Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-07-30
FROM THE nth REGIMENT,
CAMP RoBERTs, D
NEAR Fort BARRANoAs, FLA.
july 9th, 1868. J

but little in regard to the 7th, perhaps a
few words concerning our situation would
be interesting to your readers. We have
moved from Santa Rosa Island, as you
doubtless will hear ere you receive this
on the goth of June after waiting impa-
tiently for the command march" we were
at last ordered to sling knapsacks, and
were soon on our way towards the wharf,
under the heat of the burning sun which
was pouring down necessarily upon us;
we Immediately embarked on a small
steamer and were conveyed across the
Bay, to occupy the place of the 10th
Maine, Volunteers, who were about to leave
for New Orleans. We were glad to ex-
change our encampment for several rea-
sons. one, which was on account of the
heat of the sun, as it reflected upon the
snow white sand, a person would almost
require the eyes of an eagle, to endure it,
and to add to our torment, there was an
innumerable amount of ieas, which were
beyond the power of man to exterminatc;
besides an abundance of rattle-snakes,
coppcrheads, and various other aborigin-
ees Of the soil.
In reading the NEwsDEALER, the 9th
or day, | found what was said to be an
extract taken from a letter written by a
member of our company, to his sister in
Cambridge, stating that we picked our
W raisins,-that wheat was ready to
harvest &c. The statement is false, and
the person that was said to have wrote it
declares he never did. Any one acquaint-
ed with history, knows that it would be
useless to attempt to cultivate such a bar
rem Island, as Santa Rosa is known to be.
Two companies, A and D of our Regi-
ment remained in Fort Picktns. Compa-
ny's G and | are stationed in the redou5t,
a formidable little fertilization a short dis
lance from here, and in real of Fort Bar
rancas, Camp Roberts so called, in honor
of Col. Roberts, who lost his life in the
battle of Baton Rouge, is the most com
modious and pleasant encampment we
have ever occupied.
In consequence of the vast amount of
timber and property of all kinds which
the 10Th accumulated during the evac-
uation of Pensacola, and were obliged to
leave, we have been enabled to floor our
tents, and on account of the decrease of
our company, we have sufficient room for
bunks, &c. Our company numbers but
80 men rank and file. and three of those
are expected to 60 home Immediately, Oh
account of i'll health. If we had our com
plement of men, We would be obliged to
lie on the ground. We are situated near
Fort Barrancas, On the main land oppo-
site to and about 2 IL miles from Fort
Pickens, seven miles from Pensacola, and
near the celebrated Navy Yard, where for.
merly the Spanish furnished the British
and Indians arms and supplies, until Gen.
Jackson put a stop to their career in 1918,
by capturing some of the most important
places. The Yard is now a mass of ruins,
having been shelled to atoms by Fort
Piekens, when in possession of the rebel
Gen Bragg. About two miles farther back
into the interior of the country, there is
a Bayou large enough to admit the pass
age of small ships. To this Bayou we
extend our piekets along at intervals, to
watch the movements of the enemy, as
they must necessarily cross this Bayou
before they attack us. With the tx exception
of some regulars that are stationed in the
Notifications, We are the only troops in
this district. Three companies of negroes
left here a short time since. for New Or
leans, they were well uniformed, and APP
peared to be anxious to meet the enemy.
| have no dovbt they will show themselves
to be fighting men, the first opportunity
that presents itself. While here they
were engaged in building a stockade, uu-
der the superintendent of our first Lieut..
George Brown, a competent officer to take
charge Of such business, as that is a part
of his profession. 1t will be useless for
me to say anything in regard to the 4th
of ,Julv. as orr doinps here doubtless