Camp 96 O.V.I. New Iberia, La.

November 25^th 1863.

Mary E. Brackenridge

 

Dear Cousin

I am happy in the reception of a kind letter from you received the 22^nd of the month and am yet permited to try to answer. I cant say what kind of a letter I am going to write you nor how long it will be for I do not at all feel in a writing humor and a soldier's accommidations are poor at best While I now write on my knee the other boys are employed in building fires to set around as tis very raw and cold and has been that way for some time and occasionly raines with it many times have I been compelled to roll out of my warm bed and hunt some other shelter for on this Expedition we could not take anything along excepting a woolen & rubber blanket change of shirts socks & &c. no tents excepting Officers tents could be taken along consequently we suffer much where it raines or is bad weather in conclusion I think that you would like to know something of our travels and the object of the Expedition which I shall try to relate since the capture of Vicksburg our corps was ordered to New orleans to join Gen. Banks on an / extended campaign without giving us hardly one months rest we left Vicksburg August 24^th for the City of New orleans which we reached the 27^th of the same month having a remarkably good time we disembarked at a place named Carrollton near new orleans and camped on the banks of the father of watters untill the Gen got ready for his intended Campaign which was about 3 weeks during that time the soldiers wer busily employed in drilling and prepairing for the Expedition (I said onley 3 weeks this was a mistake think nearly two months for on the 2^nd of O^ct we received orders to be ready to get on the boat the following morning we immeditly made preperations and on the said morning embarked on the boat name Emerald to go to the opposite of New orleans to a place called Algiers and reached the place about dusk immeaditly disembarked and got aboard the cars running from Algiers to Brashier City distance 80 miles frait cars being in abundance & passenger scarce we we wer compelled to take the former and ride on top of them the night being cold and the train running fast made it very disagreable reached the town about daylight and then got on the steamer sunshine to cross Berwick bay After crossing camp out in the exterior for two days to geather in supplies (the city of Brashear and Berwick are small & / of but little interest on the 7^th of the month left that place with four days rations in our haversacks and marched untill they had expired the place wher we stoped is called Vermillionville we remained their untill we got rested and cloths washed and then proceeded on our march and befor stopping marched a couple of days and stoped near the Atchafalia river we their encamped for nearly one week to gether forage and provision and then made for the back track as twas the opinion that the Expedition was postponed untill spring but prooved to be false However going out we contested the most of the road out and kept skirmishers in front of the column all the time as I said we came back and camped about 20 miles this side of the former camp and on the next day had a little skirmish with the enemy and them drove them back but on the following day the came on to us with an overwhelming force and drove us from our camp as their was onley our Brigade at that place the balance about 6 miles to our rear we fought them about three quarters of an hour and they being Cavelry majority of them found they was going to flank us and fell back about 2 miles by this time we had received reinforcements and recommenced the fight and drove them off but before we could accomplish this the enemy destroyed and took every thing we had it was a desperate contest / the booming of cannon and roar of musketry was heard far and near and the missels of death flew thick & fast but God in his providence saw fit to spare me. since that time the army have come back to the sad place named at the headding of the letter and are employed in fortifying and invite them to come down here if they want to find Yankees lead I forgot to say that our loss was 22 killed 11 from our Regiment I have not learned the no. wounded I understand that the enemy claimes the loss of 200 killed and in proportion wounded if this be true their loss is much greater than ours they captured many of our men and leaves the regt comparetively small. I have no doubt but that you will learn of this ere this and will get a more correct statement of it but thought I would write it two. the object of this command going through this way I understand is to make the enemy think that we are going to Texas this way and draw them from their while Gen. Banks takes another command by way of the Gulf I understand that he has effected a landing near the Sabine Pass hope he will accomplish his desire. well Indeed Mary I am getting very tired and ask you to excuse anything more from your unworthy cousin.

 

            I am enjoying good health hope this may find you the same

 

            I close expecting to hear from you soon heard from home a few days since and they wer all well

 

            Direction         William A Scarbrough

 

96 Regt. O.V.I. Company B. care Capt Leonard

New Orleans   Department of the Gulf.

 

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Let me hear from you soon regards to your folks

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