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St. Mary's Parish

The Daily True Delta, New Orleans, La., July 28, 1861

The Attakapas Register of Thursday says:

Some pretend to say that St. Mary is defenceless. Let us see if it is so. First we have the Perseverance Guards at Fort Chene, composed of ninety-five men rank and file; 2d. Sappers and Miners at Fort Berwick, ninety-one men rank and file; also, St. Mary Volunteers, at same fort, eighty-eight men rank and file. At Pattersonville we have the St. Mary Guards, composed of 70 odd men rank and file. At Franklin we have the St. Mary Cannoneers, 96 men rank and file, with a battery of three brass 6-pounders and one brass 12-pounder; also, the shot-gun company which will soon be complete. At Clareton, we have the St. Mary Chasseurs-a-pied, of over sixty members. At Jeanneretts we have a cavalry company, under Capt David Ker, which is represented as being well organized and perfectly drilled. Independent of these, is also a company composed of free persons of color commanded by able white officers.

These are, besides the different militia companies some of which are well organized and drilled-especially the one at Berwick, composed of European French. On the whole, we think St. Mary has not been lacking in patriotism, though she has sent but one company to the battle field- the Attakapus Riflemen, Capt. W. D. Bethell, on hundred strong. On a pinch, the effective military strength of our little parish may safely be put down at one thousand strong, for home protection, in ease of need.