Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-06-09
ARMY G0RRESP0NDENCE.
CAMp NEAR MoxrGoMERY. Ala Mav8

! capital OF Alabama. shall endeaYor to give
your readers, in as few words as possible, an
account Of our travels since writing my last.
Our regiment left Natchez, Miss, on the
Sth Of March, and the following day landed at
CarrolIton, La, a small town seven miles
north of New Orleans. Here we Law In camp
until the 10th of April, and in the meantime
were fully equipped and mounted. From
Carrollton we marched, by way Of St. Johns
Bayou, to Lake Point, on Lake Ponchartrain.
Lake Point, or, as it is sometimes called,
Milneburg, is small town about FIVE miles
from New Orleans, and connected with the
latter by railroad. In bygone days it was a
noted bathing place, but the houses are now
sadly out Of repair. Here we embarked on
board steamers for Fort Blakely, goingthrough
what is known as Grants Pass, touching at
Fort Gaines, at the entrance of Mobile Bay.
and reaching Fort Blakely late in the evening
ofthe 10th, one day after the surrenderof the
place. The channel was yet full OF torpedoes
and our progress up was necessarily slow. !
should ike very much to have visited Fort
Spanish and the other works, also the city Of
Mobile, which lays in plain sight, but we-were
only allowed until next day at noon to pre-
pare to march, so / had not the time
On Monday, the 18th, our brigade, com
posed Of the ID N. j., 4th Wis, 10th, 18th
and 18th Indiana Cavalry, and the 14th Ohio
Battery, left camp near Blakely, taking the
old stage road to Greenville, on the Alabama
and Florida r. R. Cen Smiths 10Th army
corps had already preceded US. Nothing
much ofinterest transpired on our march to
Greenyille, which place we reached on the
22d, 185 miles from BlakeIy. The citizens
were completely taken by surprise. They
were pursuing their usual ayocations and the
few officers and soldiers wore unconscious of
danger and scattered about town, when Col.
SpruHng, at the head Of one hundred men,
dashed upon them, capturing nine commits
stoned officers and eighty enlisted men, ex-
elusive of three medical officers and two cap
tains. Many Of the citizens took to the
swamps and escaped, but the greater part of
them were taken prisoners and afterwards
released. AS the cavalry was dashing down
one Of the streets the stars and stripes were
unfurled from neat little cottage, when the
troops halted aud gave three times three for
the glorious old flag.
For distance of one hurdred miles north
of Biakely is the poorest section of country
that mortal man ever travelled through
nothing but lofty pines over head and white
sandunder foot. In travelling this distance 1
do not believe we passed more than six hous-
es that were inhabited. The few people we
did see stared at US in blank astonishment
and wondered where we ''all come from
When we reached the open country we sub.
sisted almost entirely off theinhabitants, COM
pletely stripping it Of all Iorses and mules
that could be found.
At Greenyille salute of two hundred guns
were fred in honor of the surrender of Gen.
Lee and his army. At that time we had not
heard Of the surrender Of Johnston, and it
was not until day before yesterday that we
received official notification Of the same.
At Greenville Gen. Grierion ordered his
wagon train to follow that # Gen. Smiths
to Montgomery, which place we reached on
the 26th, one Division of the 10th Corps hav-
ing pushed on and taken quit possession the
day previous.
Montgomery is anything but a handsome
city, It's about the size of Cumberland, Md.
and, setting aside the Sta.e House and Ex-
change Hotel, does not contain any finer
buildings. The streets are unpayed. The
stores are mostly all open. and fish, vegeta-
bles of all kinds, strawberries, blaekberries
and dewberries are to be ound abundantly,
but at most exorbitant prices IA GreenJacks.
Confederate money is not looked at.
A great many troops are encamped in and
around the city, but what disposition will be
made Of them am unable to say. As the
war is considered virtually at an end sup
pose we viii soon all be discharged and sent
home. Gen. Greerson's command encamp-
ed last night six miles eaz. of the city, having
been ordered to this point A large mail was
sent out this morning, together with rations
for all the men. We have plenty of grub,
boats arriving continually from below For
forage we subsist almost entirely off the
country.
Paroled prisoners from Lees, Johnston's
and Cobo's armies arrive daily. Rations Of
ham, sugar, coffee and hard tack are fur
nished them, which they relish with keen
zest after wars privations
On the I'd we received the news of the
death Of President Lincoln. Guns were fred
at intervals during the day, and all places of
public business were CLOSED. Abraham Lin
coin is no more The assassination has cast
gloom over the whole army Abraham
Lincoln, nor the world, never knew what
hold he had upon the public heart. No doubt
greater men have lived; wiser men have died;
but, since the days of Washington, no man
has lived or died whose hold upon the love of
nation was so enduring Well may the
southern states wall over his loss, for he was
their friend What has been gained to the
south by this murder? VIII President John
son show them more favors? We viii wait
and see.
More anon. Yours.
ALBERT SMITH.