cause—Vicksburg-Port Hudson, and now this great victory of Gen. Mead's at Gettysburg—three names long to be remembered in American history. We hear that Col. Stone has recovered his horse which was captured from him at the battle of Plains Store, May 21.
July 16. Regiment received orders to change camp to the rear to secure higher ground, by which move the 48th has secured the best location in the brigade line. There are all sorts of rumors in regard to going home. Suppose that some of them may be true and expect that now that Port Hudson has been taken that we shall be sent home before long. Received word from Baton Rouge that Joseph B. Hale of Co. B died in the hospital there today.
July 17. All prisoners taken from us on the 13th have been paroled, and have returned to camp today having marched from Thibadoux. They say that the rebs had less than a thousand men on our side of the bayou in the battle, and our defeat was all owing to bad generalship on the part of our commanding officers.
July 18. Daniel F. Connell of Co. B who was taken prisoner on the 13th, came back to camp today, having been paroled, and walked from the rebel camp (which he thinks is nearly 100 miles from here) with one hard-*tack and a little corn meal for his rations during the march.
He thinks there are from 10,000 to 20,000 rebels between Donaldsonville and Thibadoux, with considerable artillery. A continued discussion of the question of "going home" now principally occupies the time of the men.
July 21. Capt. Bainbridge, a U. S. army officer, came to camp today and the Lieutenant-Colonel at
