140                                HISTORY OF THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT O.V.V.I.

THE REGIMENT AFTER THE SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG.

CLINTON, MISS. – MONROEVILLE, LA. – THE REGIMENT CONTESTS FOR A PRIZE FLAG – DEATHS BY DISEASES – IT VETERANIZES – THE MERIDIAN EXPEDITION – HOME ON VETERAN FURLOUGH.

           The following letter by Captain A. A. Adair gives a full history of the regiment on the Jackson expedition against General Johnston:

CHAPLAIN T. M. STEVENSON:

           Dear Sir: – Since we crossed the Mississippi we have been on the go all the time; doing up our fighting, and at the same time making our regular marches, day after day, through thick and thin, being weary, foot-sore and hungry, yet we fell not by the way-side, because of the good work we were sent to help accomplish. And lo! it is finished to a great extent. The great Western Gibraltar, which the rebels harped about so much, has fallen, with its seventeen Generals and thirty-one thousand prisoners, fifty thousand stand of arms, besides a large number of cannon; and what makes it more glorious, it was surrendered on the 4th of July, which will ever be remembered in ages to come.

           Now for a short history of the doings of the Seventy-Eighth Regiment since crossing the Mississippi, which we did on the 1st of May, the next day after the bombardment of Grand Gulf. After our Division had crossed, our regiment was left at the landing to load up the train with ammunition and rations, while they went on out to the battle of Thompson's Hill, which had commenced that morning. We came up with the train after dark, and found the battle over, being a great success on our side. The next day we marched through Port Gibson, and were in pursuit of the beaten foe. They burned the bridge across the river in their retreat, and we were obliged to take a roundabout course in pursuing them. On the second morning we came upon them, when they commenced shelling our advance. But we pushed on until we came to Black river, when they burned the bridge after crossing; but not before they got a few shells from one piece of DeGalyer's celebrated Michigan Battery, which made them skedaddle. Several prisoners were taken, who had dropped out by the roadside, not being able to keep up with the retreating "rebs."

           We encamped at Black river that night, and the next morning the rebels, in turn, commenced to shell us. But their guns were soon silenced by DeGalyer, who is considered to be one of the best artillerists in this Department. During the siege of Vicksburg he was wounded by a musket ball while lying in his tent, and has been sent home. We remained near Black river four or five days, when we came upon the rebels at Raymond. Our Brigade engaged them for about two hours, it being pretty severe for the time. But we succeeded in utterly routing them, losing out of the regiment twelve men wounded, two of whom have since died. Encamping near Raymond for the night, the next morning we set out for Jackson, arriving there just as the battle was ended. But the "Flying Brigade" was not to be put off in that way; so we were ordered on the double-quick, in a kind of circuit around the place, to try and cut off the retreat of the

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