efore we had any chance to lie down.

May 22nd, at about four o'clock, we started, breakfastless, to overtake
the rest of our brigade. Colonel Bissell was left at a house with a
guard. Major McManus assumed command of the regiment. We marched a
short distance and found the remainder of our brigade encamped at St.
Francisville, which was upon a hill the first we had seen since coming
to Louisiana. Soon after eight o'clock our column was set in motion,
the Third brigade in advance. As we passed through the village of St.
Francisville the people thronged to the doors. Some would curse and
swear, while others seemed glad to see us. One woman in a spiteful tone
called out to another woman: "Come in, for God's sake, and don't stay
there looking at those Yankee devils." The manners of these Southern
women were astonishing. They would curse and call us vile names and
call upon God to save a just cause. We had a hard march climbing up
hill between magnificent hedges of jessamine in bloom, the flowers of
which were very beautiful. We advanced very slowly for it was quite
warm and the dust was stifling. To add to all this it was a terrible
country to skirmish through. We had two men seriously wounded during
that day. At about 4 o'clock we halted and our regiment was ordered to
the front as advance picket for the night. We deployed into a field
near a beautiful creek,--Thompson's,--where the water was knee-deep and
very clear. Our forces were ordered across the creek to the edge of the
adjoining woods. After a short skirmish we succeeded in accomplishing
our object. It rained quite hard and we had to be upon the watch most
of the night.

May 23rd. We started on the march, our men pretty well tired out by two
nights' duty. But we had no mercy shown us. The Twenty-fifth regiment
was ordered to take the advance as skirmishers and a hard time we had
of it, forcing our way through bamboo brake, pushing over vine and
bushes, wading through water, scratching and tearing ourselves with
thorns and stumbling over ploughed fields. It was very hard work and
many a strong man gave out with fatigue and exhaustion. At 10 o'clock
A.M. we met the advance of Colonel Grierson's cavalry. Our wearied
column of soldiers were called in, therefore we were very much pleased
to see them. We advanced a short distance and halted near a well of
delicious cool water, some two miles from Port Hudson. In a few
minutes, General Augur rode up and held a conference