St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-12-14

following war "Reminiscences" NJ
ithy toWnsman, Octave Fontr
lich we find among the "ENar
y.. as'' in the CITY Item Of the 21at
will be read with interest by bis
aany friends 10 our vicinity:
romrade Fontenot, Il highly esteemed
aber Of the association, residing in
andry, sends the Historical Com
b the following sketch:
company to which belonged MAS
he parish Of 81. Landry, and Ile
70 and soldiers We're the descend
of the first French settlers of
lana. The company was organized
Capt. Napoleon Robin, First Lieu
*stsaant August Robin, Second Liente
nant Octave Fontenot, Third Lieute
nant Theodore Robin
q We enlisted on the 9th day OF April,
4 1862, for the war, went to New Orleans
4 on the following Sunday, and camped
ON Metairie Ridge We left New Or
leans on the 25th Of April, 1862, fnl
Camp Moore, where We remained until
May. We were then arderch to Vicks
burg. Our first engagement was near
Warrenton with the Hartford. We Were
in all the engagements around Nlcka-
burg. On Saturday night, December
27th, we relieved the Seventeenth Louis
lana ON picketin the Chickasaw swamp.
On the morning OF the 2Sth, just before
gade of the Thirteenth Army Corps.
We held them in check until O'Clock
! in the evening, with less than GOO men,
with loss of (42) forty two men killed
and wounded. At the moment of being
fianked we fell back alongside OF the
Twenty Sixth Louisiana. which was in
the trenches, and reformed under a
heavy FIRE of artillery and infantry. The
ladies of Vicksburg sent us two barrels
OF whisky in consideration, as they said,
of our gallant conduct, and We did not
fail to drink their healths that night.
On Monday, the 29th of December, 1869,
at about 10 O'clock in the day, we were
assaulted by the Thirteenth Army Corps;
they made four desperate charges be
fore they were beaten back with heavy
loss. On Friday, the second day Of Jan
nary, 1858, seeing no more of the enemy,
Lieut.. Col. j. O. Landry was ordered
with our regiment to
ADVANCE AND REcoNNolTRE
the ChickasaW swamp. We found where
the enemy had camped They gave us
q few shots OF light artillery as q part
ing salute. In February, 1868, our Tegi, ]
ment was ordered on the Yazoo I'd hunt
gunboats which were said to be around
In some OF those Day0us The b0ats got
away before we got there. We then re-.
turned to orr camp at Vicksburg. We
remained ct Vicksburg until the invest.
ment by Gen. q. 8. Grant on May nth. |
On the 18th we went to the fortideati1ns
and took our places in the intrsnch-
ments, being most OF the time Oh the
reserve. On May 2sd the enemy were
in the very act OF piercing our lines on
the Jackson road when two companies /
Of our regiment, Companies B and !, !
drove them back. losing great Iaany
men in q few moments. Lieut.. SiIams, t
OF Company B, was killed in that as
saIllt.
We had to have fatigue parties every
night to repair our breastworks, and /
one night In June, being in command
of the fatigue party, ! passed the night
without sleeping. Next day while dog
ing near the trenches was struck by
the fragment of a shell. which shat
tered my left arm below the shoulder,
necessitating amputati0D, which was
performed the same day.
Lieut.. Octave Fontenot Was born on
October 3D., 1888, in st. Landry parish,
La, Is a farmer by profession, but is
now deputy sheriff and tax cesSector Of
81. Landry parish, La.