Random Sketches and Wandering Thoughts; Or, What I Saw in Camp, on the March, the Bivouac, the Battle Field and Hospital, While with the Army in Virginia, North and South Carolina, During the Late Rebellion. with a Historical Sketch of the Second Oswego Re (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1866. Excerpt: ... After the troops had disembarked, we commenced unloading the stock, which is rather a strange sight to a landsman. The cattle are driven through the gangway of the vesseF into the sea, the water being too shallow for the vessel to reach the shore, which made it necessary to anchor in the stream. They were headed ' toward the shore, by some of the crew, in boats. They are all natural swimmers, and soon found safety on shore. In-this way many thousands can be unloaded in a very short time, and very seldom are any lost. The horses were taken from the hold of the vessel by means of a sling made of sackcloth and ropes, which is put under them, passing over their backs, to which a block and tackle is atlphed; they are then hoisted to the main deck and swung over the side of the vessel, by means of a yard arm, and let down into the sea, where they are detached from the sling and readily swim to shore. It is quite surprising to see these poor animals yield so readily when once off their feet, hanging in mid air. Many of them were terribly bruized, and had suffered much during the voyage, as they will never lay down to rest while on shipboard; their first desire, on reaching land, is to do so, that they may rest their swollen limbs, which is to them a greater luxury than feed. St Helena island is one of the most beautiful of the Sea Islands, and is noted for producing the finest cotton in the world. There is also grown here large quantities of lemons and oranges. I visited a grove some four miles from our camp, consisting of several acres of trees, from which I cut some walking sticks. There is an old dilapidated mansion here, the owners having abandoned it, and, I was informed, had joined the rebel army, and their negroes had fled to our lines for safety and pr...