Year: 1863

To the Editors Of The EransviHe Journal:


can no more keep my pen still thar
the Sixtieth can keep from fighting; so
though not desiring to intrude too often,
l find myself again knocking at your
door. We spent very pleasant month
in camp at Perkins's plantation, while
Grant was making his grand round"
to the rear of the rebel stronghold. The
terrific losses of the gallant boys who
went with him on his triumphant
marches make US thankful that we were
needed elsewhere, though we fain would
envy the glory and renown that such a
series OF victories has won for the par
ticipants. That Gen. Grant has an eve
and head for ell circumstances was
aptly shown in our case last Sunday.
Alter month of comparative inactivity
and peace, though OF great practical
service in protecting hospital of eleven
hundred sick and wounded, besides Gov
ernment stores, we were wakened up
last Saturday evening by our scouts
bringing in news that Mccullough, with
5000 men, had come down the Tensas
River, and was marching on us. Our
little camp was speedily broken up, and,
under the direction of Col. Owen, we
commenced making a small fort from
cotton bales that were once used by the
transports in running the blockade, and
now lay on the landing-it being his in
tention to give them 1.-THE best in the
shop anyhow, and then trust to luck
Tor the rest The luck came sooner
than was expected, in the shape of the
steamer Forest Queen, from Grand Gulf,
bound to Warrenton. By her the Colo
mel sent for assistance; and at eleven
2. N. we lay down on our arms, to snatch
few hours of sleep before the enemy
came up.


By daylight on Sunday morning, Nav
81, the contrabands were coming from
every direction with the news that the
-gahs-..-s---~. tf:--i-S--~-
let arrived from Warrenton to assist US.
The ball was opened by her shelling the
woods and fields on our left. After
some ten or twelve shots, our pickets
Immediately in front were driven in by
the enemys advance. She moved up
opposite US, firing over our heads a
couple of shots in that direction, which
brought a reply from three howitzers
the enemy had planted there. Their
shells fell short, and only served, in con-
nection with the wild screaming of our
gunboat shells, to frighten the wits out
of the darkies, some three or four hun
dred of whom had taken refuge with US.
At this time the Forest Queen came in
from Warrenton, having been sent to
bring us up to that point (We had
been under marching orders to rejoin
our brigade before Vicksburg for some
days, but could not get transportation.)
The Colonel gave orders for the negroes
and baggage to go aboard first; and
such a scrambling never was seen as
they made Each one had bundle as
big as themselves on their heads, and
half the women baby besides. Twenty
minutes suficed for them all to get
aboard, when the regiment, under the
immediate superintendent of our gal
liant Colonel, marched on as steadily as
if going out to dress parade, followed by
Col. Owen, he caring not for himself
until he first saw his men in safety, as
he always does. The plank was then
drawn in, and, moving rapidly out in the
stream, we were soon out of the reach OF
the enemy.


The danger of our position. from
which we SO happily escaped, is shown
by the following facts:


First, we had no artillery; second, the
river was so low, the levees (there were
two here running parallel with each other)
protected the rebels from the Gun Boat
fire; the rebels outnumbering US ten or
twelve to one could easily have captured
Us by single charge, one bale of cotton
not being much protection, or, by bring
ing their howitzers to the I'd Levee, 1--WE
were behind the 6rst) could have shelled
us until we surrendered without expo
sing a single man to our fire. Under
such circumstances, getting away with
all our baggage and not a man lost we
considered a brilliant affair." Arriving
at Warrenton we rested day and then
slouldering arms struck the trail of our
Brigade at daylight the next morning.
The route lay along the chain Of hills
which formed the outer line of the Vicks-
burg Forti6cations. Beginning at War
renton it extended in q circle to the
mouth of the Yazoo River. 1h s is now
all in our possession and forms the base
of Grants operations. When six miles


out the regiment halted to rest for few
moments in one of the many earthworks
that cover this whole range of bills. |


was so struck with the beauty of the sur


rounding scenery that l staid until the


regiment wound its slow way down into


the gorge and out of sight. The old Fort


was on the highest peak or chain. corn


ted nine other similar works on the sur


rounding hills all within range of l:


pounder. This shows the strength of the


works Grant has taken. You can judge


what it took to stop him. After hal


hours enjoyment Of the cool breeze fr IN


the river, gathered boquet of Mag


nolias which grow wild here and started


after the Regiment thinking that tn,


reading community had lost considers


BILE by not having Bayard Taylor OIL