The river being low, and its navigation precarious, I there took the regular mail-coach, as the more certain conveyance, and continued on toward Alexandria.  I found, as a fellow-passenger in the coach, Judge Henry Boyce, of the United States District Court, with whom I had made acquaintance years before, at St. Louis, and, as we neared Alexandria, he proposed that we should stop at Governor Moore’s and spend the night.  Moore’s house and plantation were on Bayou Robert, about eight miles from Alexandria.  We found him at home, with his wife and a married daughter, and spent the night there.  He sent us forward to Alexandria the next morning, in his own carriage.  On arriving at Alexandria, I put up at an inn, or boarding-house, and almost immediately thereafter went about ten miles farther up Bayou Rapides, to the plantation and house of General G. Mason Graham, to whom I looked as the principal man with whom I had to deal.  He was a high-toned gentleman, and his whole heart was in the enterprise.  He at once put me at ease.  We acted together most cordially from that time forth, and it was at his house that all the details of the seminary were arranged.  We first visited the college-building together.  It was located on an old country place of four hundred acres of pineland, with numerous springs, and the building was very large and handsome.  A carpenter, named James, resided there, and had the general charge of the property; but, as there was not a table, chair, black-board, or any thing on hand, necessary for a beginning, I concluded to quarter myself in one of the rooms of the seminary, and board with an old black woman who cooked for James, so that I might personally push forward the necessary preparations.  There was an old rail-fence about the place, and a large pile of boards in front.  I immediately engaged four carpenters, and set them at work to make out of these boards mess-tables, benches, black-boards, etc.  I also opened a correspondence with the professors-elect, and with all parties of influence in the State, who were interested in our work:  At the meeting of the Board of Supervisors, held at Alexandria, August 2, 1859, five professors had been elected:  1.  W. T. Sherman, Superintendent, and Professor of Engineering, etc.; 2.  Anthony Vallas, Professor of Mathematics, Philosophy, etc.; 3.  Francis W. Smith, Professor of Chemistry, etc.; 4.  David F. Boyd, Professor of Languages, English and Ancient; 5.  E. Berti St. Ange, Professor of French and Modern Languages.

These constituted the Academic Board, while the general supervision remained in the Board of Supervisors, composed of the Governor of the State, the Superintendent of Public Education, and twelve members, nominated by the Governor, and confirmed by the Senate.  The institution was bound to educate sixteen beneficiary students, free of any charge for tuition.  These had only to pay for their clothing and books, while all others had to pay their entire expenses, including tuition.