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walk, as usual.The skirmish at Young's Point, above described, was our first, and the general officers passed many compliments upon our coolness and bravery, but owing to Col. Culberson's mistakes, we were pronounced badly drilled, and ordered to drill four hours per day, which order we were endeavoring to obey when on the morning of the 19th we were notified that the enemy was in a few hundred yards of us; and the 18th Reg't. alone was ordered out to meet them. We crossed a bayou a hundred yards in our front, which ran parallel with their line, which was eight hundred yards from the bayou. Their left rested on another bayou, which ran square into the one described above, forming a right angle at their confluence. Our Reg't. filed left up the bayou, immediately after crossing. As soon as our line became parallel with theirs, they opened fire with their batteries. We went in this direction, until we reached a skirt of timber, we then filed right, followed that direction until the head of the line came upon a ravine, running parallel with both the first bayou, described, and the Federal line; and between the two, we again filed right, marching in files of four, which brought our line again parallel with theirs. In the meantime, they had posted their skirmish line upon this ravine, which was lined with underbrush and switch cane. As soon as our line was well stretched along the ravine, and forty yards from it, they opened a heavy skirmish fire upon us, killing and wounding a few. We charged them immediately, and drove them back to the main line. We then took cover under the brush of the ravine, and Maj. Robertson, a staff officer, went back to the bridge for orders; he returned and we marched in retreat across the first bayou, described here. We were protected somewhat by the levy, where we remained a couple of hours. All the while, from the time we crossed the bayou first, we were under heavy cannon, in addition; in addition we had the small arms playing on us awhile. We lost a number of men from the Reg't. in killed, wounded and missing. One missing from our Company, was Gus Newberry. Capt. [Thomas R.] Bonner's Company (C), were nearly all missing, but came in one by one, until very near all returned. When we left our last position, we were ordered to burn the bridge. Had I been the Gen., with the light before me, that I now have, I would have fought them there. But I suppose Gen. Walker knew more of their resources and position, than the common soldier.
Our retreat was in the direction of Delhi, a depot on the road from Vicksburg to Monroe; to which place, the wounded of the Milligan Bend of the 7th of June, described above, were moved and being moved. There were a number of those wounded, and the manner in which they were moved, may be of interest to some who may read this. The distance that they were to be moved, was about fifteen miles. Eight men were detailed to one wounded man, he was placed upon a litter, which is a light frame work, the side pieces being long enough that cloth is tacked from one to the other, that a man may lie upon it, then extend two feet at either end, beyond the cloth, so that these pieces serve as handles, something like a hand barrow; then two cross pieces to keep the cloth in proper place -- the whole thing being set upon four legs, like a bedstead. Then four men carried it by the four handles, and the other four carried two guns each, occasionally exchanging.
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Now return to our retreat -- at a distance of four miles, we came upon the command; and in addition, there was [James Camp] Tappan's Brigade, from Ark., to reinforce us with its young and stalwart soldiers, all standing in line of battle. I found in this Brigade two men of my boyhood acquaintance, Thomas Arnold and Henry Sullivan.The entire army honored us with many compliments, for our conduct on the field that day.
I omitted to state in proper place, that our wagon train was out foraging, when we were attacked, and consequently, we lost all our baggage, except what we were carrying. Our cooking utensils were a total loss. On the way, however, we found plenty that others had thrown away, in order to expedite their flight from the enemy, and we carried out a scant supply.
The next day, 16th, we began to overtake the wounded, carried as above described. Many new made graves were by the wayside. I have learned since writing the above, that many of the wounded were not moved, and fell into the hands of the enemy.
This brings us to Delhi, La., at which place we remained a few days, then made a little expedition up the river, object being to attack a fort, garrisoned with Negroes, but before we arrived to our destination, the Cavalry captured a large lot off a farm in the valley. Five hundred in number, and two white men. Our Reg't was detached to guard them to Delhi. The Division accomplished their object in the capture of the fort. Its garrison consisted of two or three Companies of Negro troops. We remained at our base for a few days, then were ordered forward to picket for the command, which was coming out.
While on the above expedition, we camped at a large lake, containing hundreds of acres -- very soon, most of the soldiers began to fish, and I never saw so many fish before or since; believe I can say, without exaggeration, that hundreds could have been seen at a sight, on the hook, to be landed. Two men fishing near me, when one said, "I have my hook hung", he pulled and it gave away slightly, which it continued to do, until it came to shallow water, and it proved to be the largest turtle I ever saw. The hook had caught him under the fore leg. They landed him, and proceeded to dress him.
We arrived at Bayou Mason [Macon], late in the afternoon, remained till dark, when we were again ordered forward. We soon began to meet the army, but still pressed on in the darkness until we had passed all. We were halted and arrangements were being made for posting a guard; when the stillness of the night was broken by the report of a shot, once, twice, thrice, and on to a half dozen in quick succession, a few hundred yards in front. Many hearts beat faster, no doubt; in fact, I knew mine did, thinking we were in the presence of the enemy. As soon, however, as the guards were posted, Capt. Scott, a staff officer, rode to the front, and ascertained that it was Col. [William Henry] Parson's Command, which were still between us and the enemy, killing some beeves.
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Here, John Freeman, a member of our Company, solicited the extreme outpost. I thought then that it was bravery, but the sequal of his soldier life proved that he intended to desert, and go to the enemy.We were ordered to leave our post at daylight, provided we received no orders to the contrary; accordingly, we took up the march in the direction of Delhi. When we arrived at the camp, the army had already gone. We pushed on and overtook them at the above named place, where we were on the 4th day of July 1863, when Vicksburg surrendered. We had heard cannonading for two months, day and night, up to that day; and on account of the cessation, all feared it had fallen, yet some hoped, but on the afternoon of the 6th and all day the 7th, confirmed the sad news, by the paroled prisoners passing on their way home. Many, as they passed, would remark that they would have held out much longer, if they had had as fat mules as ours.
We were ordered to remain here, and send our trains, daily between us and the Mississippi River, with a Cavalry escort, in order to get out all the forage, if possible. While trying to execute the above order, I was placed on guard at a Pontoon bridge, on Bayou Mason. While here, Col. Parson's Reg't was crossing, as an escort to the train, I recognized in that Command a Mr. Lamb, a man to whom I had gone to school when a little boy.
At this place, Capt. [J. W.] Duncan of our Company, resigned. Here, also, a member of our Company, by the name of Freer, was detailed as nurse, at the hospital at Monroe, La., and soon as opportunity offered, he deserted, and went north, -- he was a native of Ohio.
I will state, although, it may seem somewhat out of place, that here, the blow-flies were the worst I ever saw, they would blow a clean blanket if hung out to sun.
As soon as the bulk of the forage was gathered up, we took the train for Monroe, La., my first ride on the cars, not half so pleasant as I had anticipated.
At Monroe, Col. [David B.] Culberson resigned.
From here, we marched again, across to Camte [Campti], the same route described before, in this diary. The route lay through a very poor country, no towns of any consequence; but the finest country for summer huckleberries, and the largest ones I have ever seen anywhere; we almost lived on them.
We left two of the Company near Monroe, sick, to wit: Joe Dearo and Newt Davis. They soon recovered, however, and rejoined us. Another, by the name of Crutchfield, was taken sick on the way and died by the roadside, on a litter, the day we got to Camte. He is buried about one mile east of Camte, on a sandy mound, one hundred yards east of a large lake.
This was sometime in Aug. 1863. We arrived at Camte in the afternoon -- all was soon in a buzz and bustle, loading the boats with the wagons and mules. I was one of the detail -- we worked all night under command of Lieut.