The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-08-11

SbOckaQe anu threatened with variety 0
choice and elegant oaths, that he would
shoot the top of the head off from thai
particular assemblage of Yankees on the
slightest provocation. Major G.. w
Smith Ga relative, [ believe, of Johns
had charge of our men coming from Ty-
ler to Shreveport, the last time, and was
kind, generous, and considerate He, on
a former occasion however, marched 100
men from Shreveport to Tyler, 10 miles,
in four days, and nearly used up the en-
tire squad in consequence. Two actually
died in two days afterward from the eff
fects Of this cruel march
Lieut.. Haines of Harrison's battalion
merits separate paragraph for soldierly
manly and other qualities. The partic-
ularly manly and soldierly, qualities for
which consider him entitled to notice
consists in his regard for the feelings and
comfort of our men while on the march
from Shreveport to Tyler. For instance,
if a man became lame or weary or weak
with walking, this humane officer direc-
ted his men to place rope around said
mans neck, and to tie said rope to the
pommel of the saddle of the mounted
guard. This was done on repeated occa-
slons, as there is abundant testimony to
certify, among both officers and men, who
witnessed it. On several occasions squads
of our men escaped from the stockade,
and some escaped to our lines but the
pocks of hounds which they keep for the
purpose generally enabled them to over
take and capture those who endeavor to
get away. .e-,s
Our men amused themselves In every
imaginable way to kill time and earn mo-
ney to provide themselves with something
to cover their nakedness. They baked
cups and plates, and bowls of potter's clay
which they found in their stockake.-
They whitfield and carved cups, pipes,
spoons, knives and forks, out of wood
plated hats out of straw which the Con-
federates sold them at 81 dollars bum
die. Their success in pottery led some
Of the guards to fear greatly that our men
would be able to make guns with which
to overwhelm them and escape some fine
day or evening. | do not learn, however,
that they had brought that branch of bus
iness to a successful issue when these
men left there They had their jokes,
however, and as the Rebels were hard to
convince that our zouayes were not anna
IONS, the boys humored the joke by imi,
tating the crying of a baby, and actually
caused many Of the moral women of Ty-
ler to firmly believe that we had female
soldiers in our army, and that crying ba-
bies were natural result We have re-
naming yet at Tyler about $500 men,
and it is the belief of our officers that
there are no others in their hands in Tex
as. This is considerably less than they
claimed when they sent us the men from
the hospitals Of Mansfield and Pleasant
Hill, Of which [ advised you some days
since. Then they claimed 5000 still on
hand Forty-four hundred and eighty
rations are all they issued before these
men left, which leaves $500 to $500 re-
naming behind.
Many interesting incidents might be
added, which the length of this forbids
my stopping to relate. The condition of
these men is fair index of those remain
ing, and calls loudly for attention. Kir-
by Smith has intimated that it was our
fault, but the facts do not verify the as
sertion, as repeated efforts have been made
by the proper authorities, but the 'condi-
tions which the Rebels imposed prevent
ed our sending them. Gen. Candy has
given instruction to his Commission of
Exchanges to confer with the Rebel Com
missioners at once, and will again seek to
send up medicines and clothing to our
men, while the agent of the Cincinnati
Branch Sanitary Commission has tender
ed to Gen. Candy whatever sanitary stores
may be proper to send so soon as the Reb-
els will permit to be sent forward such
articles as the Government can furnish.
/ lit is to be hoped that an early favorable
reply will be received, in which case our
soldiers hearts will be gladdened by some
comforts to which they have long been
strangers. 1 ' te
The health of the remaining troops is
variable. They have good water, and
not food enough to give dyspepsia but
the Easter1p especially the Maine men,
do not do as we'll as Western men there
Medicines are greatly needed, and it is to
be hoped that this will be soon remedied,
along with their other necessities. The
| Confederate officers excuse our mems des-
titution, so far as they are the cause ,of it,
by attributing ito our rigid blockade,
and say when we ease up that they will
give our men in their hands more eom-
forts, and have more themselves to give.
Our boys are getting new clothes, and
will be paid off Immediately, and are hap
py beyond expression to see friendly ia
ces once more
/ cannot forbear mention of one fact
notwithstanding the length of this
Some two or three hundred of our men
have been vaccinated up there, and the
greater portion of them are in anything
but satisfactory condition. The matter
with which they were vaccinated was
| tainted with other horrible mixtures, and
| the result is that their arms present