Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-03-19
FROM THE EIGHTH VT. REGIMENT
REaIMENTAL HOSPITAL,


Camp Stevens, La, Feb. rs, 1868. (
Dear Wits:-Having wandered from
camp and seated myself on the Levee of
Bayou La-Fourche, will try and give
you a description of the Levees or en-
bankments built here for the purpose of
keeping the waters within proper bounds.
The surface of Louisiana, Mississippi and
a portion of Arkansas is so low that the
rivers have to be walled in by artificial
banks, or else the whole country would
become inundated at once. Bayou La
Fourche is branch, or mouth of the Mis-
sissippi river, setting in from Donaldson
vile 80 miles above here, and emptying
into the Gulf of Mexico. The Levee here
is about 10 feet high. The surface of the
water is now several feet above the level of
our camp, and is very riley and dirty, yet
we have to use it for tea and coffee; also
for cooking and drinking purposes. l fear
it is not very healthy. Oh, how l have
longed for one drink of good Vermont
water since came here 1t seems that
nothing would taste better The Levee
is, as / said, some 10 feet high and from
12 to Is feet at the base, and gradually
narrowing to about 8 feet at the top, ma
king good path for pedestrians. The
Levee here is mostly overgrown with clo-
yer, which has grown finely all winter /;
also dandelions and some other flowers
are now in bloom. In some places spiles
are driven down, but mostly the Levees
are built of solid earth. The whole coun-
Try could be easily submerged in short
time by simply cutting through these en-
bankments. A report came out in the
papers short time ago, that there was
danger of this, as the guerrlllas had cut
the banks at several places in the Missis-
slppi, for the purpose of planting their
guns to intercept our boats while passing
up and down the river. We hope they
will not trouble US. l think we shall not
remain here long. Gen. Weitzcl is Brig.
zen. of our Brigade. His headquarters
are here. The village of Thibadoux is
about one mile above here. The-railroad
crosses about three miles below. There
are several plantations near on either side
of the Bayou. Our regiment are in tents
now. Our hospital is in very poor
building, We have but few sick ones at
present.
Now few words about the contra
bands here, their condition, prospects, &c.
As to their present condition, tits bad
enough, though perhaps not worse than
when on their old plantations Some oi
! them have suffered from exposure, moi
having comfortable places to live, and
their manner of slife being far different
: than when with their masters. They re-
ceive rations from Government the same
as the soldier receives. Most of them are
better clothed than when they came
among us. These considerations, together
with the opportunities of obtaining small
wages are, to say nothing of future free
. dom, far more satisfactory to them thar
to be constantly under the whip and spu
8 of the brutal overseer. They cannot ex
9 pect many comforts whilst following tn
army from one place to another. Nearl.
$ all of them are sufficiently intelligent t.
t obtain good living, and by proper cul
e ture and teaching, all might in fev
Q years become independent members OF
: colored community, Most Of the mel
: who left their masters last fall, have nov
: enlisted in the colored regiments raisin
: in this department. Who is better abl
l to fight for their liberties than the op
4 pressed themselves? The prospects Of tn
bondman are truly Frightening. The
J, are all we'll aware Of the President
s Emancipation scheme, and are patientl.
a expecting deliverance. The feelings Q
r the shareholders are. as majority, Q
b course, against Lincoln's Emancipatio
l. nol;ov. vet soroe of them admit that thi