Litchfield enquirer., 1863-03-05

ciad EsSex, WhO, 8S . leeiefy tHfSW I6W sAetl into the woods north and back of the city, an receiving no replies, our troops landed unde her guns without accident, to the number C
 about eight thousand. We found the city d
 most entirely deserted. I was informed tho only some three or four hundred stron
 was all the force which the rebels had here
 when our gun. boats arrived at the sight Q
 which, they skedaddIed with all the haste pos
 sible, many of whom were not half clad. Here and there may be seen the effects c
 the memorable battle of last August, in tn
 which. many of the Indiana boys fell whil
 charging most nobly upon the enemy. Ther,
 are so many conflicting accounts of the mum
 bers engaged on either side, thatI can giv, you no correct ideas of their strength, but al
 agree in the Iart 7ehas tss.-.-an,y ..a-sz thu, doubled our force.
 The destruction and ruthless devastation which pervades this city and it's suburbs nc one can realize only by witnessing it personal ly. The State House, enc of the most elcgan, buildings in the State, accidentally took fre and burned to the ground, leaving nothing but it's blackened walls standing, few days after our arrival.
 Troops have been arriving constantly, and will now number about twenty thousand, among which is negro regiment that was recruited at North Carolina-a much more intelligent set of men than the contrabands we have here, who are the most repulsive looking set of hu- man beings that have ever set my eyes up on, being filthy, squalid, ragged set os planta- tion hands, and the very scum of the race.
 The river is rising all the time, but how soon a movement towards Port Hudson will be made. 1 am unable to say, although move ments at headquarters go to show that for ward progress is to be made soon. Several mortar boats from North Carolina are looked for here every day.. cannot imagine why this great delay is made before attacking the defences of Port Hudson, fer from all eau learn, they have strengthened themselye four fold, during our inaction here. Their fortif- cations are said to extend eight miles back from the river, and their pickets were within two miles of ours, when they were discovered by our scouts. Our pickets are thrown out only about three miles from the river, and were it not for the protection of the gun boats, we should undoubtedly have been forced to act on the defensive ere this, for the contrabands all agree on the point that these messengers of death and destruction are terror to the rebels, being the only thing that prevents them from engaging us with superior force.
 Our men are in good spirits, and we have nona in the Iaaeimont. ] believe, who are dan yerously i'll at present. Many are suueriug from severe colds and dysentery, but none are confined to their beds.
 We received large mail from the North this day, with papers bearing the date Jan uary 10th, in the which we were informed of the attack and repulsc of the Union forces at vicksburg, tending to dishearten us; i. for We have been looking with perfect confidence at the opening of the Mississippi by the forces who have been assigned to that mission, at an early date.
 Several resignations have been granted with in few days, in this regiment; so you will soon hear of number of promotions, which will create an entire revolution in the affairs among us. &
 Aaiea this tine-and when any thing of importance transpires, l will remember you again. W-.
 P. s.-Excuse my pencil and other imper Esc,ions; for my conyenienccs are very miser- able.