The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-04-15
From, the r1lst Regiment.
NEwBERN, n. c., March Il, 1868.

Thinking that perhaps the whereabouts
and what doings of the Potter boys might
interest some of the old friends and neigh
bors at home, | have determined to again
venture on detail for while past. |
will commence at near the latest date and
90 crabwise On the 4th inst, we got
orders to prepare three days rations and
be ready to move at moments notice.
The next evening at roll call we were told
to be ready the next morning at six O.
clock, with blanket and overcoat, and
to take 60 rounds of ammunition. Pune
tual to the time we were ready and Dad
dy Bierer, the Colonel, ordered a "right
face" aud the column moved off in high
spirits We had lain idle for some time
aud longed to stretch our legs over the
land of "cinnamon seed and sandy bot
tom" Our force consisted Of Gen Prn.
ces Division of Infantry, two batteries of
artillery, one of steel rifed, and a regiment
of cavalry The right wing of the divis-
ion is Spinola's Brigade, of which the
171st Pa. NJ, is the right and leading
regiment. The Potter boys are at the
head Of the column, and SO have better
opportunity for seeing all that is going
on, We directed our course towards
Trenton, considerable of redezvous for
for the Rebels. At noon we rested apd
took our dinners at Pollockville, small
town which was burned by our cavalry a
short time ago in retaliation for being
fred upon from the houses. A large cot
ton ware house had been burned with
quite quantity of cotton by the Rebels
Some eight miles further marching brought
US to one of the finest plantations have
seen, where the division camped for the
night. Scarcely an inhabitant was seen
along the route All looked deserted and
desolate. At one poor house | saw two
women and two girls, and at another an
old man and woman At every Inhabited
house white flag was hung out as the
column came up. One poorly dressed
youngish man came out of the woods and
along with us aways The attention Of
the Col being called to him he was taken
up and put under guard Towards night
another was picked up and served the
same way. Early next morning We
pressed on for eight miles, when the cav
airy returned reporting that the enemy
had fed from Trenton and our game was
up that way. We about f3ce and retraced
our steps to ou- camp ground little after
noon. After dinner and two hours rest,
we shouldefed knapsacks, (Which had
been left there in the morning. and start
ed for jacksonville, the county seat Of
Anzelo Co. Our route the rest Of the
day lay through low, swampy wood,
making our march very uncomfortable.
We got to our camping ground at 8
o'clock in the evening, but it was three
the next morning before the whole col
umn got in. The next morning it was
reported that the Reb4. had been seen in
some force mile and half off, just over
the White Oak River We moved down
early in the morning, and found battery
of cannon planted to cover the BLACK
Brigade" who were building bridge
across the river. The l7lst crossed on
the stringers and formed a line three
fourths of mile beyond, in field near
where the enemy had disappeared in the
woods, ard threw out skirmishers. The
whole Regiment appeared as cool as
if going on dress parade "Now boys"
said the Col "remember that the Rebels
wear gray clothes, and Go not make as
fre a line as we do You must fire low,
and be careful not to waste any powder
Remember that the bravest men always
come out best" We remained here un-
III the column had crossed the bridge
when we moved on reconoiteriug for a
mile or two. We saw no enemy, for the
reason the sequel will show. We passed
a few fine plantations, most of which were
deserted. We halted for rest on one,
the residence of n. c. Justice There
was no one at home but woman and
young girl, her husband had been 10 the
Rebel army, and she had been told he
was dead One of the blacks in our Reg
iment, a waiter, was raised here, and want
ed to 90 up and see his old mistress
The captain took him up. They seemed
very glad to see one another, but the
mistress persuasions for him to stay there
were indignantly scorned. Some of the
boys picked up some old and curious
books in an out house, and brought them
away; and some old letters, one of which
was dated in 1888. We came across a
few more stragglers along the way, all of
whom were bagged, or, to use the forcible
expression of the Rebels, "thrown in for
wedge wood" Just at dark we met our
cavalry, who had been down to Jackson
vile, and reported that the enemy had
run from there too. They had taken three
Rebel cavalry prisoners, horses and all
A bivouac was ordered on small planta-