing 1t
down THUS fort mounts about one handrta
guns, and il seems almost impossible that 1t
could have bscn captured by any force bat
Yankee perseverance. Ingenuity and daring
viii, as general rule, accomplish whatever
+ Is undertaken.
There are about thirty rebel prisoners here
many OF whom s.sem 10 tc very gentemaniy
/ appearing, and disposed 10 make virtue OF
a uccus lty by making themselves as cheerful
and comfortable as possible and by treating
the Yankees with signal Politeness.
! by way OF diversion, il one is fond of
watching alhgators,-by standing on the
outer wall Of the tort, aud looking into the
" mote Or ditch bcl1w-he can see huge
specimens OF that animal, swimming laziiy
+ about, apparently the most harmless Of tho
amphihious race. Though there alligators
are 50 quiet and orderly during the day, they
are notorious disturbers OF the peace at night,
making
"Siranse and several noise.
U! roaring, shrtvking, Eawiing,
Ana more diversity Of sounds all horrible.
rs regards the condition Of our troops, for
aaght know, we are as fortunate as any
Division IN the field. II is true that our lot
a