Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-08-08

y CAnH - Nrln 1pon Ssauxev1uD !

ty to acquaint you with our where.
abouts and doiogs. l wrote to you
from Springfield on the 18th inst, de-
scribing our march from BoonvilIe. 1t
was - severe march As usually is read
oil, but the one / am about to describe
to you now beats it or any other march
10 the history of this country. On the
2otl, the whole division was on foot, and
marched off 10 two separate divisions,
companies 6, } E, H, X, and B, under
command Of Lieut.. Col. Merritt. The LIST
Kansas regiment, two pieces OF United
States artillery, and two companies Of
cavalry Regnlars) marched on to
Springfield, the balance Of the command
vent of Westward of Springfield into
camp. We knew nothing Of our desti
nation or Of the purposes Of our expedi-
dition till we arrived at Spring6eld;ithere
we learned that we bad to march eight
miles further and connect with General
Sweeney, to place ourselves under his
command and hurry on to town named
Forsyth, where tie enemy had deter.
mined to make a stand. 10 my last ]
wrote You how badly of we we're tor p.o-
visions. On the evening of the 10th we
had nothing to eat, on the morning OF
the goth we started with empty
stomschs, fat haversacks, empty can.
teens and d jected spirits. Arriving al
Springfield, we halted, and resting while.
went in double quick through the city "a
in quest of bread, the town was full OF
soldiers of Gen. Sigel's regiment, and
Of Soomon's. They had taken possession
ot every bakery, and were tuning out
Ioaves as fast as they cou d. Eoqulr:ng
of every one where bread was to be had,
We hunted up and down and through the
place the regimental bakers were not
allowed to sell any, and we could not Oh
tain n outhfuI tor love or money. So
off we started again with the cravings OF
nature unsa,isetied. We soon came into
an open pr t-.I.e mer dan sun poured
It's burning rays down on our heads.
llu"gry,weary, and thirsty we dragged
ourselves along. The lst Lieut.. OF our
compa. was snnstruck, and At one time
his life was despared OF, but through
the untlrlng care of DR.. White, who was
with us, he has recovered and is now do
ing well. We arrived at james River
Bridge in the evening and went INTO
camp. The rain then commenced and
added to our list Of discomiorts most
materially. At last We reached some
meat, but too late to cook for supper,
aud before we laid down to sleep We
partially satisfied our ravenous hunger
with good bread. Rolling ourselves in
our blankets We courted sleep, but the
rain poured down in torrents, and after
\ teverish and restless night we arose
tripping wet; the cooks had prepared
us q soup during the night, which warm
ed us up some. The camp broke up,snJ
on through mud and drenching ram, up
hill and down hill, through sloughs and
over rocks. The teams gave out and
we had to halt three miles on the other
side of little village called Ozark. In
Ozark we remained about two hours it
rained continually, and there were mol
houses, stables sheds, or other buildings
enough in the place to afford shelter to
the sixteenth part OF our brigade. Two
or three attempts at stores are in the
place, and the boys ransacked them try.
Jog TO find shoes or boots. In one place
quantity OF red eye was found, aud the
whole brigade was treated by General
Sweeney. The fiery liquid was passed
around in understandable vessels, and at
ter rartaklng Of it lightly we
marched to caup, Quarter ralions for
supper, rain again, plenty of mud, d 8
comfort and discomfort, aching bones and
fhuematic pains, formed the evening and
nights programme. Monday morning
At tour o'clock, still with wet clothes,
nungry and halt sick, We marched for
Yard, the cavalry ahead, next the bat
terry and regulars then the Kansas boys,
then company | and our company. Tie
wagons were right behind us, and the
four other companies Of our regiment
formed the rear guard. At last the sun
burst forth and d,speiled the water lad
en- clouds. For about 8 or miles we
vent over a splendid road through shady
groves. We got our clothes dry, and soon
ielt cheered again by the prospect OF
having brush before night with the
enemy. But soon the good road d,sap-
peared and then commenced the serious
work of our march. We had to cross
the Ozark Mountain steep and rocky,
dvnsely covered with timber, mostly O.
pine and oak, and Astounding in clear
mountain streams. We attempted once
or twice to cross these streams without
wetting our shoes and stockings, by
taking them off, but the creeks lay in
our path SO often, that at last we wen,
through them without waiting to pull
our shoes of. In tact many OF the boys
have either no shoes or merely quarter
and half shoes on, and went through
without caring about getting their feet
wet. The streams we're swollen from
the rains, their beds formed of sharp
flint pebbles and we're very difficult 10
cross. Many Of us Were bare footed
and suffering, hobbl'ug along trying to
keep up with the main command. Nine