The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-12-11
Correspondence os the Conrirr.
SYRACUSE. NO., Nov. 90, 1861.

aiGa SYRACUSE, Mo-, Nov. 90, 1861.
EDrroR COURIER: II occurs To me this pm
that a short communication from Company
I, list lows Cavalry, would, if written, find
fits way into the columns Of your valuable
rapcr-bc read, and perhaps welcomed hy
the friends Al home Of the sOttumwa boys in
the '.tcn,cd field" write, therefore, and
shall deem tie oiycnSc pardonable. Ia
We are now stationed al this place. dis
tant west from ST. Louis ITO miles. Upton
is 6 miles cast, on the Pacific Railroad, and
Scdalia 1s miles west. the present terminus.
How long we may remain here Is not yet
known. Yesterday we received orders
to march to Scdalia, as Price was report
cd marching upon that place with G., 900
men, but before we were mounted. the or
der was countcrmanded. It is thought by
some that our destination win be Fl. Leav-
enworth -others say ST. LOUIS, for winter
quarters. 'Tis an mere speculation anv way,
and We try TO make Il matter Of little con
ccrn
It is currently reported and believed that
the rebel army is disbandcd. or rather divi-
dcd into gucr III, parties Of from one to three
thousand They are found everywhere; this
locality as much as any other that we have
visited is cursed with Confederate soldiers
who fought with Jackson andPrice at Spring
field, Lexington and Boonville. They are
here for the winter. to perfect th,ir organi-
za,ion, rob and murder. Their wickrdness
will culminate in the spring by rejoininc
Price. do not cxagcrate when ] sp. ak Of
the seccsh in this State as perhaps the most
ignorant and malignant Of any in the Con-
federste service. You can know how desti.
tutc they are Of all human sympathy or feel
ing. by this brief account ofa scouting ex-
petition.
On Thursday Of last week, sixty Of Co. l.
hurriedly LEFT Upton for seccsh community
13 miles south Of Bonneville. A Federal
soldier was reported kill.,d by a band of re-
turned Sccesh that morning. We came to
the spot where the hor:id crime was com
mittcd, but not man was found. Every
thing about the house indicated speedy
fight Some fifty yards from the garden.
in the brush, ny the fence, we found the life
less form Of the poor German soldier with
rails thrown around him. A secesh that
we had met on onr way out and taken pr's-
oner, informed Us that he found him when
he had fallen three hours after, and drove
away the hogs that were greedily feeding
his brains. Placing little value upon the
life of any Union soldier himself. and less
upon his dead body. he dragged il from the
roadside and threw about It a few oaken
rails. We turned down the cape Of his over
coat that had been drawn over his fe>ile;s,
brainless skull. and there in reality lay a
treasure worth Kings ransom-a relic OF
humanity of more value thar the person Of
the proudest aris,ocrat in all s!avcholding
Missouri. We placed !, upon feather bed
we had taken from the house, aud upon a
rebel wagon it was taken and guarded at the
home OF Union man until next morning.
when an escort Of Bonneville soldiers bore
it back to its last resting place in that city.
That night shall never forgot In iowa
we watch over our dead, the cry OF bereave-
ment is heard in every house hold, and the
tear drop starts from every eye. How
strange the contrast anil how sal the picture
in this land Of f'<iaves- this land where re
bcllion stalks about strangely at midnight
to crush out the Government that has made
it, Missouri, the fit representative Of na.
tons power Here we guard the dead with
bayonets and sabres, momcniarily expecting
an attack by the same pillaging horde who
would ruin our country, and blot ont every
star from its flag. Such is the character Of
the sccesh in Missouri. and with such we
must contend until this contest closes
But though we contend with villains, sunk
deep in deepest crime, our z.alisnot abated,
nor is our hope Of victory lessened. We
must and win conquer. though wailing Is
heard in every part Of this land. We will
keep inviolate every sacred trust committed.
though every tree becomes tombstone and
every ravinc Is made scpulchcr. Never
no never, can
.Fseemen be slavs..
vVhat. g. S,>ar~ = MIA mt ar follD
4e her waves"--
But VIC did not ;eave the scene Of the
tragedy until we had fired the dwelling, the
out buildings, grain stacks, and knew that
they were among the things that we,e.
Co. I has done good service in Missouri.
A limited number of 'coliad gemnrn,' and
other valuable contaband property, has
found its way into our camp. all II which
has been duly disrsosed ef as Il seesned good
in our sight. Some IT It we had no ri.hs
10 in fee simple and Uncle Sam L. now
taking good care Of it--sor us II course.
The heslth tf the Company is good N"t
one of the bsys from Wapcllc Co, is in the
Hospital or gua,d house. Any thing firm
home would be properly appreciated. Read
ing matter can he disposed "fon hort notice
We're it possible to visit Us in our camps OF
winter quarters. any Of our friends would be
received and entertained in = manner con
sistent wiki our station. RI yon finl any
tnnc cwious 70 know. how sol l;ers lc". send
Him II r6m,ary lie VIII soon have 4