Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-09-20
A Letter from our Volunteers.
FoRr Holt, Kv.. Sept. II, 1851.

A Letter from our Volunteers.
FoRr Holt, Ky, Sept. IL, 1861.
To Harry Compton. Capt A. john o. P. Waters, Chas.
W. Draper. B. Beach. Geo. A. Satterlee, H. J. Camp
bell, John Mxhn, Gen. Gordon, W. X. Stone. s. b.
Crane. John Booin.. Bureau White. !: Wallace,
Bob Wallace, J. A. Green, Judge heason. Aiph.
Palmer, Capt. Teller, J. Scott Kichman A. Ogilvie
b. .. McCloul. VIM: Gordon, Pap M"tthe IS, George |
10y, workman Bryant. GEO Low, VIM. Keller |
John Eichelb-rger, Luke Sells, Chas g. Foster, H.
Cannon John Monroe u. q. Lewis. James Wells, JAS
Moore and citizens Of Muscatine and the balance OF
mankind generally:
GENTS AS we have few leisure moments |
we thought we could not improve them better
than by writing you few lines to let you
know that we are still in the land Of the liv-
ing, and in Scceshdom, bright as dollars, though
it has been some time since We have seen any,
as the paymaster has not been able to find us
though most every one knows where Cairo is,
and he may possibly run against us at that
point. 1t would give us great pleasure in
giving you full account Of travels, trials and
troubles, since we left Camp Warren, but as
we kept no memorandum, the dates, &C., will
have to be omitted.
To commence: While we were at Camp
Warren, man by the name of Silas Waldren
got pass to 60 to Burlington on Sunday to
attend church, and while there probably made
up his mind that he had got tired Of soldier
ing, for we have not seen nor heard Of him
since. We left Burlington on the steamer
Jenny Whipple, with two barges in tow, We
had a very pleasant trip down the river, until
we got within few miles of st. Louis, when
the alarm was given, "a man overheard"
Every exertion was made to rescue him, but
Salad Vho loct xrorIc ho hoor1 tn COW
were Company A, for Gods sake, save me-"
cept John Dill, who proved to be the unfortu-
nate one, and one who was an especial favor
tie of the whole company.
We arrived at st. Louis about 2 o'clock
A. NJ, and lay there until about o'clock,
when We showed out for the arsenal. There
we took it rough and tumble ad nothing
but the soft ground to lay on, and the clue
canopy of Heaven for our covering. We re-
NAMED there two days, when we received
orders to start We packed our few traps up
| and marched aboard the steamer Jeanie Deans
She landed us at Jefferson Barracks in the
| night. There each company received five
tents, but it was so late We did not put them
up until next day They were small and only
room enough for six persons to sleep in each
one. Then we had to draw cuts for the
chances. On the second day We received our
blankets, one apiece. The third day the guns
and ammunition were to be distributed. Com
pany A was called OH first, SO as to take them
in rotation; We marched up to get them, when
| they stuck the muskets at us. The Company
did not wait for orders; they broke ranks, and
marched back to camp. 1t caused a great
deal Of excitement in the whole regiment.
They all said that if Company A would not
take them, they would not After while Gen.
Curtis came to see u. The whole regiment
was after him. They said that they had en-
listed as Rifle Regiment, and they wanted
rifles. He turned away and said he would
do the best he could for us The entire regi-
ment then hallowed at the top of their voices,
Rifles, Rifles ~ until he got out of hearing.
But that was the list Of Gen. Curtis ; We have
not seen him since but the guns we've boxed
up. Shortly, VIC were ordered to strike our
tents and pack up. We did so; and about 4
o'clock, we marched down to the bank of the
river to take passage on boat, but there was
no boat there, and it did not come until noon
the next day. That was the toughest night
of all, for we did not have much of anything
| to sleep on, except rocks, and they were of the
hardest kind. There was very little sleeping
done that night.
After eating our little grub, we took passage
on the boat for st. Louis and marched across
to the Pacific Railroad cepot where we recei-
we'd our guns and ammunition. Two compa-
MES, A and B, received Minnie rifle muskets,
and the balance of the regiment the improved
muskets. We then got on the cars to start
for Rolla when the order was countermanded
and we were sent to Pilot Knob, on the Iron
Mountain railroad, and marched to Ironton, a
distance of one mile, where we encamped for
two weeks. v lille there, Gen. Prentiss took
command of our brigade, Everything passed
off nice and pleasant, the boys all enjoying
grove 20 camp in, situated in the heart of town.
1t is town of about 500 inhabitants, if they
were all there, but there was at least one half
of the houses vacant-the secesh thought it
was about time to leave. There are three
printing Offices there, one devoted to the I'm
ion, one to secesh, and one to Christianity, but
they are all closed. The boys in our regiment
thought they would try their hand at starting
a paper, and got consent to go into the Union
office, but there was no paper or ink in it..
Lieut. de Heus took sqadd of men and Wis
tied the secesh editor and demanded some pa
per and ink. He took birds eye view of
the Lieutenant, and then looked at the boys,
when he told them they could have it. They
took it, went to work and issued two papers,
which you have undoubtedly seen before this.
We received orders on Sunday evening,
while on dress parade, for march, and had
to drag three days rations, which made some
Of the boys open their eyes. We did not get
started until Tuesday morning, and made |
miles that day. The next day we made Is
miles, which was about an average march
| The first town we passed through was Fred
! erickton, a town of about 100 inhabitants,
mostly sccesh. The next town was Dallas a
! small place where we expected to have brush
but were disappointed. We surrounded the
| town and seized 500 pounds of powder, and
some brandy and whisky, but we know not
what was done with the liquor, we have seen
none of it yet. From there we moved to
Jackson, where we staid one week. We could
hear of secesh troops all the way across, re-
port d to be from four to six miles ahead, but
we never saw them. Every house we came
to we could find from one to six and eight
widows but no men. While in camp at Jack
son we We're surprised by visit from Mitch
ell, the daguerrean artist, from Muscatinc.-
He is living and practicing lazy at Bloomfield.
He, with seven others, were driven from that
place by JEFF Thompson. He reports that
Thompson had about three thousand in his
army, and uardee $4,000 at Benton. Hardee
is now concentrating his forces at that point.
After leaving jackson we marched to Cape
Girardeau, a distance Of II piles, where we
took boat for this point. Cairo is one mile
from us across the Ohio river, and Birds
Point about the same distance across the Mis-
sissippi, all in sight. There are % regiments
in this vicinity. ct does not look much like
soldering in Musca2inc with the Light and
Governors Guards, for they have not all got
their uniforms YETI There are great many
cavalry and artillery companies here, the num-
Der of which we have not ascertained. Buel's
flying artillery is here. The Illinois 9TH Is
stationed on the right, and the bloody Iowa
18th on the left wing, which places us in a yery