Monday, January 23, 2017

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: July 3, 1864

Received marching orders on the second and today went on board the Moly Able bound for New Orleans, At eleven p. m. landed at Algiers opposite the city. On the Southwest of the city of New Orleans there are thousands of acres of salt marsh along the gulf coast. When the tide is in it is nearly covered with water. This makes a wonderful breeding ground for mosquitoes, and when the wind blows from that direction the city and Algiers is smitten as with a scourge. The scourge was on when we arrived at the latter place. If they are of any earthly use to mankind, nobody to my knowledge has ever been able to find out what it is. While we were in Algiers I went to the city twice. Got some pictures to send home and other neeeded things.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 125-6

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