Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-06-14
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
CAMP ELLSWORTH, June 5, 1856

FRIEND JOURNAL From the general tom
Of my last letter to you, the impression may
have obtained, Gas the then existing facts jus
tified,) that we were all on very short allow
ance, if not at point of starvation. 1t is no
so now, however. 1t is true that we have ye
some reason to complain. So far as the quan
tity of food is concerned, it has been ample
for all our wants-whether full rations or not
weights and measures only can tell OF side
meat, or bacon, we have more than stomach
could desire. This ration will, however, be
exchanged, | suppose, for beef Our beef IA
tons are good In fine the only cause fol
complaint is bread. Either commissary OF
bakers are imposing upon us, and our only
remedy is to draw flour and contract for
bread by exchange.
Whether from the richness of living or the
quantity of food, l know not, but certain ii
is that good health prevails in our company,
and that the boys are growing feshy.
Poultry is not now allowed in camp, except
by legal purchase and traffic A general Or
der from headquarters, on Sunday, will ena-
BILE chickens to go to roost without molesta-
ton or fear, and cows to "givc down" as was
their wont in days gone by.
Yesterday our regiment was mustered out
on the parade ground, and after going through
some battalion man9uvres, we were marched
down Main street, passing the I'd regiment,
under Col. Curtis, which was drawn up in or
der of battle, on our right, with arms present
ed. Having passedto theright of the column,
Gov. kirkwood passed in front, receiving the
salutation of officers and men, and followed
by the I'd regiment in platoons. Having pass
ed our right we moved At this stage of the
proceeding, q black cloud, portentious of rain,
overcast the heavens, and when we had COM
fortably gained Main street, the flood gates
We're opened upon us. But on and on we
went. You can imagine our condition after
at common time, three-quarters of a
mile, in driving pelting, drenching rain
When the rain ceased we had to encounter
mud, which served in no small degree to de-
range our ranks. We reached home with the
solemn conviction that Gov Kirkwood wasn't
handsome enough to again spoil our 'good
close" He deserves honors, and, l believe,
had his mind so far penetrated the future as
to have seen that rain, he would, in the kind
ness of his heart, preferred to have been re-
ceived in camp.
But what business have soldiers to complain
Of rain, inclement weather, &c. 3? Don't we
expect particular fits when we get to "Jeffer-
son City, st. Joseph, Hannibal Cairo and
Memphis" By-the-way, are you aware that
we expect to be ordered away from here?
A i.lost serious disturbance was timely
avoided last evening by the Coloners concilia-
ton among the men. The Governors Greys,
If Dubuque, who seem to have the ill-will of
almost the entire regiment, were on guard
Some over -officious privates undertook to clear
the common parade ground-at the point of
the bayonet-of the boys, who are all accus-
toned at evening, to gather for games and
general amusement. There being no shadow
Of authority for such move, breeze was at
once stirred Muskets were taken from stacks
and tents-small crowds assembled
many violent threats made, which, as before
said, would have resulted seriously, had not
the Colonel ordered all to quarters. He deem
ed it necessary to detail Capt. Mathies' Com
pany in case of an emergency.
Our young friend Crocker, $50 much ad-
mired here among the young lasses, has been
appointed Orderly Sergeant of Company c,
in place of W. Grant, removed, for cause, and
promises to make most excellent Orderly.
Our boys are all well, saving here and there
A case of tooth-ache and light cold.
For the benefit of one of the war CORES
pondents, would say, that Colonel Bates has
deemed it inadvisable to attach to the regi-
ment "a piece of cavalry and artillery"
W. f. D.