Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-05-12
1nistfIlaHu.
General Banks Department.
RON TnE EldHrH VERMONT REGIMENT.

This sheet OF paper | have torn from my mem.
oanIam book.
We are encamped in magnificent Live Oak
grove three miles from New Iberia. We have
a Jec1 5ae week on the march, have driven the en-
eul every time one battle lasted two days at a
r4ea viefe we burned the cotton have taken
1910 prsonersj have found 200 wounded rebels
e have buried an acre Of their dead have DESTROYED
al aken) their gunboats, "Qaeen Of the West"
Diana, " Hart and four transports, and still
ge ata after them. They retreat in confusion,
al ae press them hard BY our rapid marches
Shl.. be at Alexandria in five or six days. Cen
M We.l1ei has led the advance the entire way, White
i, troops, and Growers, have fought all the bat.
t~ The S.h Vermont being on the right Of
The Brigade has actually been the leading regi.
meut ID the march and tight. Oar casualties, We
ARE happy to say have been very light-l6 killed
in lhc whole brigade. We haye taken large qpau.
ti'Ies Of ammunition, camp and garrison equipsge
and ordnance stores. They left their camps 10
suci haste that their tents we're all standing, with
furniture .n ,hem. Their retreat was SO rapid
.tut ads ofcJrn were ieh along side the road
la- hcah and spirits Of the army are excel.
#l,n- Gen. Bank, is here 10 person with Biz
s.H am enjoying the trip We have break
ftat B. march at i, and bait for the night at .
to3P NJ the forces, We,lze's brigade 10 the
e4aea, thea Emoy's DIVISION and aherwafd,
growers division. To-day We will have ST. Mar
ia,yle and Butte La Ros. Sunday We will be
q OyeIou,aa and W Wednesday Of Thursday at Al.
tz4airi. There We have arrangements made to
Communicate with Admiral Fatngul.
We have 1000 head of cattle in our train, SO
y lre not likely to siarye. The column moves
b about ten minutes, So must close The
s4'her !. very iae and the roads excellent The
eo-a,fy IS very rich and beautiful
HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, I
near Nermilion, April is, 1863
We arrived here this morning al 9 O'Clock, aud
kanl Il necessary foreman torebul the 1rdg
V..- ihe rebel, burned yesterday as they cross.
n or Opeouas. We Ja, one last night Of ST.
harnN.,-. So to-day We have a rest, which !,
scfy agreeable We are enclmped on the rolling
pr4.re Of the Opelousls County which It will take
Us three days to cross. We have warm dusty
weather aal the men stand the fatigue admirably
Have no time to write a. the orderly goes to
New Orleans 10 o few minutes with dispatches.
THURSDAY, April %.
As our bal. +, still. continued and no .isas Of
an advance have yet appeared, have opened my
budget and 20, out my pen ana inh. This morn.
ing Is as .oye, as il well can be, except that il is
ex e4.as h1ti and that We have not got 10 marcn
to.iay !. gr1'.dca,ion, although hope We shall
continue our march to Aexlndra, and thus cut
Of The supplies going to feed our enemies from
o. part Of the c-unry This delay in march
nl,es me feel weary about our movement fear.
irg ve may be ordered to return. oar solder.
Sou.i be very much dspIelsed to turn about and
BIZ the back track.
think wrote you thl, our headquarters was
OF tie premises o. rich old Frenchman such
sls the impression | obtained from his looks and
snd his speaking French alone but upon making
b, acquaintance and learning his hi,toryby use Of
ny boy Vie as an Interpreter, find he is
q .adroon," has lived in this coantry for many
years a.d was once slave on this same place.
j bought his freedom by special favor Of bis
ns,a,s whose life he saved. lie worked for her
by the month, saved his earnings, bought all his
family free, rented farm, made cotton and sold
On bis own account. He bought a small place.
hud finally hired the place Of his mistress for five
years. Hm,elnand family worked night and day
raised large crops, and at the end Of the five
years boush, bis mistress plantation, paying her
$4,000 down in gold. She continued to live
with him until her death. lie has now a wife
! children li7 saves, hoo acres Of fine land,
tnd is rcckoned TO be worth S300,000-ye be is
Of African descent, cannot vote, oanno have
ans voice in the government Of his own town, in
the making OF roads through his own farm, or in
,he system Of schools his own children even, are
not allowed 10 be educated, and he must send
them by stealth to some Yankee State to have
the benefit Of schools, and to be thought even to
read and write yet his property is assessed to
pay all uxes, his stock, his animals his grain, his
everything is taken to support the rebel army
and he himself is only excused from serving by
being too old and infrm. So this place, instead
OF being good representation Of rich French
planters, isa negro nabob's,' Of whom am
told there are good many hereabou;s.
One Of the slaves says we do about as we
please as our master is coored and we are
not afraid Of him, but he provides us with poorer
clothes, and poorer rAtioas than the white men,
and, if the white planter would sustain him, he
would abuse US by whipping, &C., but as they
viii not favor or help protect him, he dare not
whip u', for we are too many and too strong for
mhi.
asked one what they raised on the plauta
ton. lie said, I" we rais, Mules Niggers, Cattle
Sheer, Pigs, Geese, Turkeys, Chickens, Doves
pcaeocbs, Cotton and Sugir and we make Corn
Sweet Potatoes Hay and Vegetables
To-day Gov. Sheplsy arrived to take charge o
property of the Executive Department. Lieut.
s. Bowles is with him and we have had merry
ride.
just learn that there is a prospect that vi
may remin here for some days. train o
teams is to be established to some landing place
where property can be shipped to market W.