The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-12-08

placed in the entrenchments around this place. The roll of the drum, the sound ot the bugle. and steady tramp of men marching through the city was an every day occurrence Beanregard was organ. izing and arranging his troops tor an at- tack on Butler. Some of the soldiers who marched through here were re garded as pretty rough customers. not ably some who were known as the !" Louisiana Tigers" They were wer,hy of the name they bore, for when they visited the town some of them got loose. and entering two or three stores. tore things 10 pieces and devoured what they could find. On this occasion one brave citizen made some show of hgh, in the defense of his property, when he was promptly knocked down and have heard it stated that. in addition ,o the dehcacies carried of. one of the Louisi- ana veterans stole kiss from the pro- prietor's wife. Nerily. veriiy, the Peters burgers were sorely distressed.
 About the 10th of May Beauregard. having pu, himself in fighting trim. as sums cd the defensive and al once pitched into Butler. and thus began the fi.s. sharp engagement of the rebellion ID ,h.s immediate vicinity. The tide of battle had at last touched here. and the boom of cannon and the rattle of muske;fy. which had been so often read about. WAS now heard, and the dead and dying lay al our doors. Daily avocations of peace were hastily put aside for the grim bus- ness of war. The city militia was daily drilled and prepared to march to the iron, al the first show of fight. On the 10th of June, lSo4. General Butler sen; kau;s with brigade of cavalry on an expedl- ton to capture Petersburg
 While moving down plank road kau,z found his way disputed by DOT lion of General Nise,s brigade and some ot Petersburgs Home Guard in earth works. After being repulsed two 0, three times, he finally succeeded Tn get ting around them. and rushing down the road came within a stones throw of ihe city. which he could have easily captured had he pushed on but mistaking the mound inciosing the city works. with one cannon behind Ii for for, flled with n- fantry and artillery. he turned quickly back and hastened to Butler. This raid brought much mourning to the homes oi Petersburg. Il was sad days work for them. The militia, composed entirely of boys and men, was nearly destroyed by tic flank movement of the cavalry Eigh, ar ten were killed. many wounded and l number captured. 9n this day l ob- ,ained my frs, glimpse Of the panorafna which had been exhibited Tn other paris of the union for nearly four years. h company with youthful non-comba:an; went down the plank road over whGh General kautl had dashed but few hours before to see the effects of hs work. \ short distance from the road my astonished eyes looked upon the re- mans ot what vas. the day preceding. a comfortable home. Between two tai blaokened ehimnevs lay the smouldefn, embers of dwelling house; scattered about the yard were broken piet eS of furniture and several sections of the fence which had inolosed the place: fiy.ng about the charred branches of trees neal the house were pigeons, whose home ha, ing been burned. seemed bewildered. not knowing where to go. In tield near by was dead man with bule; hoe c federal soldier, killed that day. To 4y curious organs of observation he ~as certainly dead white man bu; whether federal or confederate was nn, able ,o determine. for he was IS naked as the Greek slave ln the Corcoran Art Gallery \ few confederate soldiers, whose canp was close by. were standing abog, the desolAie place in groups laughing and joking. showing no concern whatever .n the ruined home the wasted fields or inc unknown dead stretched on the earth be- fore them. They had seen the picture often now saw Il for the frs, ,eae Seven days after this occurrence Hancock moved his veterans across the City Pom; railroad set them down in iron, of Ie,efS- burg and the horrors of the siege com menced.