Year: 1863

soon became almost as repulslve as hog


pen. The passing to and fro of the boat


hands and others made it very uncomfor-


table for the unfortunate men lying there


as they were often stepped on, and bit by


the heavy boots of the careless sailors.


These men in the majority of cases seem


to be an uncultivated brutal set, always


swearing and cursing They seemed to


be unusually impatient and insolent at


the time, not hesitating to insult and


and curse even the sick without rec


serve. saw some of the men who we're


almost helpless lying in the dirt, water


and Filth, no one seeming to care for them
or offering to help them. Thus it was


with us on the night of the 18th, as we


cast anchor at the great sand bar in the en-


trance of the gulf from the Mississippi


river, not daring to put out into the wide


deep water in the night on account Of the


storm, which was fearful and dangerous,


though not the worst that ever was.


The fire and artillery above was unres-


trained. The vivid flash would illumine


for a moment the troubled waters, which


was sometimes thrown foaming into the


air, on the meeting of the waves thrown


together by the fury of the storm. Burst


ing long heavy peals in the cloudy vault


seemed to shake the sea as well as the


land. l expect old Neptune kindly sat


on our anchor that night, or else it must


have given away and we had been driven


on the bar and lost. AT last the twilight
: of the morning appeared. The rain still
{ continued, and the wind which was not


quite so hard came from the northwest.
Our boat made but slow progress. Wave
after wave would dash against her, shak-
ing or displacing everything on board.
4 All that day we made the best of our way
towards Pensacola. But we were destined
to another night on the Gulf and the dark
f est ever saw. l was consoling myself as


best could, wrapping closer around me
my rubber blanket to keep out the wet
when to my surprise cannon ball went


whizzing past the bow of the boat, coming
as it afterwards proved from gun on
board Of one Of our blockading ships
Not being aware of the fact, the Cap


tain of the boat had came in dangerous
proximity to the blockade of Mobile, with
out giving the required signal. After the
: shot had passed, several minutes elapsed
and nothing was done on our boat, then
, came another ball just over the wheel
house. The Capt. at this, thought best
to tell who he was, and where going
!, The reply came from the gunboat "pass
along, sir, to the west ship. and stop there. "
Accordingly. in few moments We were
within haliling distance of the west ship.
, At the first call of it's commander all was
silent on board of our boat Then on a
louder tone than tefore, "cast your an
r chor quick, or | will fire into you and
, send you to the bottom" The blunder-
ing boat hands went to work, but so awk-
wardly. that half hour passed before
e the anchor fell. Then we were again Or
l dered to give an account of ourselves.
Major Porter, answered, "The steamer
{ Nassau, from New Orleans to Pensacola.
D She has on board the 7th Vt. The block.
S aiding ship sent officers on board to ex-
, anime us, and satisfied themselves, and
: then left us to go on our way rejoicing if
! we could.


6 The morning of the 10th, was rather
e fair as it did not rain, and there was not
but very little wind. Before noon the
: cloud broke away and we again saw the
q sun. The afternoon was quite pleasant,
f though the waves still ran as high; {; but
as we soon came into the bay of Pensa-
s cola, we had but little trouble in getting


alongside the wharf, where we soon be-
, gan to pack up. There was, however, a
G large number who were unable to walk
$ without staggering to say nothing about
: marching with kuapsack and arms in tho
0 ranks.


g Our officers were notready to march us,
j. and an other waiting spell, under load