The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-11
From the Eighth Vermont.
BEFORE PoRr HUDSON, May 2S, 1868.

hard fighting, we are now at twelve o'clock having
cessation Of hostilities unit, two, to give all time
to bury their dead.
We went from Alexandria on an excursion
forty-three miles up the Red river drove the
ensmy-burned .boats,-csptursd his baggage
wagons and rear guard, and returned to Aexan-
dria. There we stayed ill Sunday, the l7th,
when We marched at four o'clock for Simspcrt,
on the Atchafalaya river. We encamped at Mr..
Loyd's bridge, where we were entertained by three
ladies who made it seem quite like living,and whom
we ssrenaded with our bands. On the 18th we
marched to the Junction OF the Haffpower and
Opeousas roads, where we were ordered to wait
orders. Here we stayed till the 2d,-slept in
6neslarge yard, under cottonwood trees. Moth
ing Of interest occurred. The nights were very
pleasant, but the dew SO heavy that every morning
my blankets, hair and whiskers were soaking wet.
sent a'train OF one hundred six-muls teams to
Simsport, loaded with negroes and their buds, to
return with commissary stores was very busy
all the while, getting stores and forage repairing
roads, building bridge, &c. Visited one plan
tation for bacon, and found family looking like
New England girls, with rosy cheeks. Had brown
bread and milk. Il
From here We marched at midnight for Sims
port. | got but one hours sleep before starting.
The road was bad and through dense wood in
the dark. l had to see to the train of Quarter
master stores of one hundred and ten wagons,
and it made hard night of it. Some of the
trains ran away, and some tipped over. One ran
of bridge and had to be left. Marched twenty
eight miles to Msrksville, again at mid!
night, after only two hours sleep in the rain The
next day we marched to Simsport, where we ar
rived about noon, and commenced crossing all
our teams, &C., over the Atchafalaya on large
RATS, by hand. had two hundred negroes at
work, and hard work it was. Every team had to
be unhitched and pulled on and off by hand.
We heard news Of Vcksburg being in our hands
great cheering by the troops--can plainly hear
the bombarding of Port Hudson. In crossing
this river one raft, with four wagons and all the
stores on them, was sunk. The negroes had to
swim ashore. We finished crossing the teams at
two o'clock the next afternoon. l slept one hour
and quarter that night, from one and one-fourth
to two and one-hsf A. M.
En- route for Bayou Sara. At seven o'clock P.
M. we struck very bad road, and instead OF
having good sleep ia carriage in the train |
had to ,oatk, and boost on the wheels, and halloo
to the negroes. The roads were SO bad that we
were from seven P NJ to two and oneh half A.
81. getting three and one-haf miles,--then we
stopped for feed. l tried to sleep; spread my
blanket on a gentleman's verandah, but could not
get asleep. tried under Gg tree,-but no
use. could not get asleep. The next day
stopped at twelve M. fer dinner received order,
from the General to push on to Bayou Sara
which did, and arrived OF five p. NJ.
You must know that at Simsport our troops
took steamboats,, SO that was alone with the
Quartermaster's train, going around by land. I'm.
msdiately upon arriving at the landing com
menced crossing my trains on steamboats,. Here
| got sleep in this way,-I loaded the boats, ant
it took one hour to cross and unload so ever,
other hour had to myself, from 9 till S, then
had more boats and kept working till 8 A. M.
when started, with 80 wagons, for camp, four
teen miles towards Port Hudsou where arrived
at 5 ?. M. Just before getting into camp, sever
men rode up and gave the alarm that 1000 rebe
cavalry were after them. The Transfers wer
terribly ared--started to run their teams, 60
confused mixed, tipped over, &c.-and, after tn
most strenuous exertions, shooting pistol a
them thee nr four times ard threateninn 70 shnn