The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-05-27

1..EaE-.. t.H. L ohI hUDSOE, La
..- March 16, 1868.
My dear Father and Sister sf as fa'-
| have written again and again to you both
but cannot hear from either of you ! know
not whether you are living or dead I can
not hear from you by any source. A good
many of the boys get letters from Desoto,
why it is none of you write canuot imag-
inc, do write my dear Father and Sister. j
am anxious to hear from you. q
Ny beloved wife and children with Major
Johnston's wife and child, are Mr.. Dan Will
sons, about forty miles from here, and about
eighteen miles miles this side of Osvka. on
the New Orleans Railroad / went to see
them few days on a forty-eight hours leave
of absence. l had received note from Hell
en-, saying that little Lem was very sick. |
found him very low with Typhoid Pneumo-
MA. l remained with him about twenty
hours, when had to returned to Port Hud-
son. l left him very low, and if he did not
get good medical attention fear he is dead.
however, God grant that he is better, and
that the dear little boy may recover. have
not heard from him since / left there Thurs
day last. Oh, this cruel war, when Father
cannot be with his child when he is sorelv
needed. | sincerely hope and pray that this
war may soon close, when we may all once
more be united. Night before last, the 18th
inst, the enemy attempted to pass our Bate
ries with six men -of-war, for two hours and
ten minutes the firing from the vessels and
Batteries was incessant, my pen is inadequate
to describe the grandeur of the scene. The
flash of the guns, the continual heavy BOOM
ing sound, the kissing of shot, the screaming
and explosion of shells, and their meteor
like appearance as they passed shrieking
through the air, rendered the spectacle pecu-
liarly grand, sublime and terrific As the
land forces of the enemy were threatening us
in front, our whole command was ordered to
the breastworks. About II O'Clock got on
my horse and rode up and down the line Of
our Brigade, shot and shell were continually
kissing by and exploding near me, fortunate
ly L escaped unhurt and only three men oi
our Brigade were wounded. The casualties
of the whole command were, one man killed
and eleven wounded. About 10 O'Clock /
! rode down to the River, and there witnessed
the grandest sight ever beheld. One of the
enemy's largest vessels, the Mississippi,
floating down the river on fire, the booming
of her heavy guns as they became heated,
and the explosion of shells on board, render
ed it grand and magnificent sight About
daylight, after floating down almost to Baton
Rouge, she blew up with most terrific ex-
plosion, lighting up the country for twenty
five miles around. Of these six vessels that
attempted to pass our Batteries two succeed
ed, one burnt, and three supposed to be bad
| ly disabled, they must have lost five or six
| hundred men, there were three hundred and
twenty-five men on board the Mississippi so
the Captain of marines told me, about twen-
| ty-fve escaped down the river about one
hundred reached the opposite shore, and have
been captured and brought in by our cavalry
! pickets, stationed across the river, and the
rest must have gone to "Davy Jones Lock-
er." l hope that such may be the fate OF
all that attempted the same experiment.
| To-day the enemy in our front fell back to-
wards Baton Rouge in hot haste, leaving be-
hind them a good many knapsacks, coats
blankets, haversacks, and some thirty sheep
dressed, and one or two beeves. Prisoners
taken, and deserters represent the army un-
der Gen. Banks as being very much demor.
allied, and it is possible that they will mo-
make another attack soon, if they should
however do so, may God have mercy OIL
their souls, for we will certainly show none
to their physical frame, as long as they hole
arms in their hands, and much doubt wheth
er any should be shown under any circumstan
ces to the the negro thieving, women insult
ing, and children starving scoundrels, tina
pollute our South with their base unhallow