John Lester Barstow to Laura
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I am still on the banks of the Bayon [ ], where I was, where I wrote you
last. - it is 1/2 past 3-o-clock in the morning, last night
was about the coldest night we have had - & I have stood
it as long as I could - told the negro, to make a fire - and
I have seated myself to write you a letter. Since we came
here the Regiment has been pretty nearly idle - no Drills -
no inspection or any thing of that sory - nothing has been
kept up, except guard mounting and dress - parade - the
reason for this is because the officers are so busy with
other matters. The government has taken possession of all
the private & property in the
distinct lying between where we now are,and where we were, and nearly every
officer who is considered competent, is hard at work in
trying to get the sugar mills on the different plantations
at work - the cane, which, if it had been ground earlier,
would have made 3 nnds. pr. acre is now so injured by frost
that it will not average more than one half that amount.
Still
if it can be ground now, it will be
a source of great profit to the government - the negroes are
paid 10$ a month - the mules &c are used - an over seen
hired & furnished with oil for the engine, & food
for the men (used to be slaves) & Uncle Sam takes the
sugar & molasses - wherever a man has stayed at
home, he takes the oath, & goes on with his business, as
usual, except that he has to pay his men. It is an operation
well worth seeing - to see this sugar making - it is, or has
been the most profitable business in the world, but I hope
its day is gone, so far as getting labor for nothing is
concerned. We find all along here, what would be called
distress with us. The richest
planters have had no tea or coffe for
over a year - when any poor coffe has
been brought here it sold for $8. a pound - a man who is
good times was worth over $300,000 - told me yestarday, that
about 6 months ago he paid $35. for 100lbs of flour - but it
was so poor he could not use it - & has had none since.
They have no Salt & cannot save
their Pork or Beef only to eat it fresh, which they got so
sick of - without Salt, that it was almost impossible to eat
it, & in fact it did produce disease in many locations -
They are partly re-