Patin, C. F., 1st Sergt. Commsy. Co.
F, F. and S., 18th La. Inf. En. Oct. 3, 1861. Camp
Moore, La. Present on Rolls to Dec., 1861. Roll Jan. and
Feb., 1862. Present. appointed Commsy. Sergt., Jan. 12,
1862. Roll May and June, 1862, Present. Absent with leave
from May 9, 1862, and returned May 10, 1862. Roll July and
Aug., 1862, Present.
Among the first acquaintances I formed in the
18th Regiment was the gentleman whose name appears
above He was orderly sergeant of Capt. W. Mouton's company.
He is a native of the Attakapas country near the town of
Vermilionville.
A short time after the organization of the regiment, he
was recommended as assistant commissary by Col. A. Mouton,
and whilst at Corinth in 1862, he received his commission as
such.
Capt. Patin, as all commissaries of the C. S. Army who
desired to perform their duty, had a hard commission to
fill, the execution of which required all the energy of
which he was possessed.
That this officer did everything that a man could do
under the circumstances,
no one will badly dispute, and the men of his regiment and
brigade should ever remember him kindly.
The captain was ever at his post, except when disabled by
disease, never obtaining but one leave of absence for a
short time to visit his family. He remained with his
regiment until regimental commissaries were abolished, when
he was selected as brigade commissary, which post he
retained until the close of tine war in the old brigade. The
captain was a jovial, pleasant companion and maintained his
equinimity in a remarkable manner, considering the daily
reasons he had for testing his temper.
The boys used to tell some hard stories on their
commissary, however, and there was doubtless some truth in
them, sometime.
I recollect when we were on the march from Monroe to
Alexandria in January 1864, it was currently reported in
camp that every evening Major P. used to lay down a six inch
pole and have his herd driven over it, and the first beeves
hat fell in stepping across it were killed and issued to the
soldiers.
We never watched this process, but the beeves, after
being driven for weeks from 15 to 25 miles per day and
pastured at night in barren fields, were not in a condition
to jump over fences, and the chances are that if the herdmen
had driven the whole herd over the six inch pole, there
would have been none left for the next day's rations.
My associations with Major Patin were always of the most
agreeable character;we both entered the services as
sergeants, were promoted to be staff officers about the same
time, both became majors by the same order of promotion,
were always on duty in the same command, and, during the
most of the marches, travelled together. Major Patin
possessed the good will of the officers and men under his
command and undoubtedly merited their esteem, as but few
officers exercised as much skill and energy in promoting the
comfort of those who looked upon him for their daily
rations.
The major is now residing at the old homestead near
Vermilionville, where it is hoped he is enjoying the
comforts and pleasures of a well to-do farmer, surrounded by
his family and friends.
