SOLDIER 73 



Beecher, signifieth "damned hot." Vicksburg, the stum- 

 bling-block to glory, hath fallen, Port Hudson hath caved 

 in. Lee and his army have gone to one eternal smash. 



Port Hudson has scarcely gone under when we are called 

 to take the field again. The confounded rebs don't know 

 how to stay whipped, and General Taylor, reenforced by 

 General Magruder's Texicans, has again taken the field. 

 He attacked us at Donaldsonville with a force in propor- 

 tion to ours as 50 to 1, and got soundly thrashed. We, 

 strongly reenforced, came out to meet him and got licked, 

 and so the matter rests at present. It was a disgraceful 

 affair our getting licked a week ago. The commanding 

 colonel of the brigade suffered himself to be flanked through 

 carelessness, being dead drunk, and they had to fall back 

 with the loss of two cannon. Our brigade was on the reserve ; 

 we fell in and double-quicked it to the rescue, but too late, 

 for they were in full retreat. A new line of battle was formed 

 and the 25th was deployed and sent forward as skirmishers, 

 but beyond a shot or two, we failed of falling in with the 

 scoundrels. So after advancing about three quarters of a 

 mile through the corn, we were ordered back and our whole 

 force fell back about one quarter of a mile, where we oc- 

 cupied, and still hold, a strong position. The rebs meanwhile 

 have skedaddled, but are probably fortifying at Laborde- 

 ville, distant some twenty miles. What we are delaying 

 here for, I can't imagine, unless it is to give time to a part 

 of our forces to get in their rear. I hope it is so. By the 

 way, I am happy to inform you that, Colonel Bissell being 

 in command of the brigade, I have been appointed one of 

 his staff as aide. 



Dick, I must say that though I volunteered on the storm- 



