Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-07-12
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
HEADQUARTERS GEN LYoN's BRIGADE,
Tx CAME NEAR ROCKVILLE Mo- July 2 1861. 1

HEADQUARTERS Gen. LYONS BRIGADE,
i! TX CAMP NEAR BooNvILLE Mo-, July 2, 1861.
There has been quite hiatus in our cor
respondence, which has been Unavoidable
Since we left Kcokuk there have been 10 reg
ular mails All the Muscatine letters have
been sent by express or special messengers.
Even these opportunities have failed us since
our further advance into the State. | wrote
you once since being here, l believe. Since
that time we have remained quietly in camp
here.
| Whe have waited with considerable curios-
ity from day to day to learn our probable des-
tination, expecting marching orders every day
They have finally been issued. We march
tomorrow at 7 O'clock
|. Gen. Lyons brigade consists now of about
$500 men. 1t is supposed that we are bound
for Springfield, and thence for Little Rock,
Arkansas. Springfield is $50 miles distant.
We will probably reach it by the 18th. 1t is
thought that the Iowa regiment will march
thence for st. Louis, where they will be dis
charged. This think very probable Their
time has now nearly expired, and neither men
nor officers will engage again till after they re-
turn home
From all that can learn believe that Gov.
jackson has fled to Arkansas, where it is said
that Ben. McCulloch has force varying in
numbers according to different accounts from
1900 to $4,000 men. Take the latter num-
Der and subtract 10000 from it, and divide
the remainder by 3, and you will probably
reach the correct number. Everything is
greatly exaggerated here. We heard at Rem
lick and Macon that in the affair at Bo2nville
500 were killed on our side, and 100 on the
other 1t turns out that two were killed of
the secessionists and two of the Union forces,
and three or four wounded on each side
The Iowa boys are in very good health and
spirits. In Company a privates Hacker and
Hoover are sick The rest are all very well
with the exception Of slight indisposition. 1t
is intended to effect junction between this
brigade and column under Col. Sturgiss,
$500 strong, marching from Kansas City,
and also force of 1000 men now at Spring
field, under Gen. Phelps. This division has a
fine battery Of ten OF eleven guns, all artillery
company, and two infantry regiments. Col.
Sturgiss command consists of one regiment
of cavalry and several companies Of artillery.
We have had busting time preparing for
the march. Horses and wagons, and stores
of all the various munitions of war till the
camp. The weather is beautiful and the air
bracing and exhilarating. Last night we were
surprised by the, to us, unexpected apparition
of the largest comet that have ever seen. 1t
appeared directly in the North, and its tail
extended over at least GO degrees vertically,
and six in breadth at the widest place.
The people of this place have been very
kind and hosptable towards the Iowa regi-
ment. 1t is not to be disguised, however, and
they do not attempt to conceal it, that the ma
jority of the influential and wealthy men of
the city sympathisc warmly with the seces-
sionists. The Union men, as a class, are to
be found among the poorer classes and the
Irish and Germans, who are all Unionists.
You will doubtless hear the widest sorts of
rumors respecting us. Just set down nine
tenths of what you hear as false, and the
remainder as exaggerated tenfold. l will
write to you as soon as possible. All letters
had better be directed to st. Louis, to the care
of Gen Lyons division, U. S. Army, Com
pany a, 1st regiment Iowa volunteers.
II. j. c..
New. Paragraphs.
The papers at St. Louis are advertising for
Governor.