Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-12-03
Battle of Bayou Observation-Disclosures Per.
SOnal Narrative,
Correspondence of the State Journal.

NEW ORLEANS, La, Nov. 9, 1863.
EDITORS STATE Journal Il returned yes.
terday rom Opelousas, and hasten to give
you the details Of contest at BAYOU Bour-
beau about nine miles this side of that village,
which took place on the Sd of November, in.
volving, as you will see, very important re-
suits to the Esd Wisconsin. Nv description,
being largely that of my Own personal haz-
ards and experience, must be taken for what
1t is worth IN purely military sense, as do
not pretend to give an accurate account of
movements on the field, or the reasons for
them.
We reached Opelousas after dark, on the
night Of the slst of October, stopping with
MAJOR Gen. w ashburn, who received US with
great kindness, and on the lst of November.
fell back with the whole army-the l 9Th and 9th
corps-to Carbon Crow Bayou, about twelve
miles. The brigade of Col. Owen, General
Burbridge's old brigade, in which were the
troops was assigned to pay, was at Bears
Landing, eleven miles in advance of Opelous-
as, and came in on another road, camping at
Bayou Bordeaux, three miles nearer Opelous-
as than the balance of the corps. Impatient
to see the ''boys" of the 23d, went out the
same night to their camp, and was most kindly
and Hospitality received by officers and men,
Indeed, what is the use of talking about rank
OF dignity when one gets among old friends
and neighbors, SO far from home 1t was late
at night before we could get through the
warm greetings and answer the innumerable
questions about the loved ones at home-
from highest to lowest in the regiment.
On the I'd, was walked at o'clock. The
long roll was beat, and the men fell into their
places in line of battle. An hour after, it
proved to be picket skirmish, and the men
proceeded to get their breakfasts.
The camp was on the margin of most
beautiful prairie, the right wing resting upon
the woods, the left projecting about twenty
rods into the prairie, with woods in the rear
and the whole fronting the northwest, or
Opelousas. The prairie rose with very gen
tie swell IN front about three quarters of
mile, when the descent was from US. The
| forests here are thin lines of trees following
the windings Of the bayous through the prai-
ries, and are rarely above 50 rods through.
The trees are mainly live oak-,an ever
green, draped in the everlasting Spanish
moss-and it is rare that there is any under
grown. The prairies thus cut up or detach-
| ed by the lines Of trees are from three to six
miles in length, and from two to four in
width They are as green and fresh as our
prairies at home in midsummer This par
ticular spot was called Buzzard Prairie.
About ten o'clock the long roll again beat
and the men of the 23d fell in and marched
to the right of the line about mile and took
position near a slight ravine, where they re-
manned drawn up for some hours. I went
out at II NJ. and found one Of the 1st Louisi-
ana cavalry had been killed, and four
wounded. The skirmish was over and the
forces returned to camp. As an election was
to be held in the 23d next day, gave out
tickets l had procured printed in New Or
Burbridge lighter duty next day for his men,
if possible, so as to allow of their voting and
receiving their pay
On the Sd at 2 o'clock A. NJ. an order came
to Capt. Bull, chief of the pickets and out
posts to go at once to the picket line and
change the countersign, as one or two deser-
tiers had gone over to the enemy. He got
back to camp about four o'clock. The long
roll again beat, and the troops fell in and
stood in line until about six, when they got
| their breakfast. About nine o'clock the 18th
Ohio Battery went out on the Prairie and
shelled the woods on the left for half an hour,
about SO rebel cavalry having shown them
| selves on that side. The line of battle was
reformed and so remained until the action
took place at later hour. During all this
| time, and until the final clinch, we all sup
posed it to be a mere guerilla annoyance,
| n1ata
and felt quite as safe as if in the streets of
Madison. The voting went on and was nearly
| completed in most of the companies, and four
of them were sent in from the line and paid
| About half past eleven, Col. Guppy ordered
dinner prepared for his men, with a good cup
| OF coffee tor each, saying loosely he could
not ask his regiment to fight first class on an
empty stomach. He had his own dinner also
prepared, and while we were partaking of it
was in particularly good spirits. When nearly
| through we heard sharp picket firing far on
the right, and in few moments the roar of
| the battery, pitching shells into the woods
| He left the table hurriedly, saying there might
| be something serious up, and went over to
| his men who had just swallowed their coffee
| AS l stepped out of the tent, an orderly
galloped up to the Colonel, and the regiment
| Immediately moved off to the right The
| roar Of musketry and the cannon rapidly in
| creased in volume, and the smoke drifted
| down upon us from the battery about 100
rods distant. At this time, Gen. Washburn
| and staff galloped by near where was stand
| ing and went into the line of fire. The bat
| terry suddenly changed from shells to cannis
| ter, and the musketry broke out in great vol
umes of sound, completely oyerpowering the
noise of the cannon. l kept an anxious look
upon the line of the 23d as it pushed rapidly
| forward along the margin of the prairie, f.
nally breaking into double-quick-f formed
suddenly-a terrible shout camel back-a
burst of smoke, and the regiment disappear
ed from the scene.
l turned about and instantly ordered nv
safe and army chest loaded into an army
wagon, with whatever else could be tumbled
in, and to leave the field, and my ambulance
to be ready for instant departure. Ny asso-
ciate, Major Brigdon, paying the second regi-
ment to the right, | knew must be lost unless
| could get him and his clerk into the ambu-
lance, and | ran up the line and fortunately
was enabled to attract his attention in time.
AS turned to make for the ambulance, l saw
a vast line of cavalry sweeping down upon
the camp, which had not an armed man in it,
saw them gobble up the pickets, and come
on with the velocity of the wind. Our mule
team was put to its highest speed, and fortu-
nately made the woods, here about eighty
rods across, before they could come up; but
they sent their compliments in the shape of
a shower of bullets.
As we emerged On the south side, the
prairie was mooing spectacle of teams and
stragglers, going at their highest speed. On