Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-11-08
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENT
CAMP McCLELLAN,(
Davenport. Oct. 20 1881


DEAR JOURNAL: The Eleventh Regiment j
now uniformed and equipped, and ready 70
service. The uniform is of excellent mate
rial, with the exception of the pants, whicl
are made Of rather an inferior quality O
tweed. The demand for army cloth bein,
so great, it was impossible to get better, an(
80 we will have to content ourselves with tn
ones we have, until others are provided, which
will not be long. N' y
Our guns are the same as those used b,
the Iowa First, in their three months cam
paisn. Some object to them, stating tha
when they enlisted they had the promise o
being armed with Sharpe's rifles. For m,
own part, am satisfied l know that they
WILL if the proper munitions are furnished
do good execution. There is one objection
which have to them, namely, they are fur
nished with the finest polish, and it is expect
ed that we will keep them in as ood orde,
as they were when given to US. Now, thess
old ordinances, together with sundry. brass
buttons, epaulets. &C., must be kept bright
for dress parade, hence you see that each SOL
dier will have nearly as much securing to dc
as house keeper of considerable family
Our old guns were bronzed, and the bronze,
like charity, covered vast amount of neg.
lected trust"
Our parades are largely attended by the
citizens of Davenport, and believe it is now
conceded that the Eleventh is the finest regi-
ment Of men yet organized in the State.
Last Sunday evening, while engaged in
conversation with friend, who, by the way,
is New Yorker, ventured to ask him
what he thought Of Iowa troops He replied
that he thought them the finest lot of men
he ever saw. ventured still further by ask
ing, "Will the troops Of New York com
pare favorably with ours ?' His answer was
an emphatic No" He then said that the
Eastern troops were not used to the hard
ships to which Western men were exposed
and we of the West beng Injured to frontier
life, he thought, would make far more prof.
cent soldiers than those of the East. / in
formed the gentleman that those were nv
sentiments, and that l believed them to be
essentially true.
The best of order prevails among the men
in camp-the result of most rigid disci-
plinc, inculcated by kind and impartial off
GERS. Col. Hare to-day gave some thirty
furlouehs to the boys of our company. The
most of them have gone to Muscatine They
will return to tomorrow, with the exception Of
SOIilc lCW, WllO Will Dc UctdlIleQ longer on I'M
portant business.
think it will not be long before we remove
from here to secessiondom. 1t is believed bv
some that we will go this week. Others
think we will remain here ten days yet. To
me it matters little how soon we 90. Al
change of climate would be desirable at this
time. Old winter Is at our door, and the clim-
ate here is getting cold. Indeed, I am impa-
tient to reach the land of cotton, and should
we 60 soon, information will reach you in due
time as to the period of our departure; and
presume the regiment will stop for short
time in your city, perhaps long enough for
dress parade.
We were little surprised yesterday upon
meeting the eXcursionists in the morning,
when we went down to the river to perform
our usual ablutions. We thought it impossi-
BILE for boat to navigate, owing to the heavy
winds The day was very disagreeable, but
we had good time. After
dinner, came dancing. My first partner Mrs. |
c., moved gracefully over the rough
floor, apparently as well contentcd as though
she were in her own comfortable drawing
room. My second, ditto; third, ditto. On
the whole, we had very pleasant time, and
felt sorry hen the fiddlers dismounted the
rostrum. supper was served in the usual
manner, all present participating, at o'clock,
bed time.) l being one of the chamber
maids, busted myself in preparing suitable
accommodations for our visitors Capt. Beach
brought from head quarters quantity of
blankets, which were used for covering. The
company then retired, and were soon in the
arms of Morpheus. How we'll they rested,
am not informed, they having departed this
morning before | arose.
I was just now interrupted by an uncom-
mon beating of drums. Upon making inqui-
ry, learned that they were drumming two
fellows out of camp. Having never witnessed
this most interesting ceremony, thought it
a good opportunity, and so went to the place
where the crowds had concentrated. It'll
seems they were two Missourians, who re-
fused to take the oath. They manifested but
little shame, and moved with alacrity to the
tune of the rogues march, amid the groans
and Kisses of two thousand soldiers.
f. G.. III.