The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-08-07
Army Corrcspondcnce.
CANT w ARREN, BURLINGTON Iowa,
"Wednesday. July 81 st. 1851.


straw pile near the shade Of our pine
board tent, and an old copy Of Putnam $
Monthly on my knee for writing desk,
and there being not over fifty mon talk.
ing around me, I conclude to improve
"this favorable opportunity" to write a
word to my ever loved Times. And first al.
low me Messrs Editors to tender the sincere
thanks Of Haskell, Trott and the writer for
copies Of your ever interesting journal re-
ceived here on Sunday last Its coming
was welcomed as the appearance OF an old
friend and when We begin to miss its week
ly visits, we shall truly think we arc far
from home.
There is notlin, Of Importance trans
piring here. On Monday, the fifth regi-
mcnt was ordered to move South on Tues
day, but the order was countermanded,
and Col Worthington has teIegraphed to
Gen. Fremont for definite intructions-
Rumor assigns the fifth to various places,
some say to Kcokuk, but it is generally
thought here that they will take the place
Of the first Iowa regiment their term Of en-
listment expiring soon.
The report reached here to-day that
large body of Missouri secessionists were
about to invade the western counties Of
Iowa, and letter from the frontier this A.
NJ. calls for troops from Camp Warren
There are troops enough here but not a
musket or any other arm for company
on the. field. The troops here are decid
edly anxious to movc--somewhere. This
is the universal feeling here, and arms Or
no arms, for the sake of decency let us be
removed from Camp Warren. Whoever
had the location of this camp ground was
either very ignorant of the actual wants Of
men or was wholly careless in regard to it.
There is not drop Of living water within
a mile of the Camp, and about onehalf Of
the amount actually needed is brought to
us in barrels, and that only after continued
threats and excavations on the part of the
officers and men. Two or three wells up
on the grounds furnish water with which
majority Of us are obliged to wash our
faces-but it would kill Sahara Desert
Camel to drink it. Our company pays
cash for about half the water it drinks on
the ground. The government as yet, has
not furnished our regiment with dollars
worth of anything. The fine blankets,
clothing, shoes, &C., which we were pro-
missed Immediately are not yet heard from
and there is no prospect Of them or of arms
either. All these facts are disagrecable to
contemplate, and though they may seem of
little Importance to those who live in ease
at home, and this may be termed mere
grumbling by brass-buttoned, cffeminate
field officers, and broalclothed, pap-suck-
ing politicians. yet it is making an impress
sion upon the minds and hearts Of the
three thousand soldiers here that it will
take weeks of proper treatment to remove.
1t is all very we'll to be patriotic, and
swear your determination to sustain the
Constitution, the Union and the Laws, at
home, in Broad Gauge saloons, or in
street mass meetings, but when you come
to be crowded into quarters that would
beat the "black hole Of Calcutta" in all
nastincss and breathe air that would give a
healthy boy the galloping consumption in
a month, all under the orders of military
officers, who knows as little Of their bust
ness as pig does of preaching, then one
feels as if he had been humbugged, very
slightly. When the "powers that be-
learn that common soldiers" think for
themselves and realize the difference be.
tween being led to victory under men Of
skill, and being thrust upon the blocks Of
a national slaughter house to appcase the
ambition of epauletted poltroons who owe
their position to the favoritism of politi
cal dictator, there may be a change for thu
better.
Tie gallant men of the 7th Regiment ar
a unit for ''the Union one and indissolu
BILE" now and forever, but there is no use o
attempting to disguise the fact Of deep dis
appointment in the management Of affair
here. But enough of this.
On Sunday last dozen or more of tn
"Lincoln Guards" were invited to partak
of dinner with Hon. Sam. Merrill, at tn
Barrett House, Burlington. Messrs. Has
kell, Bosworth, Lieut.. Reniger. Rutherford
Trott, and Felt, availed themselves Of tn
invitation, and enjoyed most excellen
dinner, such as they always provide thei
guests with at the Barrett, and the enliven
ing conversation of our amiable and talent
cd host. Mr.. Merrill was on his return tri]
to McGregor from Boston. Mr.. NJ, yo'
are doubtless aware, had the contract 70
clothing the first three Iowa regiments an
wish he had similar contract for the 9TH
In thirty days he bought and had made VI
forty thousand yards of cloth. Won't tn
government select some Yankee to do tn
like job for us.
Camp Warren presents a perfect miracl
Of health-only thirty-one in the hospita
and about twice as many more on the grunt
ing list.
1t has not rained here for month, an
the weather is hot, sultry, scalding; indee
the oldest iuhabitant says upon his homo
that such a spell Of weather was ncve
known here before. You McGregor chap
are in the habit Of Dragging on the amour
Of dust you kick up, but you can't hold
' candle 10 this country. On the Burlingto
t and Camp Warren road the dust is sxtee