Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-07-23
Letter from the SuMbury Gaards.
TASELLYTowN, ID. c., July l6, 1854.

enormous.
Letter from the sunbury Ganrds. !
TASELLvTowN, ID. c., July l6, 1854.
DEAR WiLvERr -
Some two weeks ago the infantry of the
1st Division, 19:h Army Corps received no.
tice to be ready at a moments warning to
leave Morganza to report at New Orleans.
The packing up order came in two days and
on the morning OF July 3D. we safely landed
At Agiers, small place opposite the Cres-
cent city, where we pitched our cncamp
mcnt. We were allowed but short sojourn
at that point, for ut one =. 81. on the eth
We started again for parts unknown on the
steamer NeCtellan, 'Inc passage down the
Mississippi was mostly at night, so am un-
able to give you description of it. At
Pilottown we exchanged pilots immcdi-
ately below was hailed by the l.. 5. river,
gunboat 4S with STEAMER ahoy what stea-
mer 8 that = which was answered satisiac-
torily, when with wave of the hand we
parted our boat on its way to cross the bar,
and then to find out by certain papers our
! destination. An expedition was on the move
| but what point no one outside of headquar-
! tiers was able to tell. 1t was Il secret move.
! This was right. for the destination of former
expeditions was known weeks before cm-
| barking, and by the time the troops reached
| the point to which they were ordered, the
rebs were ready to receive them. New Or
leans is filled with traitors and spies, ready
to do the bidding of Jefferson d., and it is
necessary that the greatest precaution be
used when anything extraordinary is going
| on.
AS the pilo. was leaving, after safely steer
ip,r i, itt lta
sealed orders were opened, when we learned
our course was towards Fortress Monroe, to
join in the good work going on front of
Richmond. Why our destination was kept
so secret cannot conjecture, unless it was
II bait to catch spies, inducing them to for
ward word to Johnston that an advance
was being made on Mobile, which might
lead him to withdraw y portion of his troops
from Sherman's front and sending them to
the protection of the latter city.
When out on the Gulf sixty miles, Jonas
Snyder of Carbon county, Pa, a member OF
Co. l., died. His body was prepared for bu-
rial by nicely sewing it up in blankets, with
weights attached to make it sink. The flu
neral was conducted by Chaplain Rodrock
who read the beautiful sea service from the
prayer book of the Protestant Episcopal
Church. The Flag of our Union was al
half mast, the boat stopped, and rs the sun
was hiding in the west, the body was laun
ched into the sea, sinking to rise no more
until the great day comes when the sou
must give an account for the deeds done
in the body"
On Sunday, July 10th, We made the wa
tiers outside of Key West. Not liking tC
endangcr the lives Of the men nor undergo
strict quarantine when arriving at North
y ri ,piS caf
distance and signallcd that he had mail 60
the town, when pilot boat came to thu
steamer. From the pilot VIC learned th0
the yellow fever was prevailing to grea
, extent. As high as twenty-six cases in
day. The 1l0;h New York and I'd L. S
(colored) Infantry, doing duty there, hay
: suffered severely from this scOurge, losin;
, most of their officers.
/ On Wednesday morning We discovered
, steamers on either side of US when on
course was altered to run north in direction
; of one supposng it to be blockade runner
e but discovering 1t TO be gunboat we steer
{ ed for the old course. The one on the sout
ran up SO rapidly that it seemed as if sh
was bird upon the wing, and our old IN
was standing still. This gunboat displaye
e signals and as We hoisted our bunting sh
Y passed by our stern. seeming perfectly salts
fed, so much so that we did not receive tn
> customary hail. did not learn the nam
; of this steamer, but think from the runnin
t qualities exhibited while coming up to u
|. she would he u match for the Florida, an
:, il chase or fight he the result the pirat
would be prize. At first we supposed thes
steamer were on duty blockaking oil Wi
c mington, y. G., hut now know to a certain
II " they are cruising for the Florida, to pun
A. ish her for old scores and the depreciation
lately committed on our coast. In one wee
" from the day we started we reached FOrtre
J. Monroe. Gen. McWillians went ashore
rf report where he received orders to push c
ia To Washington. IL was here we receive
the first intimation of the rebel raid I'M
Maryland and the supposed danger to whiC
1s Washington was exposed. The boys we
anxious to move forward that they mig
&c participate in any punishment that wou
III be given the rebels. The ride up the Pot
mac was delightful and views splendid, pa
rs ticularly that around Mount Vernon ~
ot Fort Washington. In passing the tomb
! Washington the band of the nth play,
" Hail Columbia" and several national nil
We while the Star Spangled Banner ON q
'y stern of the Mcclellan was lowered N
r. hoisted in salute. On arriving at Washin
III ton We Giscmharked at eth street wha
- took up our line of march, passed up Pen
G" sylvania Avenue, out past the Presidcn
so House to Georgetown, and then ON to I'll
he place where We bvouacked. We are
An move forward after the enemy, but whetl
:. it will hc before tie arrival of three OF o
IT, companies, who could not get passage vi
as Us, cannot tell From what | can lea
ris wr viii move towards the Point of Rocl
rsl The raiders have, or are attempting To crS
IL. ID. lr,tIi. m
W from other troops and away from the ne
u depot We are ~ the dark as 10 what is 9
Ny ing on. 4. anything occurs will send \
Wv VOID Of IL, The boys are all well. RENE
-. hsr me to all In the office, freinds genera
a anil for yourself. believe the rs ever,
"e Yours fratenally, ii. ID. w
No., For the Americas
-. sUSBuKy, July ~, 1854