October 3rd we took up our line of March through western Louisiana. We marched up the bayou thirteen miles. This was on the line laid out for the Opelousas railroad. This is a beautiful rich country with rice fields and orange groves, sugar cane and all kinds of tropical fruits. The water in the bayou was also getting better.
At ten o’clock on the 4th we marched through Centerville, our company in the rear guard. We went into camp late in the evening near a bayou in Attakapas Parish. This country is settled up by the French and Creoles. We found plenty of large yams here and we had all of them to eat that we wanted.
Our cavalry had a skirmish near this place, capturing a few prisoners and taking a small gun that threw a four ounce ball. It was a breech loader and belonged to the 2nd Texas cavalry. It was drawn by two little mules.
On the 6th, we marched twelve miles and went into camp near the bayou. This is a nice place, the bayou getting narrower, but very much deeper. Here General Cameron took command of our brigade. He was a former colonel of the 34th Indiana. We lay here until the morning of the 10th. We then began our march early in the day. We passed though New Iberia, and after a march of twenty miles, we went into camp on Vermillion Bayou, near Vermillion. This country is a beautiful rolling prairie.
While at this camp, General E. O. C. Ord issued an order to arm the citizens, so that they could protect their property from marauders and thieves. Our boys had no use for such generals. He was removed from our army shortly after this order was given.
General Banks had a telegraph line built from New Orleans to our camp, so that he could keep in communication with his army, his headquarters being at the city of New Orleans.
On the 11th, we had inspection of quarters. We had four hours brigade drill each day under the direction of General Cameron. On the morning of the 15th, we received a dispatch stating that the 19th corps which was in our advance, had struck the rebels in force and had had skirmishing with them.
At four o’clock that evening we began marching and passed the 19th corps at midnight. They were in line on the Carron Crow Bayou. We crossed the bayou and moved out in the advance. At daybreak we ran into the rebels. We moved out in the timber about a mile and supported Nims’ battery. The rebs fell back and we went into Camp Fairview to cook breakfast and make some strong coffee. We had marched all night and were in need of some stimulant.
We scarcely had time to finish our breakfast, when the rebels made a dash at us. We had a sharp fight, but they were repulsed. Our cavalry followed them up. On the night of the 18th, firing was kept up at intervals by our batteries and outside pickets. On the morning of the 19th, Captain Nims’ battery and the 30th Indiana went to the front on a scout. They found a strong force five miles out. They exchanged a few shots with their batteries and returned to camp in the evening.
While here we drew clothing and wool blankets, something that we had not seen for six months. The nights were now getting cool and they came in good play. We also had brigade drill that day. On the 20th General Lee came up with a train of supplies for us, and a force of cavalry.