William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., May 14, 1863
Title
William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., May 14, 1863
Subject
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 12th (1861-1865)
Description
William Reynolds writes of the march north from Brashear City, occupation of Alexandria, and members of the company who had been killed, wounded, or captured.
Date
1863-05-14
Text
Alexandria Louisiana
May 14th, 1863
Friend James
As I have a few mo-
ments of leisure I will improve
them in answering yours of the 15th
Ult. which is before me. Was glad to hear
of your continued health & also of the
friends in that vicinity. As to myself my
health never was better.
Our Army left Brashear city on the
10th of Apr. on an expedition to Alexandria
for the purpose of cutting off rebel supplies
from Texas to port Hudson & Vicksburg as
Maj Gen Banks had withdrawn his troops
from Baton Rouge for the purpose of trying
another route for the reduction of the former
place. At Opelousas we staid about two
weeks during which time I went back
to Brashear city on business for the
Company & while there put a letter
[Page 2]
into the office for your wife giving
a few particulars of our expedition to
that place. Since then we have been none
the less successful on our way to Alexandria.
Perhaps our present expedition has been
one of the most important ones of the war.
We have not only placed the rebels at
Port Hudson in a starving condition
but have taken immense quantities of
cotton, sugar & molasses to say nothing of
other confiscated articles of immense
value. At Governor Moore’s, about
seven miles from Alexandria we hal-
ted & obtained a beautiful secesh
flag which we still hold in our pos-
session. The old Governor was not at home
but his “n*****s” said he had “done gone
to Pine Hills” to avoid being taken
along with us. While here we have
made a short expedition to Pine
Hills to see what then was there. Saw
dissolving views of the rebels & considered
it not worth the while to further pur-
sue them as we have followed them up
[Page 3]
closely ever since the battle of the Teche.
We are now in camp on the banks of the
Red River two miles form Alexandria
in the rear and are only stopping for
some rest & then we are off for Port
Hudson. We are under marching orders
& shall leave this afternoon or tomorrow
morning without doubt. I tell you James
we are a “used up” set of fellows; have
made some of the longest marches
known in Ancient or Modern history
and in this warm climate at that.
We have made from 25 to 30 miles
a day & somedays 36 miles since
we started. Banks is celebrated I believe
for marching his troops to death as he did
the 5th Conn. in Virginia. It may be that
we shall take transports down the Red
River, but I rather think he will shove
us through on foot. You have probably
seen accounts of our expedition in the
papers & so I will not particularise
Co. A of the 12th which was captured by
the Confederates at the time our Com. B
[Page 4]
was taken by them on the “Teche” near Pat-
tersonville have not yet been exchanged
and they are at N. Orleans. Our 1st Lieut.
was mortally wounded as we suppose. saw him
at Franklyn as we came past on our present
expedition & the rebel surgeon who had charge
of him there said he could not live. have
since heard the ball was extracted & he on
the gain. The rebels had not time to pa-
role him before we took possession of the
place & all that was in it so he is free
from them. Our 2nd Lieut. Allyn left
us on the morning of the 13th of April very
much unwell & went in to the hospital
He was sick when we started & endured
the march as long as he could before
giving out. He was in the hospital at
New Orleans the last we knew of him.
Co. K. is therefore very unfortunate as we have
only the Capt. in command of us, and we all
dispise [sic] him except a few of his Westerly
Irishmen. He is a very ignorant, intemperate
fellow & cannot merit the respects of his
Company. Confederate money is the only cur-
rancy that would pass in Alexandria
when we arrived but is now rather depre-
ciating in value. It will soon “play out”
But I perceive I am taxing you to [sic] hard &
so I will close as you are perhaps wishing
me to do so that you may go about something
of more importance. Hoping to hear from you soon
I remain as ever your friend
W.H. Reynolds
Co K 12th Regt. C.V.
New Orleans La
J. McCracken
May 14th, 1863
Friend James
As I have a few mo-
ments of leisure I will improve
them in answering yours of the 15th
Ult. which is before me. Was glad to hear
of your continued health & also of the
friends in that vicinity. As to myself my
health never was better.
Our Army left Brashear city on the
10th of Apr. on an expedition to Alexandria
for the purpose of cutting off rebel supplies
from Texas to port Hudson & Vicksburg as
Maj Gen Banks had withdrawn his troops
from Baton Rouge for the purpose of trying
another route for the reduction of the former
place. At Opelousas we staid about two
weeks during which time I went back
to Brashear city on business for the
Company & while there put a letter
[Page 2]
into the office for your wife giving
a few particulars of our expedition to
that place. Since then we have been none
the less successful on our way to Alexandria.
Perhaps our present expedition has been
one of the most important ones of the war.
We have not only placed the rebels at
Port Hudson in a starving condition
but have taken immense quantities of
cotton, sugar & molasses to say nothing of
other confiscated articles of immense
value. At Governor Moore’s, about
seven miles from Alexandria we hal-
ted & obtained a beautiful secesh
flag which we still hold in our pos-
session. The old Governor was not at home
but his “n*****s” said he had “done gone
to Pine Hills” to avoid being taken
along with us. While here we have
made a short expedition to Pine
Hills to see what then was there. Saw
dissolving views of the rebels & considered
it not worth the while to further pur-
sue them as we have followed them up
[Page 3]
closely ever since the battle of the Teche.
We are now in camp on the banks of the
Red River two miles form Alexandria
in the rear and are only stopping for
some rest & then we are off for Port
Hudson. We are under marching orders
& shall leave this afternoon or tomorrow
morning without doubt. I tell you James
we are a “used up” set of fellows; have
made some of the longest marches
known in Ancient or Modern history
and in this warm climate at that.
We have made from 25 to 30 miles
a day & somedays 36 miles since
we started. Banks is celebrated I believe
for marching his troops to death as he did
the 5th Conn. in Virginia. It may be that
we shall take transports down the Red
River, but I rather think he will shove
us through on foot. You have probably
seen accounts of our expedition in the
papers & so I will not particularise
Co. A of the 12th which was captured by
the Confederates at the time our Com. B
[Page 4]
was taken by them on the “Teche” near Pat-
tersonville have not yet been exchanged
and they are at N. Orleans. Our 1st Lieut.
was mortally wounded as we suppose. saw him
at Franklyn as we came past on our present
expedition & the rebel surgeon who had charge
of him there said he could not live. have
since heard the ball was extracted & he on
the gain. The rebels had not time to pa-
role him before we took possession of the
place & all that was in it so he is free
from them. Our 2nd Lieut. Allyn left
us on the morning of the 13th of April very
much unwell & went in to the hospital
He was sick when we started & endured
the march as long as he could before
giving out. He was in the hospital at
New Orleans the last we knew of him.
Co. K. is therefore very unfortunate as we have
only the Capt. in command of us, and we all
dispise [sic] him except a few of his Westerly
Irishmen. He is a very ignorant, intemperate
fellow & cannot merit the respects of his
Company. Confederate money is the only cur-
rancy that would pass in Alexandria
when we arrived but is now rather depre-
ciating in value. It will soon “play out”
But I perceive I am taxing you to [sic] hard &
so I will close as you are perhaps wishing
me to do so that you may go about something
of more importance. Hoping to hear from you soon
I remain as ever your friend
W.H. Reynolds
Co K 12th Regt. C.V.
New Orleans La
J. McCracken
Files
Collection
Citation
“William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., May 14, 1863,” Linda Lear Center Digital Collections and Exhibitions, accessed November 21, 2024, https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/6.