Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-07-11

90 49,. n Ro,,I.

Phelps Co.. No. July 5, 1891.
You will no doubt be surprised Of tn
heading of this lister. Let mo explain. A
wrote you before, I Joined the St. Loui
Home Guard and was sworn into the servic,
of Uncle Sam for three months from MAJ
sth. We were not to be taken out Of St
Louis county without our consent. had
no intention o fleaving st. Louis, and IthinL
told you what I had TO do there.
Well, when our traitor Governor, "Claib'
Jackson, declared war against our glorious
Government, and called for $4,000 men Il
drive the U. s. forces from this State, our
officers asked how many Of us would volun-
teer TO go anywhere and eight JacksOn's
100000" Four regiments volunteered,
ours among the number. Forty nine Of our
company, and our captain aud let lieutenant
volunteered your humble servent among
the number.
The southwest was considered the worst
part of the State, besides Jaekson's expected
help from Arkansas, which would of course
have 10 come into the State from that sec
ton. It was thought our services would be
most needed in that section, so on Sunday,
the Esd Of June, we took the Pacific Rail-
road and came TO this place.
ROlla is the end of the Pacific R. R., and
about l25 miles from st. Louis. We expect
ed to march directly for Springfield, but it
was thought necessary to leave a force here
to keep possession Of the track, and so we
were ordered to camp.
Two regiments had preceded us, and the
seeessiOnists had fed from this place in every
direction. Brother Jim was in one of them
which came ahead Of US, and is now in
Springfield. We nave been in camp here
twelve days, and got pretty we'll used to
camp life.
Most Of the time it has been very wet
weather, and as We are poorly supplied with
necessary articles, we have had a pretty
hard timo of it. However, the boys know
they are in a good cause, and very little
complaint is made except that we cannot get
q brush at the traitors.
The forces from the Free States are pener-
ally we'll provided, but as we have a city
and State government against us, we have a
hard hill to row.
Night before last word was brought TO
camp that there was a force of seeessionists
three times our number a few miles from US,
coming 10 attack us. All were in bed except
the sentinels, but in ten minutes we were
under arms and in q line. We marched out
and took a good position in the direction in
which the enemy was said to be approach
ing, and prepared to give them a warm re-
eePtiOn. This report proved to be false as
far as their coming was concerned, although
I understand they are trying to get a large
force in this section. The boys marched
back to camp, looking as disappointed as
t Ough they had been cheated out of their
supper. But they promise to let us 20 and
attack any force there may be, and have
sent out scouts out to ascertain where they
are II we go, w are bound to fight unless
they u before we get there.
find this vastly different from living at
home. AS we have slight means of trans
Portation, and expected to march Ia5 miles,
we only brought what we could carry on
our backs But I have not regretted com
ing, and if we can only have an engage
ment or two with seeessionists, am perfectly
willing to run all risks, although I hope to
live to see them most c~onfoundedly whip
ped.
We tasted fresh beef for dinner yesterday,
our glorious Fourth, which was a great treat.
as we have Of late had nothing but pork,
pork, pork. We had quite a celebration,
fred several rounds, made speeches, &c.
This town had about 500 or 400 inhabi-
tants, but most of them ran like the deuce
when they heard Of the approach of Uncle
Sans boys, although they had q camp near,
and one of their officers had a sword made
to kill all with.
l am sitting on the ground and writing
this on the head of a drum borrowed from
our drummer boy. j.