The Opelousas courier., 1889-10-26
School books at Jacobs.
Octave FORGeROt.

The n. 0. City Item of Oct. 2l contains a
good likeness of tue gallant veteran whose
name heads this brief sketch, the l4th of the
series prepared by or for the Historical Com
mittee of the Association of the Army of Ten
nessee and published i'll the Item, its official
organ:
Ccmrade Fontenot, highly esteemed mem-
ber of the association, residing in st. Landry,
sends the His torical Committee the following
sketch:
The company to which l belonged was from
the parish of st. Landry; the officers and SOL
settlers of Louisiana. The company was
ganized with Capt. Napoleon Robin, First
Lieutenant Auguste N. Robin, Second Lien
tenant Octave Fontenot, Third Lieutenant
Theedose S. Robin.
We enlisted on the 6th day of April, 1862,
for the war, went to New Orleans on the fol,
lowing Sunday, and eamped on Metaire
Ridge. We left New Orleans on the 18th Ap-
ri, 1862, for Camp Moore, where we remained
until May. We were then ordered to Vicks
burg. Our first engagement was near War.
renton with the Hartford. We were in ali the
engagements around Vickshurg. Ua Satur-
day night, December p, we relieved the Sew
enteenth Louisiana on picket in the Chcka-
saw swamp. On the morning of the 18th. just
before day, We were attacked by B!ar's bri
gade OF tile ThFteetth th Army Corps. We held
them in check until o'clock in the evening
two killed and wounded. At the moment of
being tlanked We fell back alongside Of the
Tweuty-Sixth Louisiana, which was III the
trenches. and reformed under heavy fire Of
artillery and infantry. The ladies of Vicks-
burg sent us two barrels OF whisky in consid
Grafton, as they said, of our gallant conduct,
and we did not fail to drink their healths that
night. Monday, the 29th December, 1862, at
about 10 o'clock in tue day We were assaulted
by the Thirteenth Army Corps; they made
four desperate charges before they we're beat
en- back with heavy loss. On Friday, the
of the enemy, Lieut.. Col. j. D. Landry was
ordered with our regiment to advanse aud re-
connoitre the Chickasaw swamp, We found
where the enemy had camped. They gave us
a few shots of light artillery as o parting sal
ute. In February, 1868, our regiment was
ordered on the Yazoo to hunt gunboats which
were said to be around in some of those bay
ous. The boats got away before we got there.
We then returned to our camp at Vieksburg
We remained at Vieksburg uutil the invest
ment by Gen. U. s. Grant on May II. On the
18th we went to the Notifications and took
our places in the intrenchments, being most
of the time on the reserve. On May % the
enemy were in the very act of piercing our
lines on the jackson Road when two compam-
les of our regiment, Company B and / drove
them back, losing great many men in few
moments. Lieut.. Simms, of Company B, was
killed in that assault.
We had to have fatigue parties every night
to repair our breast works, and.one night in
June, being in command of the fatigue party.
| passed the night without sleeping. Next
day while doing near the trenches / was
struck by the fragment of shell, which
shattered my left arm below the shoulder,
necessitating amputation, which was per-
formed the same day.
Lieut.. Octave Fontenot was born on Octo-
Der 3, 1885, in st. Landry, parish, La, is a
farmer by profession, but is now deputy sher.
iff and tax cnllectnr of ST. Landry parish La