Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-06-26
NO. 13.

0u Grand Gulf This march through swami
a cornfelds and the poorest of roads was ma
ed in days. the distance being fully 80 mil
w by the circuituous route we were compelled
ID take. One whole day it rained incessantl
ne converting the soil into mud that rival,
n Spalding's Glue. With the greatest of diff
v Guilty the men could keep their feet, and
e: night we halted in a field almost covered vii
4. water. With genial good humor the boys S
5, lected the dry spots and procured some boarc
Ii so that we slept out of the mud. The so
: here dries rapidly, so by noon next dav W
d had good marching. Along the shores of th
T beautiful lake st. Joe we had splendid roa
Il and the most delightful scenery. Splendi
r mansions graced the western side of the lake
S surrounded by trees, shrubs and flowers. Ma
} ture aud art must have rivaled each other il
5 decorating these lordly edifces in a style O
magnifcence surprising the homes of the Ori
entail Nabobs Luxuriant foliage, bright va
ried flowers, handsome gardens, summer houses
green houses, fish ponds, &c, all tended to col
or the picture and make it one of SURPRISING
grandeur. Viewing all this beauty, luxury
and seeming wealth, one could not help but
apply the words of Hebers hymn:
what though the spicy breezes
Blow soft DER Ceylon's isle,
And every prospect pleases.
| And only man is vile.'
Truly these Southern people must have been
drunk with prosperity and blinded with delu,
si)n to raise in rebellion against the govern
ment which had always protected and never
wronged them. But when we consider the
character Of the men into whose hands they
would commit their destinies the monsters
/ Z tlprr IcI1 6a
| swindle them. one cannot help but pity their
auplicity. The frogs in the fable asking Ju-
| p!ter for king, is not bad illustration Of
! their folly in seeking to establish a new gov
ernment on the ruins of the old. The discon-
tented frogs at last got a king who devoured
| them without remorse and we have no doubt
that when the people of the South come to
look at it calmly, they will find that those who
held the power among them during this un-
necessary rebellion, were little better than the
monarch Jupiter gave the frogs,
AT the southern end of the lake near the
Mississippi we balted about o'clock on the
evening of the 29th of April We heard the
96th Ohio were encamped somewhere near by
and tired as the boys were after a % mile
march, some of them started out to find the
line and ordered to be ready to march imme-
diately. The men had scarcely hours sleep,
but in ten minutes we were on the road march
ing, wagons, artillery and all. Several of our
hoys were in the camp of the Goth, and it was
amusing 10 see the boys hasten along on the
line of march inquring for their friends
Companies A, E and G, of our reg iment were
raised in Knox and Morrow counties, so that
the Goth is truly sister regiment Of the goth
Buckeye. The regiment has had hard times
but at present the boys are in good health and
spirits. They haVe suffered more from sick
ness and disease in 9 months, than our regi-
ment has in 20 months. We marched by the
camp, got on the levee and halted for the night
about miles from where we started Next
morning, Both of April, we went down TO
Hard Times Landing and prepared to cross
the river in boats. Same evening crossed Just
at dark and lay in open field without any
tents. Thursday, May lst, up early, but no
orders to march, having to wait for rations-
About 8 o'clock we got days rations of
crackers, and about 10 N. ordered to "fall
in." From 10 to 5 we marched over steep
hills, narrow roads and deep ravines, wind
ing route some 20 miles, through dust aud
heat, an average of nearly 3 miles an hour
AT p. m. we reached the battle field of
Thompson's Hill. Gen Grant informed Gen.
Dennis, who commanded our brigade OF the
march, that the rebels were whipped and slow
ly retreating. He asked if the I'd brigade
were too tired to fight. Gen. Dennis replied. |
mot too tired if there is work to be done,"-
"Wel," replied Grant, "follow them up Gener- |
al" Gen. Dennis made short speech to our
regiment, told them what Grant said and ask |
ed, sis the goth regiment willing to go into
the fght?" AS if moved by some electric !
power, the whole regiment replied by deaf
ening cheers. Blankets were thrown away
quickly and in minutes the regiment moved |
forward AT pace that made the General smile |
to see them, fol- he knew they must be tired |
cambering hills, more than if they had made
a 80 mile march. Our brigade only advanced |
miles when the order to follow up the rebels |
was countermanded, and we went into camp |
for the night. Next morning up at O'Clock, |
drew days more rations, cooked for the day |
and at 6 o'clock got on the march, passed |
through Port Gibson, and from there took the |
road TO Black River. Our troops took three |
differents rouds-Logans division making a
round Of II miles, so as to let other troops
have the direct road Notwithstanding this
odds by noon, the Sd ult, were in advance
Of all the troops The 10th Ohio took the
lead followed by the other regiments of our
brigade. Everything indicated that the reb-
els were not far off, and the negroes we met
told us they were half an hour ahead of u.s.
We hurried up, and company d was deployed
as skirmishers. About o'clock in the even
-, 4
the bridge at Black River. Our skirmishers
FREQ on them-companies A and f being or
dered out as skir-iishers. The rebels soon
fed, as the place became too hot for them,
and one Of our guns gave them few shots on
their retreat. Our tired and weary soldiers
had marched % miles, and as it was about
dark hey were ordered into camp for the
night. The regiment slept on their arms, be-
ing nearly mile in advance Of the division
We remained near Big Black the 4th, 9th, 6th
9Th and 9th. On the 9th got marching or
ders and about noon we started for jackson,
distant ~ miles We had to march very slow
as cur immense trains lad now come up, and
the country proving very hlly it required time
to get them along, On the evening of the
llth we went into camp about IA miles from
Edwards depot, and 30 from Vicksburg. On
the morning of the l2Ih we were up at ,, on
the march al 5, our regiment again in advance.
We made splendid time the only fault being
we were too fast for the troops in the rear
We had got uto level country, with excel
lent roads, and although we were looking for
IA battle Immediately, the boys pushed forward
in quick time About 10 o'clock we captured
some prisoners who were gathering cattle for
the rebel army We kindly relieved them