Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-12-24
From our Correspondent Pip"
Baton Rouge, La, Nov. %, 1855

much toss ed abeut, like .FirgiIs hero Of olt,
On the 9th ult. got on the cars at AlgieEs,
the village opposite New Orleans, and pro-
ceeded to Brashear City. Here | got on a
steamer and rode through Burwick Bay into
Ba you Teche. l don't know low to describe
this stream. | have too much respect for
! Fow-NRe Creek to compare it to that. 1t is
no wider, but so deep as to be nayigable.-
The water is, in many places, entirely Gov
cred from sight by a vegetable which grows
on top. 1t is perfect Eden for alligators,
and both banks exhibited specimens of that
amphibious animal, with their open counte-
nanccs, submitting their tough hides to the
genial influences of the solar rays, and appa
rently enjoying a delicious, seli-colnplacent
reverie most cnviabe. The land around this
BAYOU is very rich, and many fine plantations
adorn its banks. After spending two uncom-
Portable days at the village Of New Iberia, |
started on the 30th ult. for Opelousas The
country through which l passed was series
of fine, rolling prairies, the size of which, as
well as the richness Of their soil, greatly sur
prised me. These prairies are skirted with
narrow strips Of timber, among which the
stately live oak-that splendid monarch Of
southern forests-could be often seen. I
could almost have imagined myself i'll Wis
cousin, had it not been for the tropical char
acter of the lesser vegetables and the Span
ish moss which hangs from every limb.
arrived at Opelousas on the evening of
the 3lst. Early Oh the following morning,
cur army here and beyond commenced falling
back. | went with it, and then for the first
time understood what it is for an army to
move. To stand in large prairie and see a
line Of wagons and men, i'll either direction
as far as the eye can reach, is most sugges-
tive prospect. And then, when they went
into camp, how magically does that prairie
become transferred into city Of tents. Not
withstanding the almost inconceivable rapid
ity with which these tents are put up, the
whole camp is formed with as perfect regular
| ity as if laid out with the aid Of chain and
compass. On the morning Of the I'd inst,
the 10th Army Corps, under Gen. Franklin,
and part of the 18th Corps, moved on toward
Iberia. This left Gen. Wa8hburne with one
| brigade at Carton Crow, or Caroncro Bayou,
while Gen Burbridge, with a brigade consist
ing of the 23d Wis, Goth and 9th Ind, the
| SD and 96th Ohio, and the 18th Ohio Bate
ry, was three miles in the advance at Bayou
Bordeaux. 1t was to this camp that my bust
! 1,,l IL, Al
regiments encamped at this point, they were
so much harrasscd by the rebels as to make
it necessary for them to be in line Of battle
during large part Of the time. During the
morning of the 81 last, we paid four compa-
nies of the 23d Wis, taxing them one after
the other out Of line. We were dining with
Col Guppey and 1t Col. HiIl, when the for
mer arose and said that he must be getting
his regiment ready, as he heard some firing
on the east side Of our camp The boys fell
in quickly, and soon marched Off
The rebels were about four thousand strong
and under command Of Gems Green and Dick.
They advanced with their infantry in the cen
ter and tAtir cavalry on both hanks, along
the line Of woods on the edge Of which the
camp lay. They were first met By the GUth
Indiana and 9Guh Ohio, who made vigorous
resistance and did splendid execution. When
completely oyerpowcred, they fell back. The
61th Indiana was ordered in the woods, but
they failed to make a stand and broke at
once. Al this crisis, Gen. Burbridge ordered
l+l,n I or
north Of the timber. They obeyed promptly,
and fofmcd where they would meet the reb-
els which were now pushing rapidly toward
our camp. And here our gallant 23d nebll
stood and resisted the vastly superior force
which was in their front and on both fanks.
Their portion was IN low spot OF ground,
considerably below the enemy, whose fire,
consequently, generally went over them. Had
it been otherwise, their loss must have been
severe. AS it was, they lost . killed, 33
wounded, and 81 prisoners. At last they fell
back slowly, firing they went. 1t was
their stubborn and heroic resistance that
{ saved the Battery and the wagon train. The
whole affair occupied less time than it takes
me to narrate it. In less than thirty minutes
after the firing commenced, the rebels had
taken our camp and were plundering the
boys knapsachs, and in less than an hour af
terwards reiEiorcements had come up and
our troops were driving the rebels towards
Opelousas Of course, all this time your
readers are breathless with anxiety as to Inv
fate Allow ne 10 assure them of my con
tin ued safety! l am only scared, and not a
Scared hero. When the firing commenced, /
got on a horse and started toward the scene
of action. / had net got far when met a
man who was coming back He informed ne
that the rebels were actually in earnest and
were shooting Jst}}ctsi Mr.. Getcheg, CORES,
pondent of the \ Y. Herald, was taken pris
oner, but Lad too much rsgGgd for the isate,.
: ests O. of the paper which represent to let
anything of the kind happen me. fell back
TO the camp in good order, and commenced
| collecting nv effects. By this time regu
: lar stampede had commenced through the
woods. ] soon fell into this procession, and
not a moment too soon. eisher; for already
5 the firing had ceased. and the rebs. were
making a dead break" fer Us. But scared
driver snd q good pair Of narles saved US and
, all the green-backs." Ali honor to the
: mules!
This letter has reached "a ;mmoderate
, length, aud III subsidc.
| C-uI- PIP