Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-12-04
Letter from w. II. Colburn.

present | am stopping in this city, and the
chances are more than even that shall re-
main here, at least until Spring, at the
Virginia Hotel, where any of lay friends
and acquaintance in Grant county or else
where can address me, with full assu-
rance that their communications will be
promptly answered, as well as thankfully
received.
i have thought it my duty to LIT this
fact be known through the Herald, SO that
any citizen Of "Od Grant having sick
or wounded relative or friend here or
hereabouts may have a medium through
which to communicate with him.
The fact is, friend Cover, this business
which Uncle Sam has on hand at this time
is or business, and we must I'LL feel it to
be such and act accordingly if we would
have the war brought to speedy and
successful termination. Our enemies act
upon that principle, and as FIR rs that
goes we can with satty fellow their
example.
AT my hotel suppose at least one half
the boarders are "Seceshers," whose coun-
tenance brighten every time the war news
is untayorable to the Federals, which, you
may well suppose, raises "my dander," as
Jack Downing says. | rarely say much
to them, as | consider it like "casting
pearls before swine For, if they viii not
be convinced of the truth with the light
and knowledge they now have, they would
not if one were to rise from the dead.
My disposition is good enough to write
you long yard, in my poor way, aud /
may do so at some future time, If can be
made to believe that it would be read with
interest ~ vow readers generally.
You get "the news by telegraph, so |
need not rack my invention in tbs matter
Of gathering up news to write you; but |
will say word on the subject of the re-
moyal of Gen. Fremont, which is really
the great topic, and give you my opinion
frankly, which is, that it was military ne
cessity, which win result il great good, al
though the time 10 do such an important
act seemed very unpropitious.
BY this | would have you infer that l
am not friend Of Fremont--for am, and
think he is entitled to much credit for do
ing many things, commencing as he did
in an enemy's country, (for, to-day two
thiriS of the population of Missouri are
secesh), without men, without arms, and
without money, and bringing the compare
tive order, which has existed for long
time, out of almost entire chaos. be-
lieve he is an honest man, but very vain
and naughty bpt no man ever had a
greater set Of scamps round him than he
he'd, as the reports Of certain committe S
and commissions will, in my opinion, ulti-
mately prove.
If ever there was a necessity for "new
deal, Z it was about the time Mr.. Cameron
made his visit to this city. At the time
the great army started after Price, in my
letters to friends called it "wild goose
chase" and | have not yet altered my
mind. The time the great mistake was
made was when Gen. Lyon was not REIN
forced by the troops then at Rolla, with
the half Of which have no doubt we
should have gained a glorious victory
The matter Of not reinforcing Col. Null
lgan has not half the importance to it, as
it was in his power to have etreated across
the river and saved himself and army, and
everybody knew it.
The great army IS on its way back 70
this pont, only leaving enough to guard
certain PLACES; and it is my opinion that if
the weather is favorable there will be
down the Mississippi, both By
land and by water which @ill be majestic.
The screw gunboats are nearly done, and
they are formidable fellows, assure you.
The side and end timbers are three feet
thick Of oak, and stand at angle Of some
folty-fye degrees. aud the covering is three
inches thick Of the best wrought IRON
They are to carry fifteen guns. Five on
each SIDE three at the bow and two at the
stern. The side guns are colulnbiads and
the others ri1ed guns.
There are twenty-eight mortar flats,
made Of pine logs three ply thick, nearly
done also, to carry one or two mortars
each, 10 be used only for throwing shells.
These, together with several propcilers
nearly completed, will constitute part Of
the Mississippi Navy, to be commanded by
Flag Officer Footc, and which is destined,
| hope, to aid most effsctually in bringing
this uuholy war to speedy close.
/ have seen slabs Of the iron with which
the gunboats are clad, against which eight
ten and twelve pound shots haye been
fired at distance Of from 200 to 400
yards, the iron being spiked upon heavy
oak timber, and standing perpendicular
The inaentation was in no case more than
of an inch. In every in
stance the shot was dashed to atoms, the
parts reboundipg 50 as to endanger those
who fred the piece. The only pieces O
any considerable size found Of the bulls
were the parts which struck the iron
plates, and it is a singular fact that IN every
instance the piece on one side was q ex-
aciIv the diameter Of the indontation 70
the plate, running to n point in the center.
| find am writing much more than
Intended TO when / began, and will stop
lesl weary you and your readers, after
sarjnc that some time in the month Of
December | hope to 60 home anl see ma
~ Of my friends face to face, IND give