Letter from Willie to Parents, March 4, 1863#

March 4th 1863

Terre Bonnet

Dear Mother,

I now have an opportunity of again writing home. When I last wrote we had just reach New Orleans. We where taken up about 3 or 4 miles above the city and encamped about a mile from the river. It was very wet there as it is all over here, which causes so many fevers. There are Regiments scattered all along the river. George Fanjoy and I went all over the country for 5 or 6 miles. We saw two or three Jamaica Boys in the Duryee’s Zoauves. We were encamped here about 8 days when we received orders to march – anything for a change. Everything was in excitement. We could not find out when we were going. Most all day they were carting away the baggage. At last we got orders to sling knapsacks and march down to the river by Companies. We men got first-rate rifles, and forty rounds of cartridges. We were marched onto the boat at sundown Saturday. George and I went up on the upper decks, spread our blankets, and went to sleep. When we woke up we found ourselves at Algiers, a town opposite New Orleans. On the dock their happened to be a lot of Molasses, which we began to help ourselves to; it was just like honey. We got on the cars at last. By the way, the cars were not passenger cars but a freight train. The men piled in and sat all over the floor. As for George and I, we took the roof and rode there 25 miles. When we stopped for wood, I shifted for warmer quarters, so we piled up onto the wood cars. Climbed down, went to sleep. We made a first rate bed and lay there snug as a bug in a rug. When we woke up the cars had stopped. there we found that what we were going to do was to guard the railroad. We let out Companies at different places. we went about 4 miles further and encamped. we have two picket posts in different directions. I am on picket-duty now as I write, about a mile and a half from the camp. I stop all persons white or black that do not have a pass. It would be a little more exciting if there were Rebels on our front, but there are none less then 25 miles away, except for some Bushwhackers. We could hear our

gunboats down at the bay shelling the Rebels. Our camp is located near the railroad in what was formerly a garden, but the maid said jayhawks here burned the bridges, destroyed the sugar and molasses, and tore down the fences. There are large plantations all around us. Our camp is on one of two thousand acres. Most of the Niggers have been run off to Texas. Sugar is the principle crop but the sugar mill is stopped on this place. The sugar mills are as large as that one on First Street. It is warm in the daytime but very cold in the nighttime. We do not hear any news from the war here, but I expect it is about the same thing – a great deal of bombast but no work.

They have made out the payrolls and I expect we will get pay off soon. I have made out an allotment paper so that you can draw ten dollars a month. We are well and healthy and looking for a letter from you, which I expect will be out on the next Steamer.

I remain Your

affect. Son,

Willie

P.S.

This place is about 56 miles from New Orleans.