Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-11-20
Vol. =, No. 20.
FROM THE 69TH INDIANA.
CANP NEAR NERMiI LIoNviILr. la,
OF. l6tn. / %.

CAMP NEAR NERMii IfoNvrILr. Ia
Oct. 10Th. l'63.
EDITOR JOURNAL: Permit me again
to write to my old friends through
the Journal, from the land Of the
cotton and the cane, TO while away a
few of the weary hours of camp.
life.
We LETT our camp at Berwick Bay
on the Sd inst, and came by way OF
Franklin and st. Martinsville. We
passed through a rich and fertile
country, following the Bayou Teche
road. This Bayou, though mar
row, Is deep, as most of the
streams in this country are, and nav
igable for steamboats, of the largest
size TO St. Martinsville.
Were it not for the curse of slave
~, this would soon become one of
the finest countries in the world.
This Parish Lafayette is mostly
rolling prairie, interspersed with
groves OF cypress, sweet gum, and
magnolia. The prairies al ound in
nerds of the wild Mustang pony and
the large horned Texan cattle.
saw herds Of cattle of more than 4
thousand head.
Some ofour troops are being mount
ed. We catch the ponies 10y driving
them into a pen and throwing a rope
with 4 running moose at the end.
called lasso, over the horses heads,
and by this means choke them down,
when a bit is placed in their mouths,
and in a few days the animal becomes
perfectly docile.
Our troops had little slirmish at
this place The rebels burned the
bridge over Nermillion river, and
then ran away. The advance of our
army had fight few days ago
with the rebels thIs side of Opelousas.
Two divisions Of our army corps
were sent to reinforce the 10Th =
When they arrived, 4 flank move
nent was attempted, which met q
fanhing party OF the rebels and a
fight ensued which resulted in the
defeat of the rebels We captured
800 prisoners. They then fell back
to Opelousas. Their force is sup
posed to lie 5000 or 10000, Gen.
TAYLOR in command. Preparations
for crossing the plains are nearly
completed We have to haul water
with us for forty miles travel. Yam
kee ingenuity has been ut work, and
formed a cart for hauling water. 1t
resembles n roller. and is simply two
wheels of which a barrel is both aN-
el-trce and hub. to which shafts are
attached in which we can hitch an
OK or mule.
The election in the Ohio regiments
of our brigade passed OFF quietly =
/ After the most strenuous efforts Of
old Vals friends, he received only
l20 votes, and Brough over Leo.
We were honored 10y visit from
the Pay Master a few days ago
When money is drawn, the first con
sideration is to send the greater por-
tion OF it to those who often are anx-
iously looking for the remittances
whcrcwith to buy bread. Most OF
the boys, after sending home good
+ " share Of their wages, risk what
they have left in various games OF
chance. such as '.sevennp, poker. :
.'chuckaluci1, "euchre, etc, though
there are many even in the army
who have set their faces against gam
bling in ali It's forms
We have been lately checred by
the glorious news from Rosecrans
army, and now we are anxiously look
inc for news from Ohio. We have
faith that the result has been such as
to stay the tide of Coppcfheadism
and disloyalty at the North, and that
the whole energy Of the people will
now be devoted to speedily crushing
the rebellion now writhing iii the
last aoOnes of death.
/ have converscd with many o
the citizens, and know that they hail
ell the advent OF the Union army
with JOY. The conscription was en-
forced by Texans, to whom neithe
rights Of property. person, or III
were sacred. We have a regimen
Of men nearly full composed OF reb
el conscripts who have escaped.
The mail leaves shortly, and
must close. More anon.
OLD Line DEMOCRAT.
WAITING BEFORE CHARLESTON