Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1861-11-28
Correspondence Of the Charles City Intelligencer
Letter from the Army.
Co. X, Sd Iowa, BENTON BARRACKS,
st. Louis. Mo-. Nov. 16. 1861

Letter from the Army.
Co. X, Sd Iowa, BENTON BARRACKS,
st. Louis, Mo-, Nov IL, 1861
At last we are in St. Louis, thu
great city, the Babylon of the West
Years ago, when used to read of thu
mighty trains which left st. Louis FOL
the far West F; when also read of tn,
many famed hunters and Indian fight
ers who made st. Louis their home,
used to long and yearn in vain for :
chance to satisfy my curiosity in tha
direction. Now the chance has come
l am here, but under different circum
stances than used to think of.
We left Quincy on the 9th of tho
present month, on the Government
steamer white Cloud" This boa,
carries two guns, 6-pounders. When
we were drawn up in line, previous tt
cmbarking, man in Company A
Francis by name, was drummed out Of
camp, out Of the regiment, and out Of
the respect of all his former comrades
He left behind as memento, the curl,
locks which adorned his Websterian
head" His crime was having knocked
down and robbed one of his own com.
rades in public saloon, in Quincy.
We arrived in St. Louis the next
morning after leaving Quincy. TWEEN
ty miles above the city we passed the
mouth of the Missouri river. 1t looks
as if one immense stream Of cream
was emptying in the Father Of Wa
ters."
Being on guard over our camp equip
age, | had an opportunity of visiting
the gun boat New Era" built by or.
der of Fremont, to clear the rivers OF
the West. 1t carries six guns, 49,
Founders. They are of the Dahlgrcn
make. could scarcely manage some
of the immense shells on this boat
The sides of the boat are plated with
iron, and the whole boat presents the
appearance of an immense canal boat
with pilot house on the centre.
There are now in and around st.
Louis about eleven thousand troops
with five artillery companies. A per-
son can not look upon this fine army
and then, thinking that this is only a
very small portion of our Union forces.
allow himself to think for one moment
that the South can accomplish her
aims.
Yesterday we had an immense sham
battle which ended in sad accident
The infantry were resisting charge
Of cavalry, and the Sd Iowa was Or
dcred forward into line upon double
quick, to fire as soon as they came on
to line. One member Of Company A,
from Dubuque, named McManmis, had
his head blown open by blank car.
fridge. Poor fellow ! he was with us
at Blue Mills, where bullets flew like
hail, and now, amongst his friends, he
finds his death by friend. Yet, when
this war shall exist only in history,
when our troops shall march victori-
Gus homewards with "gay and gall
liant tread" then shall the soldiers who
were slain in their country's cause be
remembered, and justice be done to
their sorrowing families.
Benton Barracks cover an area of
GAO acres, including parade grounds.
The Barracks resemble very long
railroad house there are hunks for
the soldiers, good coal stove inside,
and outside is large cooking apart
ment, with immense furnaces for cook
ing. The Barracks were constructed
in sixty days, furnishing work to near
ly 1000 men.
Sergcant-Major Montague joined us
day or two ago. We have also
some boys here who did belong to
Capt. Poindexter's company, but left
him and joined us /; "bully for them
Capt. Smith left for home yesterday
Brig. Generals are nearly as thick here
as old maids in Central New York
Gen. Halleck is expected here to-day.
We were sadly disappointed when
Sergeant Montague returned, and on
inquiring for letters, found none. Why
the Floyd folks did not write is mys-
terry we cannot solve, unless it was
with them as it was with Daniel in the
lions den: he didn't care fig for the
lions, and the lions didn't care 6g
for Daniel.
Letters should be addressed to -
- Benton Barracks, Sd Regiment,
Iowa Infantry Volunteers, St. Louis,
Mo. WINFIELD.