From the 27th Regiment. -- Return to Mobile. -- Business of the City Lively. -- Terrible
Explosion and loss of life. -- Regiment Under Marching Orders.
Correspondence of the Times.
Headars. 27th, Wis. Inf. Vol.,
Near Mobile, Ala., May 26, '65.

Editor Times: - Dear Sir: - Events crowd themselves so thick and fast upon us, that it is
hardly possible for me to keep track of any body or any thing; but if I am not mistaken, my last
letter was from McIntosh Bluff. As near as I can ascertain our Regiment was ordered there for
the purpose of escorting a fleet of 25 or 30 transports and gun boats to Mobile. We remained
there from the 25th, of April till the 9th of May. The fleet was surrendered to Admiral Thatcher,
U.S.A., by Admiral Farron, C.S.A. The first boat that came down was the Jeff. Davis. She was
used at the siege of Forts Spanish and Blakeley in carrying off the Rebel dead and wounded. Next
came the Sumpter, Waverly, Cherokee, Robt. Wilson, Magnolia, Southern Republic, St. Charles,
St. Nicholas, Reindeer, Admiral, Duke, Nashville, Maryan and Baltic. Our Regiment embarked
upon the transport Waverly, an old tub of a thing, - if we didn't have a jolly time I don't want a
cent. They all thought they were going to beat us down, but we came in ahead of the second
boat. We let them pass us, but the boys began poking in the cord wood, and she soon got such
a head of steam on that we could not hold her: away we went fairly jumping out of the water.

We landed at the "Levee" at Mobile about 9 o'clock, immediately disembarked and
toddled out the Whistler Road, 8 miles, where we are now encamped. We could not possibly be
more fortunate in selecting a camp ground; near the river, in a fine growth of large pines, where
shady boughs afford us shelter all the day from the heated rays of the sun.

The weather is very warm, but our duties are so light that we do not have to expose
ourselves but little. The health of the regiment is good and all are in fine spirits over the prospects
of speedy peace. We are rather unsettled, nevertheless, as we are under marching orders, and
have been, for nearly two weeks; destination supposed to be Texas; whether we go or not time
alone can tell. If Kirby Smith don't "pass in his checks," I suppose we will have to go. If we don't
go for him, I hope there won't be a mother's son of them left. To think the war is over, and then
have a miserable loafer set up a side show away over in Texas!

Mobile has improved wonderfully since its occupation by the Feds. The shops are nearly
all open for trade, the troops have all been paid, and business is brisk. I notice they are very
willing to barter their goods to the "detestable Yankees" for their greenbacks.

The paroled prisoners have all gone to their homes to follow their various avocations and
meditate on the folly of bucking against Uncle Sam.

There are many fine public and private buildings in Mobile. The Post Office is one of the
former. I called on our old friend Smalley at the building formerly occupied by the different
military organizations of the city. The rooms were fitted up in the finest style, with oil paintings
of several of the most distinguished commanders; some were very fine looking men.

I must now tell you of one of the most horrible accidents that has ever happened, that
occurred in the city yesterday, about noon. I was lying on my bunk at the time, half asleep, when
I was suddenly startled by what I supposed, at the time, a shell bursting directly over me. Every
one was up in a moment, anxiously enquiring of the cause of all this. On turning my eyes towards
the city I beheld a sight which can never be forgotten; a dense volume of smoke, resembling a

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