Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-09-09
FROM THE l7TH RECT, S. G. v.
MOUNT PLEASANT, S. c, |
September lst, 1868.


have again been on the wing, and a long
flight they have made since my last letter
which, T think, was composed of stuff about
"Beaver dams" and "wildernesses. Well
we are out Of the a0oods now, in one sense
if not in another. When the "order' came
to US in that, may I neuer see again land,
to be "ready at once to leave for Savannah,
Georgia, every heart, I will say, in the 18th
gave quick throb for joy, and many were
the "shouts" that echoed and reverberated,
for the last time, among those hills, in the
far distant west. A morning march, with
elastic steps, blought US to Forrest Station,
on the 4th of August, when We were per
mitted to taste our first peaches and melons,
at 50 per dozen for the former, aud So each
for the latter-that night We reached Ne.
ridian, the Tabernacle Capitol of Mississip'
pi. Here our boys procured~'rations and
melons, L fear from appearances, at some
thing less than Government prices. How
ever, early in the morning, with no one in
the guard house, we were all aboard for
Demopolis, Alabama, where we arrived
early in the afternoon, having met with the
sad misfortune to lose worthy soldier from
Chester District, by his falling from plat
form car. and being crushed to pieces BY
the wheels moment of sadness was Vlsl-
bic, but soon the cloud passed away. Be
fore reaching Demopolis, we have to take
steamboat down the Tombigbee river four
miles. The scenery upon this river-its
high banks of variegated Limestone, re-
minds US of the oft. described beauties of
the "Palisade rocks Of the Hudson" AT
Demopolis, we find the camp of the paroled
prisoners from Vicksburg, about 14OO were
in camp who were unable to get to their
homes and enjoy the furlough granted them.
May God soon interpose in behalf of those
noble men, who have left their loved homes
and friends, in Kentucky and Missouri, to
fight for the cause of the South.
A brief stop, and VIC are away again for
Selma, at q speed of 20 miles an hour. We
pass the glorious corn fields and prairie
lands We mentioned in letter before, and
with barely time tc waive our hats to the
dear girls of Uniontown and other places,
we are on the banks of the alabama, with
its Indian. meaning of "here We rest" reali-
zed TO our heartfelt satisfaction. BY chance
we met our same old steamer, the R. B.
Tauey, and Captain, waiting to take us a.
board. Thank God, the old 18th is again
aboard, and, as sincerely prayed before,
with "ranks less thinned by battle aud dis
ease" than the "Old Palmetto" but some
are gone, along Pearl river and Big Black
their spirits left US to join those of the
"Palmetto boys" of'46 and their own CON-
rades of '61, Messrs Dover, Morris, Gibson,
Farmer, Montgomery, Dye a: d others have
fought their last fight on earth.
In the cabins, upon the upper and lower
decks, the tired soldiers are wrapt in sleep,
and all night long the Clancy holds her
steady but winding course up the "Here
we rest" river, save about midnight the
scream of drowning man is heard, but
the waters have devoured him, and Ten
nessee soldier is no more ssit is small
matter, ouly a private gone out of the reg
imeut," such is our present estimate of hu-
man life. In the afternoon Of the 9th, we
arrived in Montgomery, not finding trans.
portation we canped for the night, and here
we we're we'll supplied with fruits at reason:
able prices. This is beautiful city, and
appears to be place of considerable manu-.
facture. The population is much increased
by refugees from New Orleans and other
places. We left this city on the morning
of the 7th aud steamed away for Opelika,
passing and bidding adieu to many Of the
sweet ladies of Alabama, who cheered US
ou, in our journey to Vicksburg, a few
months before. May they never be subject
to Abe Lincoln, nor lack the right kind of
husband At Opelika we changed eujines
and took the road for Columbus, Georgia.
We passed Selma and as they would not
allow any one to sell fruit to soldiers, but
gave everything gratis, L judge very few
have passed this way. l was amused at
some little boys who charged upon the stock
of negro who was trying to sell, and scat
tered it in every direction. If there were
many, CT enough possessed Of the right
kind of patriotism at home, as we'll as in
other places, there would not be SO much
distrust and cowardly Submissive Jceltng, as
there is pervading the country; the triflng
scoundrels at home who are depreciating