Army Life: From a Soldier's Journal

XXIV. TO TEXAS

thought we are to return. Marched fifteen miles. The next day we marched fourteen miles, keeping on the east side of the Teche. We have found a better road than that taken during our advance. We save considerable in distance. On Thursday we marched twelve miles and crossed the river at St. Martinsville. The next day we marched through to New Ibeary. We received two months’ pay on November first. This time we settled for our second year’s clothing. We are allowed a certain amount for clothing and all we draw is charged to us. The advantage of a warm climate where but little clothing is needed, was shown in our accounts. Although the amount allowed to us is not large, I found that my allowance exceeded the amount drawn by the sum of six dollars and ninety cents. This I received in money in addition to the two months’ pay. We made quite a stay in New Ibeary. Early on, Friday morning, November sixth, we were called out to meet an expected attack. We went out and formed in line of battle, and remained in that condition all day and night. The expected enemy did not arrive. The next day we heard of an engagement near Oppelonas.7 One brigade of our troops was surprised and cut to pieces. Sunday, November eighth.—We started at seven o’clock and marched twenty-five or twenty-eight miles. It was a hard day’s march. We stopped for the night within three miles of Franklin. This looks some as though we were running away from the rebels. It would suit the boys better to stay and fight. The next morning we started expecting to march all day, but when we got to Franklin we found a boat waiting for us. Embarked and sailed down to Berwick City. This ended our march up and down the Teche River valley. CHAPTER XXIV. TO TEXAS. We soon learned that the reason for our hasty return from the Teche Valley, was to go to Texas by water.1 The overland route was too long and difficult . Part of our brigade started on November twelfth. On the fourteenth we crossed over to Brashear City and took the cars and went to Algiers. General Washburn,2 commander of our division, came with us. - Army Life. 194 The morning of November 15, 1863, was actively occupied by us in embarking in the steamship Clinton.3 General Washburn was with us directing and watching the work. This prevented much of the delay often incident to such occasions. In such times we are often much delayed by the confusion that always exists when there is no clear-headed person in control to direct the work. Our wagons and mules had been brought along with the intention of taking them with us. After the wagons had been taken to pieces for the purpose of loading them, it was found that there was not room enough on the boat and we were obliged to leave them. This we much regret, as we have always found insufficient transportation for supplies the greatest drawback we have to contend with. General Washburn and staff, and part of the Eighteenth Indiana sailed with us on the Clinton. Most of the field and staff officers brought their horses with them. These with the few mules we brought crowded all of the space that was available for animals on the boat. After every thing else was loaded the men went on board. The boat was badly crowded. The rule seemed to be to crowd the soldiers in the odd places where nothing else could be put. There was hardly standing room. In fact General Washburn and Colonel Bailey, the ranking officer of our brigade present , had to use every effort to find room to crowd the men in even standing. “Crowd up, crowd up a little more, boys,” said Washburn. “There will be plenty of room when we get started.” The boys liked Washburn’s plain, blunt, Western ways and did the best they could to comply. At the same time some of them seemed to doubt the boat being any larger when at sea than it is when lying at the wharf at Algiers. At last it was announced that the last man had walked the plank and that all were on board. In a moment more we heard a sudden, stentorian voice commanding: “Stand by there, my hearties,” “Heave off.” Looking up, we saw that...