The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-08-11
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LETTER FROM THE SOUTHWEST.
HEADQUARTERS ODD u. s. G. T., !
BRowSsviLLE, Texas, July 2,'65. {

tuut piaco' HI tuiS "u bVo yoe "" "
count oi our march to this place. As soon
ms our brigade landed, We were ordered to
march to Whites Rancho (Farm), on the
Rio Grande, ten miles distant. as there was
no fresh water on the leland. We marched
st7 p. NJ and after marching about an
hour the "boys" began to complain OF thirst,
as their limited supply OF water had given
out. As VIC marched on, their complaints
for water were very much like. those OF the
ancient Israelites. heard more than one
say that no wished he had been leit to die in
Virginia. We would march an hour and
then rest fifteen minutes. Water! water
became the general cry, and think our poor
horses jlined in il. as they had had no water
for the last thirty.six hours We reached
the river ut IL p. NJ, aud after forming line
of battle and stacking arms, general STAN
pcde was made for the river. 1t being very
high, the surface of the water level with the
banks, and the current eight miles per hour,
some of the men, in their cagerness to get
water. fell in and were soon out oi sight.
Never did water taste so sweet, and was
much surprised to awake in the morning and
find that We had been drinking u compound
of sand and water. We bivouacked here,
and owing to the fact that the most OF our
division were behind and also to the bad con
dition of the roads. We were ordered to re-
main here at present.
june the 2Sth, the water having subsidized.
We were ordered to march. Broke camp ut
} A. NJ, and the column commenced moving
at five. The first hours march, the roads
were decidedly bad. the next hour worse, and
the last hours march beyond human cndur
ance. We had three miles Of mud q loot
deep and Us slippery as glass. Many OF the
officers and soldiers left their shoes rs u per-
petual memorial of the tcnacity Of Texas
mud. Assoon az we got to n dry place, we
were ordered to bivouac. and to. march the
next morning at o'clock. Butas our teams
were stuck in the mud, heavy details were
sent hack to help them through. Our mule
force consisted of six to a team, with u pre-
scribcd load Of eight hundred pounds. The
wagons had to be uuloaded and the baggage
carried in some instances milo; and the
mules, true to their mulish instincts, would
not "budgc an inch" which obliged MS to
detach these fluid extracts Of siubbornness,
and attach a bipcd team proving a a"leetle
slow, but dreadful sure" After saving our
train from the danger of being swamped in
the mud, We took up our line Of march, and
to our qualification found an improvement in
the roads. After marching ten miles and
lording pond mile wide, we went into
camp, and gave the men an opportunity to
bathe. The next morning we found some OF
our companies had been obliged to change
their quarters; the wind having changed
during the night, and blowing quite fresh
across the pond, had driven the water over
our camping ground, and it continued to rise,
In the afternoon violent shower came up.
and the waters from above uniting with those
below made the water foot deep. compel
ling US to move in drenchins rain. BY the
time We had pitched our tents, We were
ready to hang ourselves out to dry. The
next morning we found our ,cet bldaket pack
ing had been productive of sundry stiff Leg
and knees, and anon man might bc seer
making huge efforts to keep his jaws still
being slightly affected with the "shivery
shaking" The "powcrs that be-" antici
patiug that we might share similar late tc
our Antediluvian brethren, ordered US, moi
TO build an ark, for there was not enough
wood, but to Zee TO Brownsville, the Canaan
OF our expedition. We arrived at our dcsti'
nation at 10 A. NJ, but instead Of finding a
land flowing with milk and honey, found a
land ovcrrun with chapparal, lizards, beauti'
iul snakes. and cactus.
The most Of the first division are cncamped
here. while the second division have gone up
river. one brigade having been ordered to
Eagle Pass, three hundred miles up river.
Our division is commanded by Brevct Maj.
Gen G. II. Smith, the corps by Maj Gen.
G. Weitzel. Gen. S;eeh commands tho Dc
partmcut Of the Rio Grande.
II is impossible to make ourselves comfor'
table here. We have to drink river water
like what you could dip up in airy mud-pud
die at the North; our tents arc pitched up
on the burning sand, with no shade. 1t il
very hot in the forenoon in the afternoon
and evening we have quite cool breeze from
the southeast. 1t is quite sckly-diarrhes
aud disease called "break.bone fever" Of
deugue, is quite prevalent. This disease ha'
some symptoms allied to yellow fever, and |
is generally conceded by the residents tha
when this is prevalent the yellow fever is 40
sent, OF that they do not both occur durin,
! the same season. One case Of yellow feve
has already occurred. resulting unfavorably
short description Of the places | hay
" visited; Braros San,iago is an island eigh
. miles north of the mouth Of the Rio Grande
8 1t is noted tor not having any fresh water o,
il, neither has it much vegetation. Thi
lplace is base Of operations for troops L