They evacuated to New Orleans. Half the men in their regiment are prisoners of war. Lt. Starr died, Thed Trowbridge is probably dead, Abel Wheeler is dead. John Allen is probably dying. Bishop saw battle from the train as they evacuated.
New Orleans
June 26th 1863
My dear Wife
The Steamer sails tomorrow for N. York and I will write you a few lines. We had a battle at Lafourche Crossing 2 days in succession. We were attacked last saturday on the 19th and repulsed the enemy and were attacked on sunday and repulsed them again. I think that our loss is something like 10 killed and perhaps 15 or 20 wounded. Our folks consider that they killed 200 of them as we picked up 97 and took them to them under a flag of truce. On monday we expected another attack but they did not come. On Wednesday we received such information that our commanders considered it the safest to evacuate. Our forces had been in line of Battle all the afternoon when about 5 or 6 o'clock we received orders to pack everything on to the Cars as quick as possible. We worked with a will a [and] got everything ready to start and spiked 4 cannon that we could not carry and threw them into the Bayou. Then the Bridge was burned and about 11 o'clock at night we started for Boutre Station about 25 miles from N. Orleans where our folks as juct. to for [?} and keep the enemy from N. Orleans.
Magruder with 6 or 8 thousand Texas troops is in possession of Brashear city and one half our Regt. are Prisoners of war. We took a good many prisoners. Killed the Col & Lieutenant Col was wounded and is a prisoner to us. Lieutenant Star is dead from amputation of one leg Thed Trowbridge is probably dead. Abel Wheeler is dead, and several are wounded, high[?} Lockwood with hand and arm. There are a good many more that are wounded in the Regt. that I do not know of. John Allen is supposed to be mortally wounded, you will probably see by the papers who are the killed and wounded.
We had such heavy trains when we evacuated that we were all night in going about 12 miles, and we did not get to N. Orleans until thursday night. The Commanding Gen, Gen Emery is quite anxious as everything that we have here is being used at P. [Port] Hudson except what will barely answer for N. Orleans. I am myself taking care of the stuff that we brought from Lafourche, the Co Baggage until further orders.
This has been a very exciting week for me and I hope I shall see no more of it while I am in the service. I was not in the Battle myself as I was not well enough to stand it but saw it the 1st day from the Rail road and it was a grand sight to see our cannon bring them from their horses. But I will wait until I get home and then if I live I will give you a description of a battle and an evacuation. Our Regt is all split up with at least half of them prisoners.
Well my darling I am not strong enough for active service but I hope I shall manage to get through until we are discharged I will write more next time receive my love and continue to write often.
Hoping that God will spare our lives I remain your loving husband.
J. D. Bishop
