The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-10-06
CANp OF THE l2TH LOUISIANA VoL's I
Vicksburg, Sept. 18th, 1863. !

FRIEND RTcH Il have not received
the Guardian very lately, and feel quite
lost in consequence as regards the news
from Independence. As / believe you
have no correspondent from this resi-
ment | will endeavor TO give you a short
history of the progress Of this valuable
corps since It's organization. Orders
were issued for its formation on the 9th
day OF May. but for some unknown rea.
son it was over q month before the off
GERS were ordered together to commence
recruiting. At this time was lying at
Memphis from the effects Of a wound re
ceived at Champion Hills. Upon my
return 10 the field Immediately report
ed to Col. Gilchrist. The embryo reg
iment at this time was camped in the
rear Of VicksburC, and was composed Of
about 100 men, three times that number
of women, and the amount OF children |
shall not attempt TO compute, for fear Of
being con,radicted by that class Of com
munily who know nothing of the race
in question. The officers were employ
ed securing the country for recruits, but
met with poor success. The vicinity
had all been thoroughly canvassed by
the army. Nearly every man was en-
ploved in some manner There was no
orders against recruiting any of these
n en-, but the bombarding of Vicksburg
seemed 10 overcome their devotion for
the Union. Al this time we looked for
ward hopefully for The fall of Vicksburg,
fully believing that we should not be
wanting for recruits when that was ac-
complished How we succeeded the Sc
quel will show. On that memorable
dav, tie 4,h of July, 1863-the officers
of the 12lh Louisiana Volunteers might
have been seen before the tent of John
w. Wilson. Adjulant and lst Lieuten
ant, who with solemn and majestic air
dealt out passes empowering us to enter
yicksburg, coax, arrest. drag out. and
influence. every man of African descent
to leave the hungry standard Of the Con
feaerates, and enlist under that broad
and protecting banner. the Stars and
! Stripes. For the occasion we were be
decked in our choicest apparel, those
that had procured shoulder straps were
advised to wear them in order to pro
duce an impressng effect. l being ou
Of The article, succeeded in borrowing
one that was broken, which | caused tc
adhere TO my left shoulder. This wa
sufficient, for any one with half a heaC
would know that the other had been sho
off in action. The preliminares being
arranged We set out for the captured ci
, ,y Most of the officers were too anx
: ious to see the sights to pay much atten
ton to recruiting. yet. notwithstanding
we succeeded in marching about l0
rsgroes out TO our camp. The 9th, W
renew our labors. Now comes the hou
: of our affliction ; having entered town q
!, an early hour with the full assuranc
j that we shall meet with the most abur
e dant success. which for time we did
having collected over 200 men by ]
: A. NJ At this crisis some orderle
from the headquarters OF Gen. Gran
: make their appearance, with an order f
the arrest OF all officers engaged in r'
: cruiting. as they were doing so wiiho,
proper authority While they were er
5 gagged in conversation with one, the I,
e mainder of us marched what men "
had collected out TO camp. An ord,
was received that same night TO marc
the men back into Vicksburg. whic
was done. They were not taken fro
= us, we being allowed the privilege
sending officers in charge of ,her
They were employed at fatigue wor
= clearing out the streets, DC, but the
!. numbers soon became very much d
mnished by desertion. Orders we
J.. issued against recruiting in this plaC
aud affairs at this time wore rather OF
% weary aspect. and none ofus would ha
&c been at all disappointed if the organic
c ton at this time would have been bt
y ken up. and the officers ordered back
their old regiments. At this juactr
a recruiting party was ordered TO Nate
:, ez. who met with the most unexamp
y success. They were only gone we
and returned with the tremendous