Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-07-21
Army Correspondence.


EpiToRs INQUIRER: About FIVE hundred
men of the 2nd n. J. Cavalry, whose term of
service expires prior to the 1st of October,
arrived here on the evening of the 18th.
When 1 wrote you last We were near Ply
mouth Landing, on the Tombigbee river.
will try and give you, in as few words as pos
sible, an account of our trip from there here.
Drawing ten days rations for the men and the
same amount of forage for the animals, we
left camp on the 9Th Of June with orders to
proceed to Vieksburg, at which place we ar
lived on the 10Th, coming via Goodman, Kos
cusko, Benton and Meehanicsburg, crossing
the Big Black at the former place. The heat
was intense and the men and animals suffer
ed much for want of water. Unlike the State
ofAlabama, there are but few running streams;
people depend mainly upon cisterns and wells.
fer supply, and the latter is mostly of very
b6oF quality. The lafid the route we travel
led is generally of a poor quality, and partic
ularly so after getting some twenty-five miles
west of Columbus. 1t seems to have been
tiled successiyely in cotton and corn so as to
render it totally unproductive, unless it be for
the raising of blackberries. We mainly
subssted on the latter during the trip.
Rnt little tottoit was planted this season,
their attention being directed principally to
the raising of corn. Wheat was being har-
7ested but Of such quality that farmers in
CUR section would scarcely think it worth har-
vesting
Well, tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, and
Mississippi may be very fine States, but |
haee not yet seen any part Of either that l
would rather live IN than the sold Key
stone.
We went into camp at Bovina, on the
Southern R. R., ten miles from Vieksburg
Ia the immediate vicinity there was much to
be seen The situation of the old camp can
be distinctly traced out and, dotting the hills,
ara the graves of those heroes who sacrificed
hsir lives for lhe common country. Many
have been taken up, but many more afe
Sleeping there who are unknown. Peace to
their ashes.
Here we laid until the 29th of June, when
We we're mustered out of the service. The
next day we went aboard the "Maria Den
ning. at Vicksburg, landing at New Orleans
on the ID Of July The glorious 4thwas pass
ed in the Crescent City ! have not the
space or would give you an account of the
Proceedings Speeches were made by prom
inent military men and the day wound up by
grand display of fireworks The shipping
presented a splendid spectacle. shall ever
remember the seth anniversary Of American
Independence passed in the ''Crescent City
On the 5th we embarked on the steamer
'Atalantan for New York. We left New
orleans at p. NJ. the same day, crossed the
bar at the mouth OF the Mississippi at A. M.
the next morning, passed Key West light
house at p. NJ. of the Sth, reaching New
York at P. NJ. the 18th, just in time to wit
ness the total destruction of Barnum's Mu-
Scum.
chad pleasant passage until reaching
the vicinity of Cape Hateras. The storm
commenced on the night of the 11th, and
lasted some four hours. All on board tho't
s6e would go to the bottom, certain. '.Lift
On the ocean wavei' may all be very nice, bu
'or me give me the dry land. Three Of oul
humber died during the passage, two off tbs
coast Of Georgia on Sunday evening and on'
On the night of the 18th off Cape May. Thei
0odles were sewed up in blanket, the steam
sI stepped, they were lowered over the sid
ol the steamer into the deep blue sea,
aFee yolleys were fred and the vesse
gam proceeded on her way. Twice on
f'''' Sabbath evening did this happen. /
'semed hard but it had to be, andthey 'ssleel
'ae last sleep that knows no waking" in tn
iu'e' depths of the sea, with the waves t
'Is their last sad requiem.
yesterday aboat 1000 of the men attende
$ betehel Hall to partake of the entertain
r,sit provided at the expense of the State
S'l'e number Of them were also entertaine
'he Soldiers Rest, where the ladies ha
y Taae abundant provision for their reception
ne men are mustered oat and are only wal
~ ior their pay, which, we understand wi
'e gwen to them next Thursday in the mear