CARROLLTON.

VICKSBURG! What thrilling recollections cluster about the name! The weary march -- the hunger, thirst and fatigue -- the rapid and resistless advance -- the successful investment of the rebel works by an impenetrable line of troops -- the bloody, hardfought battles -- the daring but unsuccessful assault -- the high-noon and midnight labor in the trenches -- the watchfulness and weariness -- the laborious and long-continued siege -- the final capture of the place on the ever-memorable Fourth of July -- these, and similar events, will ever be remembered with patriotic pride by all who participated in them.
        But we were now about to bid adieu to those historic scenes. A new field was opening before us, and on the 25th of August, we struck tents and went aboard the steamer "Atlantic," bound for the Department of the Gulf. At 11 o'clock P. M., we cast loose from our moorings and started down the river. On the way we touched at PORT HUDSON, a name which has become historical. As we looked upon the forbidding battlements and frowning guns at this place, we were compelled to admire the daring courage and endurance which had invested, stormed, besieged and finally captured this rebel stronghold. All honor to the sons of New England for their heroic achievements! At Port Hudson and Vicksburg the armies of the East and the West, met and congratulated each other upon their successful operations. After long sieges and laborious campaigns, they had succeeded in opening the Mississippi to the wants of commerce. And they rejoiced at the thought that now, henceforth and forever, the richly freighted argosies of the South and West, should be borne undisturbed on its tranquil bosom. Let not the critic, then, charge with egotism those men, who, after having endured so much, felt an honest pride that they had contributed something to accomplish these great results.
        After a pleasant trip of thirty-two hours, we landed at Carrollton, La., a suburb of New Orleans. Our encampment at this place was on the Champ de Mars, near the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad, and seven miles from the city. This was a beautiful open plat of ground, and was known as "Camp Lewis" in confederate times. Here we expected to rest, recuperate and have a grand review, preparatory to future movements. Most of the troops previously in this vicinity, had been sent forward, so that the Thirteenth Army Corps, might be said to have full possession. Soon after our arrival, we received orders to hold ourselves in readiness to march at twelve hours' notice. On the 29th we had a review on a small scale before Gen. Banks, and we confidently expected soon to take up the line of march, without the pleasure of becoming acquainted with the people in the city. In this, however, we were agreeably disappointed.
        As might be expected, we made frequent applications for "passes" to visit the city and surrounding country. And it must be said that our officers were more indulgent than usual in granting these privileges. We took in all the points of interest. The battle-ground, famous in American history, where the English forces met with such a crushing defeat in 1815 -- the beautiful cemeteries in and around the city -- Lake Pontchartrain, etc., all received a due share of attention. In short, we had a good time generally, and enjoyed ourselves fully as well as we did on the march from Milliken's Bend.
        On the fourth of September, General Grant having arrived at New Orleans, reviewed the Thirteenth Army Corps, in company with General Banks and Adjutant General Thomas. It was an imposing display, probably not less than fifteen thousand troops being on review, including infantry, cavalry and artillery. In speaking on this subject, we can do no better than copy the following account from the New Orleans Era:
        "According to the announcement in the city papers, the troops under the command of Major General Washburn, now stationed at Champ de Mars, near Carrollton, were reviewed by Generals Banks and Grant, at an early hour yesterday morning. The men under review were the warscarred veterans, who left the pleasant scenes of their homes in every part of the Union, to hew their way to the Gulf with their swords. Every Division, Brigade and Regiment, as it filed past the generals surrounded by their staffs, showed the results of skillful training, while the animation that gleamed from the bronzed faces of these veterans, gave evidence that they were conscious of the distinguished presence in which they were marching.
        "In the array of officers and men who met together on the Champ de Mars, the city of New Orleans could behold a portion of the deliverers of the Mississippi. The opening of the great inland sea required great men and stout soldiers; and to the credit of our country let it be said, the right men were found for the work. Upon the appearance of Generals Banks and Grant, accompanied by their respective staffs, they were greeted with three hearty cheers by the whole line of men under arms. The two generals were surrounded by their respective staffs, and presented altogether a very brilliant appearance.
        "The review was what might be reasonably expected from the tried troops in the presence of two distinguished generals. The Division, Brigade and Regimental officers handled their men with more military precision than might have been witnessed on the same field two years ago, when an attempt was made by one or two Louisiana militia generals to review raw recruits, who had never seen even a skirmish, and many of whom are still innocent of the blood of the soldiers of the United States.
        "The heat of the day was so intense that many of the old citizens of New Orleans were glad to retire to some friendly shade; and yet the troops showed no signs of distress, nor even inconvenience. Such is the result of being inured to exposure. These men, coming from a northern climate, endured a heat which even an acclimated person gladly avoids. A heartier or
more robust set of men probably never passed in review under the critical eyes of generals who have performed great deeds, and who have more yet to do. It was apparent to the most superficial observer that the parade was no training day display. The two generals, their respective staffs, the general, field and regimental officers, the men themselves had the bearing of the true
soldier, and the tout ensemble was suggestive of genius, discipline and backbone. Whatever duties may be required of Generals Banks and Grant to perform, the country can rest assured will be well performed. Whatever work it may have for that army to do, under either or both these, will be well done. It has been the fortune of the two generals to lead men through difficulties and dangers which might appal the man who obtains his ideas of human endurance from theory alone. They have demonstrated that there is no such word as fail, for those who are determined to succeed. It was a proud privilege to stand on that animated field yesterday and say: 'These are American generals and American troops, whose deeds are about to be enrolled on the scroll of immortal fame, and America is my country.' The traitors to our flag, even, must have rejoiced that their pseudo friends had been overcome by men who have shown such bravery in arms and such mercy and moderation in victory."
        "Terrible as an army with banners -- if those banners are torn by the shot and shell of a score of battles. Belmont, Donelson, Shiloh, Arkansas Post, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, Big Black, Vicksburg -- these names were written in bullet holes on those dear, seedy old rags. No bunting gay with new beauty could be so gorgeous as these to the thoughtful eye. It is not surprising that General Banks lifted his hat with real reverence when these historic colors dipped to him as he passed. A brave man himself, he knows the honor which is due to the emblems of courage."
        Soon after the review closed, our camp was thrown into a deep gloom, by a report that Gen. Grant had been thrown from his horse and killed. We soon learned, however, that although he had been injured by the accident, his injuries were not serious. We felt much relieved at this intelligence, and hoped that we might soon be led to victory again under his command. It must be confessed that we had but little faith in political generals, and the subsequent experience of the regiment proved this lack of faith well founded.
        In this connection let us introduce a character which has not hitherto figured in these pages to any great extent, but which, at the same time, deserves an immortality of fame.
        Brigadier General M. K. Lawler was an important individual -- a man of some consequence in his own estimation, if not in ours. He was famous for his rotundity of stomach and his keen appreciation of good living. He wore a blue checkered shirt, a pair of loosely-fitting, grey pantaloons, a blouse that hung about his shoulders without any definite object in view, and the whole costume was surmounted by an old battered hat which had seen hard service and rough usage. The glowing appearance of his countenance indicated an acquaintance with bacchanalian festivities, but of course we attributed the rosy tint of his frontispiece to natural causes, not supposing for a moment that he would drink anything stronger than cold water. At the same time it was strongly intimated that he was as good a judge of "commissary" as any member of his personal staff. Such was the man, who, for a brief period commanded the Fourth Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps. And such was the man who will never be forgotten by certain members of the Seventy-Seventh Regiment, who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.
        One day, as this famous general was riding through the camp in company with a captain -- a member of his military family -- he approached a juvenile specimen of the African race, who was amusing himself in the following manner: He had procured a lot of damaged cartridges, and being naturally of a martial turn of mind, was studying the art of building and destroying fortifications. He would build these works on a small scale, and having done so, would dig a mine and deposit a charge of powder. In the present instance the charge was planted, the train laid, the match applied, and just as the general was passing the fire had reached its destination and up went the African's minature Fort Hill. The general's horse, a restless animal, not being particularly fond of such exhibitions, sprang aside, almost unhorsing his rider.  The commander's wrath rose to the boiling point, and he ordered the captain to dismount and give the hopeful youth a castigation, which was done with a hearty good will. The two officers then rode off, the general giving a parting broadside in this happy style: "There, you little black d--l, take that."
        On the morning of September 12th, some of our boys made a "charge" on the Provost Marshal's office, not knowing who occupied the building, and perhaps not caring very much. The "provo" was up stairs asleep at the time, but the boys were in blissful ignorance of this fact. As they were marching off with their plunder, consisting of office stationery, including official envelopes, legal cap, foolscap, letter paper, etc., spring-bottom chairs and other furniture of costly pattern, some of them were arrested by the provost guards, the others making their escape. The recaptured property was restored to the office, and the captured guilty ones were marched off to the headquarters of Brigadier General Lawler, to be disposed of as that officer might direct. The general ordered them to be armed with sticks of cordwood and marched through the Division at shouldered arms. This performance was more amusing to the spectators than to the performers, although Lew and Jake, of Company "I," and one or two others, seemed to enjoy it very much.
        After having marched the boys all through the Division, the guards returned with their charge to headquarters. Here the general drilled them in the manual of arms, and the different commands "shoulder arms," "order arms," "ground arms," "raise arms," "shoulder arms," "right shoulder shift arms," "shoulder arms," "present arms," "shoulder arms," "order arms," "stack arms," "take arms," etc., were executed with a neatness and dispatch unequaled, considering the kind of arms used on the occasion. The general expressed himself perfectly satisfied with their progress in the "school of the soldier," and having worked himself into a perspiration, he gave the welcome command "break ranks, MARCH." As they were marching away, a lady -- secesh, perhaps -- called out from an adjoining residence, "Steal again, will you?" and "steal again, will you?" was a by-word in the Regiment for a long time afterwards.