Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-07-06
MOrtester 4ailp Spp
THE DAILY spy,
CorrespoI deuce of the Worcester Daily Spy.
Letter from the FOrty-SecOnd Regiment
III y T II 7 T = z Y 7tFNI3f
New ORLEANS, June %, 1868.

LAFAYETTE SQUARE, I
New ORLEANS, June %, 1868. {
Many things have combined to render it al
most impossible, or, at least very difficult, for
your correspondent to keep up regular COM
munication with your readers lately, but at
last events have transpired which the friends
of our regiment will wish to be familiar with,
and unless | take the first opportunity to
'post up" accounts, | shall forget many items
OF interest. 1t will be noticed by the date of
this letter that we have again changed our
camping ground, and are now on the ground
and in the tents lately and for a year past oc
cupied by the 26th Massachusetts, and also. in
part, by the 9th Connecticut. The causes of
the removal l will state in detail, which will
necessitate history of the movements of the
troops in this department during the past week
or two
Since Gen. Banks investment of Port Hud-
son, thereby taking every available man from
the department, there Have been many ru-
mors, and from reliable sources, of an intend
ed invasion of the Teche country by A large
force OF rebels coming from Texas Gen.
Banks rear was to be attacked at the same
time by another large force, reported to be
Ten. J0hnStOns, and between the two forces
this department was to be ''cleaned OUT and
rebel sway to be restored. Although these
rumors seemed well founded. and came from
various sources, full faith was not placed in
them, though everything was done, quietly, to
put the insignificant force within the de
fences Of New Orleans" into good condition.
AT last these reports assumed a more tangible
shape, and tales of guerrilla raids began to
be plenty. Finally, DOndldsonville nd Pla-
quemine, places OF no Importance on the river
some thirty miles above the city, were visited
ana at the former place thirty of our sick were
captured and paroled. Then it was that it he.
came evident beyond doubt that the rebels re-
ally meant mischief, and were in sufficient
force to carry out their plans unless promptly
checkmated. This Gen. Emery rapidly com
mehced TO 40. The rebS were bound for
Brashear City blythe way of Lafourche cross
ing, on the New Orleans and Opelousas rail.
road.
The few troops which could be gathered to-
gether, comprising Co. B of the 42d, filled up
TO OVERLOOKING by volunteers from other com
panles OIL the regiment, few small companies
OF convaescents, and a few men from the 23d
Connecticut and 10th New York, already at
Brashear, in all some seven hundred men,
about half only being really fit for duty were
placed under the command of Lieut.. Col
OtiShiSy VI lle r. III MASSACHUSETTS,, and sent
to Brashear, with the order to hold it at all
hazards After they arrived there it became
certain that over three thousand Texans, un-
der Dick Taylor, (tllat degenerate son of an
illustrious father y comprised the force which
our handful of troops were to combat I'm
der this view, Col. Cahill of the 9Th Connec-
ticut acting brigadier general of the second
brigade, second division, was ordered to take
the field at the head of all the disposable
forces in the department. One or two batter
les, two or three companies OF cavalry, and
enough infantry to make up, perhaps a regi-
ment-cOmprising the 10Th Massachusetts, the
9th Connecticut, and number of GONZALES
cents from the hospitals-were all that could
possibly be sent away, and then only the 42d
Massachusetts, cut down to less than $50 men,
would be left here, as the 47th was at the par
apet some ten miles above the river, and
guarding most important position. This was
the state of affairs when Col. CahIl started to
reinforce Col. Stickney and hold Iafourche
crossing.
The 42d ordered into the city; and even
while Col. Cahil was getting away, dispatch
from Col Suckney announced that he had
been attacked by force between Lafourche
and Brashear and though outnumbered three
to one, he had succeeded in repulSlng the enc
lily, with considerable loss and none killed on
our side, though several were wounded. Fur
thermore he had, with some three hundred of
hlssiorce, come down to Lafourche Crossing
and there he expected another attack that
nighttime Dist. The reinforcements were
hurried on as rapidly as possible, but only one
company of the 10Th succeeded in reaching
the battle ground, and they participated in the
severe fight which followed. Upon our side
were engaged section of artillery, portion
of Co. b, 42d Massachusetts, (the other por-
ton being left at Brashear) one company OF
the 2Gth Massachusetts, and about one hun
dred convalescents from the 2Sth Maine.
The enemy numbered probably near four
thousand, and they had two field pieces AMI
they also had the advantage of being mounted
as nearly all Texan troops are though
they usually fight upon foot unless they are
regular cavalry, which was not the case in
this instance. The 42d had the left of the
Gne-which was a very short one-and the
Maine boys the right, and the 26th as a re-
serve. Our artillery opened first, directly
In front, where the enemy appeared to be
concentrating for an attack. But it proved
to be only a ruse, for suddenly without any
warning, force, estimated at least at one
thousand mounted men, dashed from the
woods directly upon the 42d, who for a mo-
ment were thrown into confusion by the sud-
denness and impetuOsity of the assault, when
their place was taken by the Goth; but the
42d was not going to give it up so. The
company Immediately reformed and filed in
to their old places.
The fight then became hot and close, and
musketry and artillery rolled out upon the
damp air, and bayonet crossed bayonet in
many cases. But the steadiness and daunt.
less courage of our boys finally gave them
the victory, and the enemy were again re-
pulSed-uecldedly so - with loss of three
hundred and seventy in killed, wounded and
missing, whlle we lost eight killed and thr-
teen wounded. As yet we know Of but one
of Co. E killed in this Observation-Disclosures
Dyson, a volunteer in Co. b for this orra-
sion. He was shot in the stomach and diad
few hours after, having stood nm bravel
throughout the action, and done his duty
faithfully. What makes this action still more
conspicuous, is the fact that these men stood
up in their places from Saturday night to SIM
day night without food for the rations had
given out, and during drenchng rain nearly
the whole twenty -four hours and then after
this exposure to weather and hunger, fought
force eight or ten times greater than our
own number, and beat them in such manner
that Gen. Emory is free to say that it was one
of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that has taken place
in this department. Reinforcements under
Col Cahill, including the 18th Maine from
Pensacola, arrived soon after the action, and
so the rebels give up the idea of securing the
railroad at this point; but unfortunately they
succeeded in gaining possession Of the road
further I'D, and thus cut off our bows Mt Bra