feature. He drew the prison perfectly, completely, everything, and sold them for twenty-five cents apiece. Have ever regretted that I did not buy one.

While here, I received a present of nine pair of shoes, with a Testament inside of one.

The guards were kind to us in the mien, our rations were very short. Some tried to make their escape in various ways, some by bribery, some by picking through the wall, one by blacking himself, hoping to pass as one of the Negro cooks, still another made a wooden gun, sewed up an oilcloth case, and intended to pass out as a guard, but all failed. He, Martin New was carried to the parish prison for safety, until the day of exchange, when he was teased by the boys, with "How many times have you been on guard since you left us?"

On July 21st, we were called into line and marched to the Nebraska, a boat which lay at the wharf awaiting us. We thought we would be much crowded on only one boat, as there were a thousand of us, but found plenty of room.

Capt. Stevens and twenty of us were captured, and he and nineteen of us went aboard the Nebraska that afternoon, the other, John Freeman, having remained from choice.

We left the Crescent City about two hours by the sun on that day, ran to the mouth of Red River by 3:00 o'clock next day, when, our flag of truce appeared, most of the men, in fact all, except the sick, went on hurricane deck, and raised a shout of joy. We landed half a mile below the mouth of Red River, and the work of exchange began. I thought the time long, but steady work will accomplish a great deal. About dark they called my name, and immediately called J. L. Patterson, and we walked off together. I felt strange to have no guard around me. We went up to the mouth of Red River, where we overtook the ones who had preceded us. Here we spread down our blankets and spent the night -- no one can imagine how free we felt. At 7:00 or 8:00 next morning we went aboard our boats. I do not now remember the name of either. We arrived at Alexandria, La., the afternoon of the second day. We spent July 24th in camp, in the suburb of the town. On the forenoon of the 25th, our officers obtained furloughs for the entire squad. Capt. Stevens informed us that a boat would leave at 2:00 o'clock from above the Falls, for Shreveport -- five of the men were so eager to get home, that they went immediately, not thinking to get any rations for the trip. The remaining fourteen of us, however, were more thoughtful of our stomachs, and each drew his three days rations, then proceeded to the landing, a half mile above the town; arrived in plenty of time. Overhauled the five, above named, who had gained nothing in their rush, and worse, had nothing to eat on the trip. We soon launched for Shreveport, on the Indiana, No. 2, a small steam wheel, which could be steered no more than a log. On the way, it had to be pushed off from bank, like a common ferry boat. It being such a frail craft, they did not run, except in daytime. One night, while tied up, and all had gone to bed, and most all asleep, a man supposed to be walking in his sleep, fell overboard. Some men were