In camp near Aichlafya

River, Sept 12^th

 

At daylight this morning we (I mean our squad) started in the advance of the 26^th Ind and 19^th Iowa and 2 pieces of artillery. We did not go more than 5 miles till we encountered rebel pickets, which would not move one inch further than they were driven. We have skirmished with them every two or three miles we advanced to-day since we first met them this morning.

 

Sept. 14^th

            We are still in the same camp we reached on the evening of the 12^th / seemingly waiting for something, I do not know what. There is no force with us yet except the two regiments and section of battery that first came out.

 

            The 34^th is still at the old landing on the River. I have but two more sheets of paper with me and must use it equinomicaly in penciling my diary of this Aichlafya expedition. My portfolio is in my knapsack at New Orleans.

 

            Sept 15^th

                        Yesterday evening we moved back about one half mile, from the cotton plantation where we were, to a large sugar plantation. I wish you could see a sugar plantation with the rollers, mills, evaporators, draining apperatuses and sugar / houses. I tell you it is extensive I have no idea that the machinery and buildings for makeing sugar and molasses on this plantation cost less that $50000. The cane is ripe enough to commence working, but the presence of our army interferes with the business slightly by scareing away the whites and confiscating the mules and ablebodied niggers.

 

            Our boys have been amuseing themselves to-day in rather a singular for soldiers. This morning they crowded into the old sugar works, every one hunting for something to appropriate to his own use, when some one proposed to rig up the engine, machinery and boilers and set the thing to running. The niggers said / the engine was broke and had not been run any for nearly a year. The boys first, in pursuance of their purpose, called into requision the battery battery forge, (every battery of artillery carries blacksmith's forge along with it) Then the machineists and engineers commenced repairing the engine, pumps, pipes and boilers; millers commenced repairing the burrs and others commenced rising up the rollers and sugar works. In less than three hours from the time we first commenced work, the word was given all's ready for running. A fire was then kindled under the boilers and in a few minutes more the engine was in motion driving all the machinery about the "shebang", to the open mouthed astonishment of about three hundred niggers. Our sport is at last turned into utility.

 

            We told the niggers to shell corn and bring into the mill and we would grind it for them. This tickled the darkies wonderfully, for they said that they had not had any meal for several months and had been obliged to eat parched corn in place of bread. In a little while the shelled corn rolled into the mill by the wagon load, and we ground it, gave the niggers the toll and kept the grist for our own use.

 

Sep 16^th

            Nothing new or of much interest has occurred to-day but the old grist mill has been running

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