Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-12-12
IN CAMP AND FIELD.
A MEDICAL MANS MEMORY
 OP WARTIME

erala Thus Mobile. nt the head of Mobile bay, was effectually shut oR from block Ade runners, having it's outlet dramatically sealed by fleet of Federal vessels.
 At Fort Morgan the regiment landed early in March, as narrated in the last number. The men debarked from the steamer and went into camp in the sand. The region was sterile and as uninterest- ing as could be imagined.
 Fort Morgan, however, had gained much notoriety from its engagement with Com modore Farragut's fleet, the previous Au- gust It showed marks of the lombard ment in dismantled walls and broken brick work. . .....- .
 Near the camp was sand-hill twenty or thirty feet high from which the vessels at distance and Dauphin Island were viewed. A school of porpoises could often be seen at play in the waters of tho bay; this to the men, nearly all Of whom were from the interior, was a novel sight One day orders came to march. Mean while the Thirteenth Corps had been re- organized and was now under command of General Gordon Granger. This was spe- cially pleasing to the old members of that organization.
 The 17th day of March the journey from Mobile Point. along the eastern side of Mo bile bay, was begun The loose sand made the walking very hard. The writer had not marched with gun, accouterments, knapsack, etc, for some time; hence this tramping through heavy sand was any thing but pleasant. So weary did he be- come after some hours that had it not been for the name of the thing he would have given out. But one'S pride is Q sharp spur and often urges a man on to do his utmost The country passed over was all sandy and very level All the timber was pine. Fires were made from pine knots found in abundance under the trees. The mems lEn and Rrime; the resin made it adhesive, and washing this of seemed out of the ques- | ton.
 In the midst of the forest, turpentine
 'orchards'' were reached Here cup shaped notches had been cut into the trunks of the larger trees and these had filled with resin. One night some one set fire in the "orchard" and the infammable nature of the resin caused the flames to l mount strong and high.
 At ono period in the march rain fell in torrents, and the roads became almost inn ! passable for wagons and artillery. Sometimes when the teams became stalled they were detached, long ropes tied | to the wagons and pieces of artillery, and
 upon these dozens of men exerted their
 strength and generally succeeded where l the mules had failed. In many cases cor | duroy roads-poles laid crosswise-had to | be made.
 But the troops were bound to overcome | all obstacles and hence never grumbled.
 One day o wide, shallow stream was en. | countered, when the men were halted, or. dered to remove shoes and stockings, roll their pants high and wade. When the | opposite bank was reached, every man l dried his feet and legs in the best way pos.
 sible, put on his shoes and stockings and | resumed the march.
 The advance of the column, after some
 days progress, met and slxirmished with
 the enemy. Toward the latter part of the
 month of March, Spanish Fort, east of Mo
 bile, was reached. This was one of the
 keys to the military situation at Mobile,
 and was laid siege to by the Federals the
 last days of March.
 The Federal gunboats held the water
 front of Spanish Fort and cut of com
 municaticn with Mobile No effort at as-
 sault was made by the Federals and the
 approaches were guarded with rifle pits;
 hence the loss of life was inconsiderable.