Comments on: Report of Maj. Jesse S. Miller, Eleventh Wisconsin Infantry

By: Christina "Tina" Clement Landry

Christina "Tina" Clement Landry — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:52:35 +0000

In reply to A.J. (Arnold Joseph) Berthelot. A.J., I loved reading that story! I am sure my dad, Edward Gervais Clement and his siblings did a lot swimming with all of you. Before is was fenced in, we used to stop often just to walk under those massive oaks!

By: fayaj

fayaj — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 17:42:49 +0000

(written by daughter of A.J. & Faye Ann Callegan Berthelot as recounted by A.J.)

I am a native of Bayou Pigeon & am still known there as A.J. During the 1940s my brother Alcide and I lived in the ‘Palfrey House’ with our mother Mathilde (Teal), her parents Alcide Gervis & Mathilde (Gramm) Clement, and 2 of our aunts, Mildred (Nana) & Amalie (T’Aunt Amalie / Tom). We spent many summers with cousins & friends swimming among the water lilies, fishing from an old Willow tree that arched over the bayou, playing beneath the tall raised porch & under the canopy of a giant Oak whose large branches draped the ground. My grandmother (1869-1963) had told us that the size of that Oak had not changed since she was a young girl growing up near the sugar mill mentioned in Maj Miller’s report above. The family lived in the house until it collapsed from decay, moving into a smaller cottage where they lived until the late 1960s when a fire destroyed the cottage & all their belongings forcing them to find other dwelling. Our family still refers to that strip of land as “Ole Gramm’s Place” and long to return home there someday.

We would love to make contact with anyone having more information or stories about the area. Please contact us at either fayaj59@cox.net OR cillabl@yahoo.com

By: A.J. (Arnold Joseph) Berthelot

A.J. (Arnold Joseph) Berthelot — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 21:01:13 +0000

I was raised in Bayou Pigeon & have always been known there as A.J. As young boys in the early 1940s, my brother Alcide & I lived on the Palfrey Plantation with our mother, Mathilde Mary Clement, her parents, Alcide Gervis & Mathilda Morales Clement & 2 aunts, Mildred & Amelie (Nana & T’aunt Amelie (or Tom). We spent many summers under the canapy of giant oaks surrounded by the cool waters of the bayou, swimming with cousins & friends in the same bodies of water as the alligators, fishing from the large willow tree & climbing the giant oaks with branches as large as trees themselves. My grandmother, Old Gramm, who lived until age 94, said the size of the oaks had not changed since she was a small girl growing up in the same area near the old sugar mill mentioned by Maj Miller. Nana & Tom lived on the property until the late 1960s when they were forced to find other dwelling after a fire destroyed all of their belongings along with the small cottage that had been built for the family following the decay and collapse of the original Palfrey Plantation House years earlier. We still refer to the area where we grew up as “Old Gramm’s Place”. We would love to have contact from anyone with any info, history or stories about the property or area.

By: Clifford LeGrange

Clifford LeGrange — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:47:26 +0000

I was raised at Bayou Pigeon, La., located on the eastern edge of the atchafalaya River Basin. I am writing a book about the history Bayou Pigeon, La. Imagine my surprize to find this information, by simply doing an internet search on ‘Bayou Pigeon, La. Civil War’. The information learned is priceless and several of the field reports will make the book, all properly documented of course. I am particularily impressed with the writings skills of a certain Capt. Jesse Miller. I have shared this information with several life long friends from Wisconsin, who have visited me here in the Atchafalay River Basin. They could not belive that wisconsin troops were here in the swamp. I also cannot believe those Damn Yankee’s whup us Cajuns boy, LOL! Thanks for having the web site so user friendly.