Section Xvii.--on The Mississippi In 1864

Baton Rouge, on the Mississippi, an important place and capital of Louisiana, was taken possession of May 7, 1862, by the Federáis, not long after the capture of New Orleans. Later General Williams, with several thousand troops in his command, was stationed here. In mid-summer considerable sickness prevailed among his men, and, this fact reaching the ears of the Confedérate authorities, General John C. Breckenridge, ex-Vice-President of the United States, attacked General Williams very early on the mornitig of August 5, 1863. Tho latter offlcer had but twenty-five hundred effectives to repol the attack made with twice that many Confederates. Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana were represented in the troops under General Williams, but the regiment, on account of sickness, were mere skcletons. The Indiana regiment lost all its field office rs, and General Williams said: " Boys, I will lead you," and, placing himself at its head, received the hearty cheers of the men, when he was shot through the breast and died. Tha Confederates were repulsed, but shortly after the engagement BatDn Rouge was evacuated by the Federáis. In December, 1862, it was again occupied, this time by General Grover with a forcé of ten thousand men. From here an advance was intended to have been made against Port Hudson, bat was for the time postr poned. After the opening el the Mississippi Baton Rouge was, of course, casily and securely held by the Federáis. At this place, after the return from Red river, the writer's regiment was for a time stationed. The writer at the end of the spring months had not fully regained his health, but early in June became so restless that further absence írom the regiment seemed out of the qucstion. Accordingly, af ter an all night ride, Cairo, 111., was reached one morning about nine o'clock. Cairo was a most important point during the war. Through it passed vast quantities of stores, munitions ol war and many Boldiers. To the lattor it was what the mouth of a jec-hive is to the bees. Indeed it was the nouth of the great busy hive of soldiers perating on the Mississippi, and whethar hese passed through it on furlough special duty or what not, or whether it was the ncw recriftt, or the veteran going uo the, front, the place always seemed alive vith bluc-coats. The writer spent the Tte-atcr part of the day June 9, 1S64, in ."n ro, rn ! it seemed one of the hottest in ..& exrericnce. Passage down the rirer was proniptly secured, and before nijht th boat was under way. The trip promised tobe a pleasant one, and about the boat was fouiul the usual complement of soldiers, nearly all oí whom had been home on iurlough and wera returning to their regiments. There had been much firing upon steamboats by guerrillas and nearly all had their boilers, machinery and cabins protected with cotton bales. Below Memphis toward the middle of one day the writer wth several others was sittiDg on the cabin deck at the front of the vessel when a man was seen on the Arkansas de near the river bank; he had in kis hands a gun, and this ha soon brought to his shoulder and fired. The bullet struck the water near the boat Soroe of those around, seeming to think there were many more to spring up with guns in their hands, became a little excited. One naval offlcer, a very large man, ran and took refuge behind one of the cotton bales. The solitary f oeman was more than a half-mile distant and no one knew his motivas oí uring at the boat The writer did not know where his regiment was and so had to make inquiries as the limits of the Department of the Gulf were reaehed. At last he received reliable information that the regiment was at Baton Rouge. This place was reaehed bout midnight near the middle of June. The night was dark, but the wharf was steppcd upon gleefully, aud of some guards it was learned the regiment was encamped t the outskirts of the city. Through the gloom the shadowy outlines of tents by and by came in view, and among these the regiment was found, and in a short time the writer unrolled bis blanket , and, with nis knapsack for a pillow, was SQOn sleeping. Early in the morning he was up and received the friendly greetings of comrades. And will the reader appreciate the statement when the writer asserts that he now feit at home again, and, for the ürst time since parting with his regiment live months previous, was content and happy. Part of this feeling was perhaps due to a partial reoovery of health. Baton Rouge seemed quite a pleasant place. The State-house was in t-uins, having, if the writer remembers rightly, been set on lire, but left with the walls standing. Just north of the town was the arsenal, Hclosed with regular earthworks. Pretty soon after the writer's return tfl his regiment a number of offlcors made s short visit to the camp. These had been captured up Red river and were now going home as paroled prisoners of war. Toward the end of July the regiment wai ordered to Morganza Bená, La., up the ; river some distance f rom Baton Rouge. ' It was but a rendezvous for troops, yei here the regiment remained some time. The troops composing the 13th Corps were 60 reduced in numbers by the Red River expedition that soon after, by order from the War Department, this organization was for the time discontinuad and the whole ol its make-up attached to the 19th Corps. This arrangement was particularly unsatisfactory to aü who had been identifled with the former organization. When army corps were first organized, the troops under General Grantvvere designated tha 13"h Corps- this was in 1862. Later, when more troops came under hia command in the Department of the Tennessee, these were organized into the 13th, 15th, 16th and 17th Corp. But the 13th Corps was the largest and ín all respects the best equipped, and besides bor3 a most important part in the Vicksburg campaign. lts history had thus become dear to every man in the corps. But army orJers were in most cases iiiperative, and there was nothing to do but obey. About twenty miles back from the rendezvous at Morganza was the Atchafalaya (pronounced Chafalla), a sluggish stream, upon the other side of which were some Confederates. Several expeditions from Morganza were sent to engage thtse f orces. But none of themresulted in more than somedesultory firing across the Atchalalaya that wounded a few of our men. At this time the Sanitary Commission- an organization having its headquarters in the great cities of the Nortt - sent out vast quantities of reading matter to the hospitals. This included such periodicals as the Harper's, AtlaiUic, Eclectic and LippincoW, and such papers as the New 5Tork Observer, Standard, Herald, Advocate, etc. Nearly all of the latter class were religious weeklies. These periodicals helped to while away many tedious hours. With those of literary tastes and incünations it was nearly always quita a task to get even a modicuru of reading matter. An odd volume was no.? and then picked up, sometimos found in a deserted house, at others stumbled upon in the hands of some soldier who lacked appreciation. Thig when read was passed to a friend, who may be in return for the favor took pains in the near future to place in one's hands some excellent book. Thrown about camp and apparently unappreciated, the writo íound copies of Byron and Shakespeare. With such a paucity of literature whatever was found was süre to be read with unusual pains and pleasure- no paradox is intended. At one time dnring the siege of Vicksburg the Colonel of the writer's regiment was indisposed and spent a few days off duty at the hospital. He was a man of culture and education. At this time the writer had picked up somewhere an elemctary work on chemistry and was from time to time reviewing it as it was directly in the line of his medical studies. This chemistry feil into the hands of the Colonel, and he read it from beginning to end with avidity. At home, where access would have been had to reading matter in abundance, the probabilities are this offleer would hare scarcely glanced at chemistry. "Circumstances alter cases" is an oM tdage as true in literary matter ae else■lwn (Ctmtinual on 7th page ) (Continúen from eth pagc.) IKCTION XVTII. - KO.HE EVENTS ÍS 1864-3 POLITICS AND WAR. Iíincoln's administration of affairs from ihe time of bis inanguration March 4, 1861, lili the spring of 1864, when a Presidential landidate was to be nomiriated, had gradlally taken a very popular hold ou the nasses. Some, however, were dissatisfied, thinking the President was too slow, too easy ind lacked some esseutial qualities f or an Bxecutive. Quite a number of these held a mass convention at Cleveland, O., May 31, 1864, ind nominated General John C. Fremont Tor President and styled themselves Vu Demócrata. The friends of Lincoln assembled at Baltimore, Md., June 7, 1864, in a regular coni-ention and unanimously reuominated the people's favorite. Th opponent of the war did not hold their couvenfion till August 28, at which time General McClellan was nominated for the Presidency. In the flrst half oí the year the prospecta íor immediate Union Buccess were not assuring. Grant had f ailed to take Richmond, and was íor the time, at least, held at bay by Lee. In the Southwest General Banka had met disaster, and so long as Sherman was confronted by General Joseph E. Johnston, the Confederates under the latter offlcer continued to make the greatest possible resistance with the least possibla loss. But very soon aiter the opponents of ths war had assembled in cenvention, and by resolutions declared the war a failure, the Union iorces met with a series oí brilliant succes ses. Commodore Farragut secured a wonderful victory over the Confederates at Mobile bay. Atlanta was captured by Sherman, and Sheridan completely annihUated the hitherto successful rebel iorces of thi Shenandoah valley. These victories added immensely to Lincoln's chances of success. Much interest was ielt in the result ol the election among the soldiers. The various platforms, letters of accept anee, etc., were read and discussed. Mos) of the men, hovvever, favored Lincoln's reelection. As soon as General Fremoni saw that his candidacy could do nothing save divide the war party, he promptly withdrew his name, and this narrowed the race down to a contest between Lincoln and McClellan. McClellan's followers were called "Peace Men," and a 'Peace at Any Price Party," while those who supported the war maintained that durable peace could come only Irom a vigorous prosecution ol the war till the last enemy of the Government laid down his musket. Early in November the election carne ofl and proper agents came f rom the States ol Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio to take the vote: of troops from these commonwealths. But the Legislatura of Illinois had decreed that it was illegal for soldiers to vot when in the ñ.'ld, henee Illinois soldiers were denied the privilege oí casting theii ballots. The writer had just attained his majority, and, ha ving long been an admirer oi Lincoln, feit great disappointment in nol having an opportunity to vote for him. Lincoln's majority over McClellan wai overwhelming and gave him ten times a many votes in the electoral college as hia competitor received. The writer accom. panied the command upon one of the expeditions to the Atchafalaya, spoken of ia the last number. The twenty odd miles traversed wa! through a country that had been strippec ■of every thing in the way of eatables. The banks of the Atchafalaya wer reached, but the stream was not crossed. A few stray shots passed between the Con federates upon one side of the stream auc the Federáis upon the other. Here severa! days were spent, and, the time hanging heavy, a rode set of chess were cut oí wood and many game3 enjoyed. Among the forces was a regiment of s called Mexican cavalry. This organization had been made up nex1 the Mexican frontier, and the men wer nenrly all small in stature and had swarthj complexión. They were expert horsemen, however, and could throw the lasso with much skilL Toward the end of November the command was moved to the mouth of WhiU river, much further up the Missi sippi. Here huts were built The writer had one of these about eight feet square. The sides were made oi boards, the roof of canvas; at one end wat ia door and at the other an open fire place made of mud and split pieees of lumber. The hut had a bed upon one side and the medicine chest upon the other, and as it was low there was just room left to turn round in and stand erect near the center. Nevertheless the writer was coutented and happy and was hoping the winter migbt be spent in that locality, when an order came for all to report at New Orleans. ; So all hands went aboard a steamboat and once more went down the Mississippi. From New Orleans the regiment was ordered to Lake Port, a suburb of the city upon Lake Ponchartrain. Here the regiment was quartered in vacant houses ior two months. A dilapidated old railroad connected with New Orleans ; the engines upon this were so out of repaii that tney often failed to start when steam was turned on, and the section men assisted by prying behind the dwing wheels with crow bars. This was eaüed one ol the oldest lines of railwayin the United States- that is to ay, one of the flrst coustructod. So many régimen ts were reduced innumbers that in many instances two from the same State were at this time Consolidated. The writer's regiment near the end of Feb. ruary was ordered to New Orleans to be Consolidated with another organization. This arrangement was unsatisfactory to the men, but was of course complied with. The new Consolidated organization was a thousand slrong and was put on patrol duty in the city. Quarters were found in a cotton press. The consolidation threw the writer in the ranks. At four o'clock every evening the regiment went to a large opan space outside for dress parade. Every man was required to appear with shoes welL blacked, clothes neatly brushed, hair well combed, white paper cellar and a stock on the neck, all metal appendages about cartridge box, belt, etc , polishedand burnished like silver, the gun wel! cleaned and the steel about it, bright. With all this getting up, with white gloves upon every man's hands, witli ery fellow in tais place and with every tnovement as accurate as clock work, a tbousand njen upon parade, made a pleasing display. While about New Orleans during the winter of 1864-5 Thomas' victories at Franklin and Nashvüle over the impetuous Hood were read and talked of as Sherman's march from Atlanta towards the interior, since familiarly called "The March to the Sea." Much speculaüon was indulged in at the time as to the result of Sherman's expedition. Af ter he had reached the seaboard and captured Savannah and proven the Confederacy to be, as he expressed it, "An empty shell," and Hood's army had practically destroyed itself in fighting Thoma3, there seemed little of power lef t to the Confederaoy save what was under Leo at Richmond and Petersburg. Early in March an expedition was organized in the Department of the (Juli to operate against Mobile. Fretty soon after the Red river campaign in the spring of 1864, General Banks had been superseded in the command of the department by General Canby. Early one morning the regiment began preparations for embarking upon tais expedition, and about three p. m. a guli steamer was, boarded. The meat rations that day were dried herring, and of these the writer ate heartily, and about night the vessel moved from the wharf down the river. All were tirad, and very soon the deck of the vessel was covered with unrolled blankets, and upon these many tired, weary soldiers stretched their aching limbs and slept sweetly. Next morning the vessel struck salt water, and oh, the many that were sea sick I And those herring - bow long afterward did their taste remain- and how few that ate of them, can eat them since I The gulf was very rough and the vessel rolled and pitched a great deal. To the writer nothing has fewer attractions than salt water, the grandeur, beauty and poetry of old ocean he never realized. Two or three days after leaving New Orleans, land was sighted, and by and by certain objects began to assume distinctness : First, a mound that proved to be a fort, then a flag upon a pole, next tents, camps, wagons, horses and last men - and flnally the vessel anchored at Fort Morgan, situated upon Mobile Point, Ala.