Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-03-19
rc,,er from the sunbury Guards.

FRANKLIN La, March 20, ioo+.
| DEAR WlLvBRT,
Five companies Of the 47th p. ", left
Key West. Fla, on Thursday, Feb. 25th, ON
board the U. S. Transport Charles Thomas
en- route for New Orleans. This steamer, as
| q conveyance for troops, needs first rate
ruff, but as am not In that business, l will
merely say she is first class propeller, built
in Philadelphia, and like everything from
that city. not to be excelled, and, in our
opinion, is the best transport now in the use
of the Government. After a very pleasant
passage we made New Orleans on the fol-
lowing Sunday, and in the AFTERNOON of that
day. ..disembarked ut Algiers, small village
opposite the city. Algiers is to New Orleans
what Camden is to Philadelphia, in some
respects, viz used for storage of goods,
some manufacturing, and place where me-
chancs. clerks and laborers can obtain
houses at cheap rents. As we did not stop
ut New Orleans, | cannot give you, of my
own knowledge, an account of that city, but
from the description given by some OF the
, boys who were over, (getting there by dodg-
! ing the guard) | should say the morals of
! that Crescent city were in a very bad state.
! They tell me the Theatre, Circus, Varieties
and other places of amusement were ope II,
/ Cock fighting going on, Coffee Houses and
| eubpS NtlC OpCii, ahtt buoihSoo
driven on in style as though the Sabbath
was unknown, or had been forgotten, thus
showing the character of some Of the South
ern Chiyalry, and jeff. Davis, in particular,
after making so many proclamations for
! Thanksgiving, and proving them TO be
most consummate liars and hypocrites.
From the mouth of the Mississippi to
| New Orleans, on either side of the river, is
| the pretticst and most level land ever saw.
As far as the eyes can reach it is one vast
plain, spotted with mansions, sugar facto-
! RIGS and negro huts. Orange groves are
neatly arranged on every plantation. and
cedar trees are in abundance, the former
| (peach) being in full blossom, which added
a great deal to the beauty of the scene as
we passed up the river. How set of peo-
pie could be dissatisfied enjoying, as they
! did, so many blessings, large and rich estates,
/ having no wish or want ungratifed, and liv-
ing under the best government ever framed,
| could not understand, but thought they
must have been possessed of the evil one,
or else. the bringing on of this "cruel war"
was curse sent upon them for their pride
and worshipping of mammon.
Just as the steamer was rounding to, pre-
paratOry to our landing at Algiers, a fatal
accident happened TO II member of company
X. He was sitting in one of the side matches
! of the boat, lost his balance and before n
boat could get to him. either from the steam
er or shore he was drowned. No one saw
, him fall. and it was only known. by Seeing
him come up astcrn of the boat, that "man
was overheard" His cap was found on
the vizier was "F. H." by which means it
was discovered the missing man was Frede-
rick Kocher. u citizen of Lehigh county and
a member of Company X, Capt. Abbott.
Knowing the Mississippi TO he the "Fath-
er of waters" was surprised when found
that it was at no point we passed. near as
wide as the SuSguchQand, at Sunbury. but
then what is lost in width is made up in
depth for was assure 10y those posted,
that no place in the channel is the water
less than one hundred feet deep. The river
is as crooked rs it is deep, and to run up
its windings takes one OF the most expert
enced pilots. At one turn of the river .he
distance made running it was over ten miles,
while by an air line one could have reached
it by less than three miles.
On Monday, Feb. 90, after being muster
cd for pay, we again made n forward move
mcnt by taking the cars on the US Mill
tary railroad for Breashear city, where we
arrived that afternoon, having travelled a
| distance of ninety miles. This road was
formerly called twhen in possession of the
rebs.) the New Orleans. Oppelusas and
: Great Western railroad, but Uncle Samuel
taking possession called it by the name for
, which it is used. 3reashcar is small place
containing some thirty houses and very
large depot. 1t lies on the st. Mary's river
The town derives its name from Madame
Breashcar, widow of a deceased Frenchman
t Madame is now enjoying herself in Paris
Before she lett the country she bestowed on
tln
, something like three million of dollars, but
, as our Government has possession of it
there is no doubt it will he coniiscated, and
the proceeds obtained from the sale will be
used for better purpose than if it was in
the hands of jeff. Davis Secretary of the
Treasury. The country from New Orean.
to Brcashcar is as pretty and level as that
on the river, and only differs from it il
swamps. Sugar mills are plenty on the lint
of the railroad, and at the different depot
| saw large quantities of sugar put up il
y barrels and hogshcads ready to be sent tC
= market. This sugar was raised and prepar
= ed by the labor of freed negroes, under tn
is plan as laid down by Gen. Banks. TIN
6 swamps along our line of travel contained
6 any quantity of reptiles, and the boys had
Il great deal of fun in watching for anu shoot
q ing ut Alhgators.
L. we stOpptN Ut DIeasUeuT ncrelN lOn
/. enough to get our arms, stores, &c, fror
the cars and putting them on a steamer
when we again started on our march (pe
steamer for Franklin, where we arrive,
ni about midnight, stopped on the boat tina
E. night, exposed to hard rain by which ou
blankets and clothes were completely soak
e. ed, and in the morning disembarkcd, pal
? took of a 'hasty" cup of coffee, and the
4. marched to camp where we are nicely quai
er tered, five and six in small A tents. | hav
Vi not been through the town of Franklin ye
r. so | cannot tell you much about it, onl
A from the distance it appears to he II mic
little town, situated on a river navigable fc
-. II good sized steamer.
l. The troops here are all under marchin
orders, expecting soon to advance on III
n enemy. The balance of our regiment wi
IS be here in few days, when we will /
Of ready to join in the fray, in which the bo,
of will delight in using their Springfield rifle
y on the rebs.
\. In coming On the cars we passed nun
90 Der of colored troops on duty, and at on
point we saw reb prisoner trying to c
cape, followed by two negroes in pursui
" The darkies called for him TO stop; NJ
IL Reb, did not beed their hail, so, bang wei
pi' musket, the load taking effect in the 81
et ting Dart of the escaninu man WhiC