The following officers and men of Company D:

1.CaptainGeorge Sherive.
2.First LieutenantWm. H. Cowdin.
3.Second LieutenantDarius F. Eddy.
4.First SergeantSamuel A. Waterman.
5.Second SergeantCharles D. Frye.
6.Third SergeantCharles R. Todd.
7.Fourth SergeantWm. E. Humphrey (color bearer).
8.Fifth SergeantJohn W. Davis.
9.First CorporalChas. C. Richards.
10.Second CorporalBenjamin Noyes.
11.Third CorporalWm. H. Tileston.
12.Fourth CorporalChas. J. Oldham.
13.Fifth CorporalBenjamin F. Bean.
14.Sixth CorporalLewis M. Calhoun.
15.CorporalHenry W. McIntosh.
16.DrummerLewis Eddy.
17.PrivateAlbert S. Allen.
18.“William H. Brown.
19.“William H. Bullard.
20.“William H. Batson.
21.“Charles Brown.
22.“Charles W. Bailey.
23.“John Barnes.
24.“Edward Boardman.
25.“William Burke.
26.“Major Bacon.
27.“Michael Buckmaster.
28.“John Burns.
29.“Charles H. Cushman.
30.“George T. Clinton.
31.“Dennis Dailey.
32.“John Drury.
33.“Peter Durnam.
34.“Tobias Enslee.
35.“George M. Fisk.
36.“Henry Fisk.
37.“John Fay.
38.“Fitzallen Gourley.
39.“Charles J. Grinnell.
40.“Amos B. Howard.
41.“Thomas C. Houghton.
42.“David Howe.
43.“Wallace A. Josselyn.
44.“Edwin F. Josselyn.
45.“Jacob Kopf.
46.“William B. Larrabee.
47.“Fred Lamote.
48.“Thomas Londergan.
49.“Frank McConlow.
50.“Randolph P. Mosely.
51.“John V. McIlroy.
52.“James Moore.
53.“Francis L. Morrill.
54.“Angus G. Nicholson.
55.“James O’Shaughnessy.
56.“Benjamin Pratt.
57.“George Powers.
58.“Louis Preami.
59.“Gustavus Raymond.
60.“Cornelius Ryan.
61.“Jerry S. Russell.
62.“William Rigby.
63.“Jeremiah Quinn.
64.“Henry C. Sellea.
65.“Joseph H. Stowell.
66.“Sargent L. Stoddard.
67.“Daniel J. Sullivan.
68.“Laban Thaxter.
69.“Josiah Thompson.
70.“James Thomaston.
71.“Daniel H. Vining.
72.“Charles G. Weymouth.
73.“Daniel L. Weymouth.
74.“George S. Walls.
75.“George H. Wight.
76.“Jonathan G. Wight.
77.“Albert P. Wright.
78.“Nathaniel White.
The following officers and men of Company G:
1.CaptainAlfred N. Proctor.
2.2d LieutenantThaddeus H. Newcomb.
3.SergeantLevi W. Goodrich.
4.“Philip P. Hackett.
5.CorporalJohn W. Buttrick.
6.“Seth E. Clapp.
7.“John C. Bishop.
8.CorporalGeorge W. Griggs.
9.“Moses Lincoln, Jr.
10.“Robert G. Thompson.
11.“George G. Morrison.
12.“David L. Wentworth, acting as ordnance-sergeant.
13.DrummerHorace W. Chandler.
14.“David A. Ireson.
15.WagonerRoland C. Judkins.
16.PrivateObed F. Allen.
17.“Joseph Brownlow.
18.“Charles A. Bailey.
19.“John Brown.
20.“William H. Bickers.
21.“Charles L. Barrett.
22.“Charles Barrett.
23.“Charles Boardman.
24.“John M. Barnard, Jr.
25.“William M. Bird.
26.“Gilbert F. Blaisdell.
27.“John H. Cary.
28.“Thomas O. Bryant.
29.“John Carvey.
30.“John T. Cook.
31.“Lemuel S. Copeland.
32.“Frank Covell.
33.“Frederick Corson.
34.“Gilbert Crocker.
35.“Fred T. Clark.
36.“William Carter.
37.“George H. Davis.
38.“John E. Davis.
39.“James L. Davis.
40.“George R. Dary.
41.“Edmund B. Doubel.
42.“Daniel Dinnegan.
43.“James G. Emerson.
44.“John Eaton.
45.“John Eastman.
46.“Richard Ellis.
47.“Thomas Field.
48.“Benjamin Gould.
49.“John W. Gordon.
50.“George S. Hyde.
51.“Albert A. Hayden.
52.“John Harmon.
53.“Henry T. Horn.
54.“Albert A. Holt.
55.“Lucius Higgins.
56.“Charles Hilger.
57.“Alonzo D. Ireson.
58.“Eli P. Johnson.
59.“Francis Knight.
60.“George W. Kibbey.
61.“Arthur Kelley.
62.“Charles B. Lynde.
63.“Amos W. Lynde.
64.“William Logan.
65.“Samuel Marshall.
66.“Joseph Mullen.
67.“James H. McAllister.
68.“Francis L. Nott.
69.“Joseph W. D. Parker.
70.“Charles Paine.
71.“Daniel D. Penney.
72.“John F. Parrott.
73.“Benjamin R. Pierce.
74.“Diomede Roseline.
75.“Martin W. Roberts.
76.“Chas. W. H. Sanborn.
77.“Albert I. Smart.
78.“Thomas T. Sweetser.
79.“Henry O. Studley.
80.“William Stiles.
81.“Charles H. Upham.66
82.“Edwin A. Vinton.
83.“Levi Vincent.
84.“James W. Vinal.
85.“James Vance.
86.“Abiel F. White.
87.“Henry J. Wethern.
88.“William B. York.
89.“Josiah R. York.
And the following officers and men of Company I:
1.CaptainCyrus Savage.
2.First LieutenantSamuel F. White.
3.Second LieutenantBenjamin F. Bartlett.
4.First SergeantWm. H. Hunt.
5.Second SergeantJohn F. Hewins.
6.Third SergeantChauncy B. Sawyer.
7.Fourth SergeantEdward Merrill, Jr.
8.Fifth SergeantCornelius G. Kenney.
9.First CorporalFrank M. Adams.
10.Second CorporalNathaniel H. Bird.
11.Third CorporalSanford H. Brigham.
12.Fourth CorporalDavid F. Sloan.
13.Fifth CorporalDaniel H. Walker.
14.DrummerAlbert Schneider.
15.PrivateMoses Averill.
16.“Edward F. Bryant.
17.“Jonathan Baker.
18.“Edward J. Baker.
19.“Edward K. Baker.
20.“John K. Clements.
21.“Samuel Crowell.
22.“Jefferson W. Cheney.
23.“Peter Cuddy.
24.“Thomas P. Contillon.
25.“James G. Colson.
26.“David Chapin.
27.“Timothy Dolan.
28.“Thomas Dellanty.
29.“Charles H. Dodge.
30.“Wm. C. Elder.
31.“Horace W. Eaton.
32.“John Elliott.
33.“George K. Farnum.
34.“Willard S. Farrington.
35.“Henry E. Farrington.
36.“James F. Floyd.
37.“George T. Fernald.
38.“Edward S. Gray.
39.“Thomas V. Gleason.
40.“Charles Gleason.
41.“William F. Gardner.
42.“George Glover, Jr.
43.“Charles E. Hewins.
44.“John A. Hodgkins.
45.“Frederick Huggins.
46.“Elijah Hunt.
47.“Lewis A. Hunt.
48.“Alexander Hobbs.
49.“Thomas F. Igo.
50.“Ambrose A. Knight.
51.“Charles Littlefield.
52.“William B. Lambert.
53.“Frank B. Laury.
54.“David W. Lannergan.
55.“James Mulry.
56.“Thomas Morris.
57.“William Morgan.
58.“Dennis Mahoney.
59.“Nathaniel McCreary.
60.“Lawrence Mannix.
61.“James McGee.
62.“Jos. W. McLaughlin.
63.“Thomas A. Noyes.
64.“Solomon Nordlinger.
65.“Albert H. Plummer.
66.“Porter Plummer.
67.“George L. Pitman.
68.“George B. Proctor, Jr.
69.“John B. Pratt.
70.“Charles H. Poole.
71.“Joseph T. Paget.
72.“Evelyn Ransom.
73.“Asa Robbins.
74.“Geo. W. Richardson.
75.“Edwin Smith.
76.“Joseph Scaff.
77.“Charles J. Sumner, Jr.
78.“George W. Sloan.
79.“James E. Stanley.
80.“William Spargo.
81.“John Taylor.
82.“Jacob H. Taylor.
83.“Joseph A. Teeling.
84.“Wm. H. H. Weeman.
85.“George W. Wescott.
86.“Ozias Willis.
87.“Joel F. Williams.
88.“Sanford Woods.

The total force amounting to 15 officers, 249 enlisted men, 1 white citizen, and 2 colored boys.

The instructions Colonel Holabird could not find were handed to Lieutenant-Colonel Stedman as the steamer Che-Kiang was about to leave New Orleans for Galveston. They never reached Colonel Burrell. They were as follows:—

“Headquarters Dept. of the Gulf,
“New Orleans, La., January 3d, 1863.

“Lieut.-Col. Stedman, 42d Reg’t Mass. Vols.:

“Colonel,—I am directed by the Commanding General to enclose you instructions, which he requests you to hand Colonel Isaac S. Burrell.

“Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
“W. L. G. GREEN,
“Aid-de-Camp.”

“Headquarters Dept. of the Gulf,
“New Orleans, La., January 3d, 1863.

“Colonel:

“Your regiment having been ordered to Galveston, you are hereby placed in command of that post. You will execute such orders as you may receive from these headquarters. My instructions from the Department of War forbid me at present to make any extended military movements in Texas. The situation of the people of Galveston makes it expedient to send a small force there for the purpose of their protection, and also to afford such facilities as may be possible for recruiting soldiers for the military service of the United States. Every assistance in your power will be afforded for the complete attainment of these objects.

“General Hamilton is appointed Military Governor of the State of Texas, and will be recognized by you in that capacity, but your orders you will receive from these headquarters.

“Until the port of Galveston is regularly opened by the Government of the United States, no trade can be carried on, and no attempt for that purpose will be recognized, or countenanced by you.

“I rely fully upon your energy, vigilance and capacity, for the performance of the important duties intrusted to you. Do not fail to make frequent reports of all that transpires within your command, and of whatever important facts you may learn from the enemy in Texas, or from its people.

“It is not probable that any successful movement can be made upon the main-land until our force shall be considerably strengthened; and you will take care not to involve yourself in such difficulty as to endanger the safety of your command.

“Other instructions will be sent to you from time to time, as occasion may require and opportunity offer.

“N. P. BANKS, “Major-General commanding.

“Colonel Isaac S. Burrell,
“42d Regiment Mass. Vols.”

“Headquarters Dept. of the Gulf,
“New Orleans, La., January 3d, 1863.

“Colonel:

“You will immediately cause to be constructed a tete-du-pont, to command the bridge which connects Galveston Island with the main-land.

“I directed an engineer officer to go there some time since, and I suppose he is there. If so, he will give suitable directions for the work.

“Very respectfully yours, “N. P. BANKS, “Major-General commanding.

“Colonel Isaac S. Burrell,
“commanding U. S. Forces at Galveston.”

The trip to Galveston was devoid of interest. The weather was fine and the sea moderately smooth. Few were sea-sick. At half past eleven on the morning of the twenty-fourth land was sighted; at noon, the gunboat Tennessee fired a shot across the bow of the Saxon, and she hove to, off Galveston Bar, for about two hours, when a pilot was taken. The navy had been expecting troops to arrive for some days. Commander Law, of the Clifton, when he ascertained what troops were on board the Saxon and their purpose, sent a boat to bring the colonel over the bar, and on board his vessel, which then proceeded up the channel a short distance. As the Saxon would not be able to get over the bar at once, an offer from Law, to take Burrell in his gig to see Commander Renshaw, was accepted. Upon reaching the flag-ship Westfield, Renshaw, who was entertaining Confederate officers in the cabin under a flag of truce, met the colonel at the gangway, extending a hearty welcome. He suggested the postponement of a conference at that time, not wishing the Confederate officers to see Colonel Burrell, and would meet him on board the Clifton with all commanding officers of gunboats then in the harbor, viz.:—

Westfield—A ferry-boat; eight guns; Commander W. B. Renshaw.

Clifton—A Staten Island ferry-boat; seven guns; Lieutenant-Commander R. L. Law.

Harriet Lane—Formerly a United States revenue cutter; eight guns; Commander J. M. Wainwright.

Owasco—Screw propeller; regular war vessel; six guns; Lieutenant-Commander H. Wilson.

Commander Renshaw, as agreed, met Colonel Burrell on board the Clifton. The situation was explained and discussed. Renshaw strongly urged landing the troops in the city, and was supported in this advice by all of his officers. Burrell suggested landing on Pelican Spit, an island near the harbor entrance, with plenty of space, and buildings that could be occupied until more troops arrived. Great stress was placed on the difficulty of obtaining water upon the spit, while abundance was to be had in the city. Renshaw scouted the idea of danger to so small a force in the city. A decision was finally made to land on Kuhn’s Wharf, occupy for barracks the wooden storehouse upon it, and fully understood by all officers present, that the troops would be under protection of the navy guns. They were to be protected or removed. In case an attack was threatened, the Owasco was to take position on the right, the Clifton on the left of Kuhn’s Wharf, and these vessels were accustomed to occupy those positions every night. Assurance was also given that the troops could be taken from the wharf in five minutes time if it became necessary to do so.

Galveston City in 1861 was a port of entry and capital of Galveston County. It is situated near the east end of Galveston Island, with the best and least difficult harbor on the whole Texas coast. It was the commercial emporium of Texas, with the bulk of its commerce coastwise with New Orleans and New York. The former port connected with it by regular steamship lines. The city contained the court-house, a jail, and other county buildings, several churches, numerous warehouses, wholesale and retail stores, and hotels; and published several newspapers. The island in which the city stands, is about thirty-six miles long, with an average width of two miles. The soil is good, being a black mould, about a foot deep, resting on sand and shells, and it has several ponds of good water. Separated from the main-land by West Bay, it was connected by a wooden railroad bridge, two miles in length, used by the Galveston and Houston Railroad. No portion of the surface is more than twenty feet above the level of the Gulf of Mexico, and with the exception of several groves of live oak, the whole is open prairie. Before the war the land was said to have been in a state of excellent cultivation, and the city the residence of many wealthy farmers. Very few slaves were held on the island, and the population was about seven thousand.

Federal naval forces had virtually been in possession of Galveston since October 8th, 1862, in full control of the harbor, but lacking adequate force to land and occupy permanently the city. Besides the four gunboats in the harbor when the detachment first arrived, the gunboat Sachem, an altered merchant screw propeller steamer, five guns, Acting Master Amos Johnson, came in December 29th with her boilers out of repair, and, securing the services of two boiler makers from the city, anchored in the channel on the city front to have them patched up. The small Government schooner Corypheus, Acting Master A. T. Spear, with one gun, and manned by fifteen men, also came into port with the Sachem.

The sailing barks Arthur, Cavallo, and Elias Pike, loaded with coal for the fleet; the transport steamer Mary Boardman, loaded with hay and horses; and the transport steamer Saxon, was all the shipping that was in Galveston Harbor, January 1st, 1863.

At two o’clock the Saxon passed over the bar, her keel striking bottom a few times, and at half-past four came to anchor in the harbor channel.

The troops made a landing December 25th, at ten o’clock in the morning. The two-story storehouse was occupied on the upper floor for sleeping, the lower floor to store quartermaster and commissary stores, ammunition, and intrenching tools, which were removed from the Saxon that day and next. A partitioned room on the lower floor was fitted up by Surgeon Cummings for a hospital. The commissary supplies consisted of coffee, hard bread, beans, salt pork, and molasses, sufficient to last about thirty days for three hundred men. The intrenching tools were spades, picks and axes, for five hundred men. Three months medical supplies and about twenty-five thousand rounds fixed ammunition for infantry was also landed.

Kuhn’s Wharf was the largest on the harbor front, the storehouse end large and roomy, connected with the land by a bridge-like wharf some four hundred feet long, about twenty feet wide, built on piling. The water was quite shallow at any tide almost to the end. Tides in Galveston harbor and bay ebb and flow very little; the depth of water is greatly influenced by heavy northerly winds, which blow the water over the bar out to sea. Heavy draft vessels at such times must keep to the narrow channel.

A flag-pole was found which belonged on the storehouse, and being placed in position upon the cupola, the old garrison flag, used by the regiment at Readville, was run up about eleven o’clock and greeted with cheers. Sentries were at once posted in the city as far as Market Square, one of the principal places with all of the main streets leading into it. They were also posted on the streets to the right and left, communicating directly with the wharf. At night these posts were reënforced in such a manner as to constitute picket-posts.

Immediately upon landing and taking post, Colonel Burrell adopted such measures to secure all the protection possible that in his judgment the situation demanded. From this time until the morning of January 1st it was work, work, work. Fatigue and working parties were constantly employed. Guards and pickets were on duty day and night. Reconnoitring detachments were on duty by day and squads scouting at night. The Forty-Second Infantry, posted upon Kuhn’s Wharf, were very active during their short stay, occupying the city so far as the small force and prudence would allow, and exercising proper surveillance. The men were barely allowed sufficient time to obtain needed sleep.

Among the first things done was to barricade the interior of the storehouse facing the city, by placing against that side, on each floor, barrels of whiting, plaster and hair, found on the premises. For a temporary shelter to men on picket at night, if forced to seek it, it was decided to build a breastwork upon the wharf by tearing up and utilizing the planks. Volunteer Engineer Long saw no use or necessity for this, not exercising any supervision over the work until operations had commenced and he saw that the colonel was determined about it. Commencing at a point some fifty feet from the shore end, the hard pine planks were removed to make a gap in the wharf for the space of about another fifty feet, and the first breastwork was erected on the edge of this gap the day of landing. Fortunately Quartermaster Burrell, in looking around the city in the morning, had found a keg of large-sized spikes and ordered them taken to the wharf where they might be found useful. They were very useful in building this work.

An examination of the ammunition, ordered in a few days after landing when it was evident the enemy meant mischief, was not a welcome surprise. Company G was armed with Springfield rifles, and Companies D and I had Springfield smooth-bore muskets. The bulk of ammunition landed was found to be for rifles, with only a small supply of ball and buckshot cartridges for smooth-bores. There was also found to be a scarcity of caps. This is accounted for by the confused manner in which the regiment was embarked at Brooklyn on the different transports—a proper apportionment of the ammunition was not possible under the circumstances. Sending Adjutant Davis to the fleet for any surplus caps they had to spare added very little to the supply, as they were short also. It was found that cartridges and caps sufficient to give each man eighteen rounds in his cartridge box was all the ammunition that could be made serviceable when a distribution was made to the men on the thirty-first. This was kept a secret from the command. The men were cautioned to husband their ammunition until it could be used to effect at close quarters, in case of an action. No man was to fire his musket unless so ordered by an officer.

Commander Wainwright, with a few sailors armed with cutlasses and pistols, visited the wharf on the twenty-sixth. After a conference with Colonel Burrell, a reconnoissance through Galveston and its suburbs was determined upon. Captain Sherive, with about one hundred men, including the sailors, accompanied by the colonel, adjutant, quartermaster and chaplain, with Wainwright, started about nine o’clock in the morning to reconnoitre, proceeding as far as the brick kilns, some two miles outside of the city. It was not deemed advisable to go further in the direction of Eagle Grove, about three miles, but a circuit of the outskirts was made and the city looked over. The inhabitants had fled. It was almost entirely deserted. Unlike many other cities and towns occupied by Federal troops, very few colored people were to be seen. A lookout was established in a four-story brick building on the Strand near Market Square and within the guard lines, where all that was going on at Eagle Grove on the island, and Virginia Point on the main-land, was distinctly visible in the daytime by the aid of a field-glass. This lookout was constantly maintained.

In the afternoon Colonel Burrell, accompanied by Volunteer Engineer Long, proceeded in the Harriet Lane towards West Bay as far as the channel would allow. A good view of Eagle Grove and Virginia Point was obtained. The earthwork, mounting three guns, thrown up at Eagle Grove by Confederates, to protect the railroad bridge, was abandoned. The end of the bridge at Virginia Point was protected by extensive works with heavy guns in position, and here the enemy appeared to be in force. Their camps could be plainly seen.

It was while on this trip in the Harriet Lane that Colonel Burrell made up his mind to destroy the railroad bridge. None of the naval vessels could get near enough to do any permanent damage, on account of the narrow, tortuous and shallow channel. The distance from the fleet anchorage by way of the channel was about four and one-half miles. Heavy naval guns, fired from a point of anchorage where it would have been safe to try it, would not have reached the bridge with any accuracy, the gun-carriages not admitting a sufficient elevation of the guns to carry shot or shell that distance, while such heavy charges of powder would be required for the distance that the concussion upon the gun-decks of such vessels as were then at Galveston would have caused serious damage to the vessels, had everything been favorable in other particulars for attempting the destruction of the bridge in this manner. The bridge could not be effectually severed by the navy except by sending up armed launches prepared for such duty. These the gunboats did not have; all of their row-boats were small, not capable of carrying light guns, even if they had them. This would have been hazardous service, as the enemy were vigilant and brave. That the navy could have sent up boat crews and destroyed it when the vessels first entered the harbor in October, was admitted by a number of naval officers, because the enemy had precipitately taken flight, abandoning everything. The Confederate military commander at that time was a weak-kneed sort of man. In a very short time the Confederate troops rallied, removed all of their guns on the island, and built the works at Eagle Grove rendering the attempt hazardous. Destroying the bridge would not have prevented all communication between the island and the main-land, only rendered it difficult, as the enemy had plenty of boats hid in the creeks and bayous adjacent that could be used for ferry purposes. But no attempt of any sort had been made by the navy since first entering Galveston Bay to damage or sever this bridge.

Collecting barrels of tar pitch, with other combustible material, and confiscating a dray (all horses had been run out of town), the colonel ordered them stored ready for use, intending to move up immediately on the landing of the balance of his regiment, occupy the works at Eagle Grove, destroy the bridge as far as possible, mount some heavy guns, and shell the enemy from his works on the main-land. Those naval officers who talked the matter over with officers of the Forty-Second agreed that it ought to be done. Commander Wainwright was especially in favor of severing this means of communication. Had the seven companies of the regiment arrived on or before the twenty-eighth of December, it was thought not much difficulty would have been experienced. The enemy soon ascertained the small strength of the detachment landed, and on the twenty-ninth reoccupied the earthworks at Eagle Grove, and mounted heavy cannon to protect the bridge and approaches. Colonel Burrell then requested Commander Renshaw to go up the bay as far as possible with two of his lightest draft vessels, and shell the enemy from the island, which he refused to do. After the twenty-eighth December, the destruction of this bridge could not have been accomplished without an action with the enemy in force at Eagle Grove, but an attempt would have been made had not the event of January 1st occurred.

During the afternoon of the twenty-sixth, while Captain Sherive with a small force of men was out on a foraging expedition, to see what could be found for cooking-stoves, eight Confederate cavalry-men appeared under a flag of truce, with a request to see the British consul. No flag-of-truce trick could be played on Captain Sherive. He promptly halted the party, and notified his commanding officer. One man, under guard, was allowed to see the consul, and the Confederate captain in charge was ordered to leave by six o’clock, as after that hour they would be fired upon. For weeks had the enemy enjoyed the hospitality of Commander Renshaw under these convenient flags of truce, used freely for the most trivial reasons; but the military commander stopped all such nonsense at once. This truce flag was the only one recognized until the day of surrender.

Supplies of food were not plenty in the city. The Confederates would not allow any to be brought from the main-land, consequently, what few inhabitants remained in Galveston, mostly women, found it hard work to subsist. In a small way, rations were given to them by Colonel Burrell. Not much could be done in this direction, owing to the small supply on hand for the troops, who must be fed and kept in fighting condition. There were quite a number of German women with gold and silver coin, who wished to purchase provisions from the quartermaster. Their husbands were serving in the Confederate army, and much valuable information was obtained from them.

Confederate cavalry commenced to infest the city and suburbs at night, about three days after a landing was made; but did not attempt to molest the pickets. These cavalry-men came along the beach, concealed by a range of sand hills on the Gulf shore; on reaching the outskirts they would separate to go through the city in squads of two and three. Before daylight these squads would rendezvous at a place called Schmidt’s Garden, and return to Eagle Grove by the same route they came. They easily obtained, during these nocturnal trips, all information they required, for the men talked freely with such of the inhabitants as wished to converse. While there were a handful of Union men, or refugees as they were termed by the enemy, who sought protection under the Federal flag, the bulk of the small population, men, women and children, were secessionists to the core.

Lieutenant Eddy and Private Hersey must have had this fact very forcibly impressed upon their minds when they were entertained by some Galveston ladies at a house on the Strand, some two miles from quarters, on the afternoon of Sunday, December 28th. The ladies sang all of the latest Confederate songs, Eddy and Hersey in return singing the latest from the North. The conversation was bitter disunion on the female side, and well calculated to draw out information on military affairs. On bidding them good afternoon as they left, several young men were seen loitering in the vicinity, who had undoubtedly been listeners to the conversation.

While the enemy easily obtained information of the Federal strength, position and purposes, the men of the Forty-Second as easily secured definite information of the Confederate strength and intentions. At this game of cards honors were easy.

On the night of the twenty-seventh a report was brought in that a force of Confederate cavalry was in the city. Captain Sherive with fifty men and Captain Savage with fifty men received separate orders to drive them out. Taking different directions, a thorough scout failed to discover any traces of this cavalry until Captain Sherive arrived at the beach road leading to Fort Point, when fresh horse-shoe prints in the sand were discovered, showing that a force of mounted men had gone in the direction of Fort Point, where there was an abandoned earthwork thrown up to command the harbor entrance. Captain Savage came up soon after, joined forces with Sherive, and was directed to place his men on the sand ridge of the beach, lying down, while Sherive with his men covered the beach, and all awaited developments. About midnight Captain Savage became impatient, if not a little timid, as signal rockets were seen sent up in the city, and he declined to remain longer, proceeding back to the wharf. This forced Captain Sherive to retire also, as he doubted his ability to meet the supposed force of the enemy with the men left. It was afterwards ascertained that the party was General Magruder, reconnoitring the entrance to the bay with some eighty of his officers and men, who would certainly have been captured, killed, or wounded, if the detachments had remained where Captain Sherive had them posted. There was no escape, except by breaking through the detachments, and the enemy could not successfully do that while Captain Sherive was around. Captain Savage destroyed the telegraph lines connecting Galveston with the main-land, that had remained intact up to this time, as part of the night’s operations.

There was a lull in the preparations and rounds of duty on Sunday, the twenty-eighth, giving the men that rest they sorely needed. Only two civilians were molested by the troops during their short stay in Galveston. A German was arrested on this day for uttering seditious language. He was confined at guard quarters in the wharf storehouse, remaining there during the action of January 1st, almost forgotten, but miraculously escaped without a wound. The other was a citizen caught hanging around the head of the wharf in a suspicious manner, and was arrested for a spy, retained in confinement some six hours, and then released. This arrest occurred on the ——th.

Sunday afternoon Colonel Burrell, in a row-boat, proceeded to Fort Point to inspect a 100 Pr. gun, dismounted in the fort, with the intention of removing it to the earthwork at Eagle Grove when his force was increased. The gun was found to be sound, not spiked, and ready for immediate service, when mounted on a gun-carriage. The story of the dismounting of this heavy gun, as told by naval officers and sailors, is said to be true.

KUHN’S WHARF, GALVESTON, TEXAS.

It seems that when the fleet was sailing towards Galveston Bar the orders were not to fire, even if fired upon, until the signal was displayed from the flag-ship. A gunner on the Clifton, standing by his gun, with lanyard in hand, accidentally slipped when the vessel lurched, causing him to pull the lanyard with a sudden jerk and fire the gun. Without being trained on the fort, the solid shot took effect on the gun-carriage of this 100 Pr., near the stanchions, shattering the carriage, heaving the gun up in the air, tumbling it over backward in the sand. The garrison became panic struck at the effect of this chance shot and fled. The fleet then entered the harbor without another gun being fired.

The situation looked serious, and with a doubt in his mind about the loyalty of the naval commander, and no news from his expected reënforcements, Colonel Burrell decided on the twenty-ninth to send Quartermaster Burrell to New Orleans on the Saxon, with despatches for General Banks. The commissary supplies had dwindled down to fifteen days rations for three hundred men, and the ammunition was not available. Engineer Long decided to go also, not being under the orders of Colonel Burrell, and took passage on the Saxon. Much to the transport captain’s relief, for he had been in a highly nervous state while lying at the wharf, the Saxon left, proceeding as far as Pelican Spit, where she had to remain until January 1st. A strong northerly wind, that continued on the thirtieth and thirty-first, had blown the water from Galveston Bar so that only three feet of water covered it, rendering proceeding to sea impossible.