Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-05-17
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.

VOW M" OVUNSOu Wv ~ " ~
HxAD.QuAarRas lsr Iowa Rsa'r. May -.
seize few minutes to write you few
hssty lines by q messenger just going up
Our boys are generally we'll in both compa-
ny A and o. Privates Greenhow, Donly
Thinning and Howe in the former one, have
been somewhat indisposed and are now in
very comfortable quarters at the Medical
College where excellent care is taken Of
them; otherwise, we are all we'll and in good
spirits, but anxi ous for something to do
The weather has been extremely warm for
the last few days, until to day, which is
very chilly and rainy. Yesterday we had an
exciting scene the election Of field officers
for the regiment. There was quite an ami
mated canvass. At several protracted SEES.
sions Of the commissioned officers, Capt
Mathies, Of the Burlington Greys, was
nominated for Major and Capt. Cummins, Of
our company, for Major. No nomination
was made for Colonel. That Office was left
open for free fight on Saturday, at ten
O'Clock. The ten companies of the regiment
were marched upin front of the Court House
and voted in turn. The result was the de-
feat Of the regular nominations and the cleo
ton of Col. Bates, Of Dubuque, unanimously
for Colonel; Capt. Merritt, Of Cedar Rapids,
as Lieutenant Colonel and Capt. Porter, of
Mt. Pleasant, as Major. The Muscatine
companies by an unfortunate and stupid dis
agreement between themselves, defeate ,
Capt. Cummins for Major. Company "a"
voted for him. of course, to man, company
&C" against him to q man. He was defeated
by only two votes. A protest has been en-
tered of FIVE companies against the election,
on the ground of illegaGty in that several Of
the companies polled more than their regu-
lar number of votes. 1t will amount to
nothing, however. II the officers Of ''C'' had
not worked hard against him he would have
been elected. Nothing has transpired yet as
to our destination. some thinking that in
view Of the recent exciting occurrences in
st. Louis, We may be marched there-I hope
so-and others think that wewill go to Cairo.
The Colonel has appointed the Adjatant
General from Dubuque Thos. Cummins, of
4" A." has been appointed Drum Major.
To-day Henry O'Connor and attended
the ID Presbyterian Church fold schooD The
minister, whose name l do not know,
preached one of the most eloquent sermons
that have listened to in Iowa. We had
been informed that it was to be war ser
mon for the volunteers, and this attracted Us
there. We thought that persons who stood
as much in need Of sermons as we, should
certainly take advantage Of one intended for
our especial benefit. Instead Of war SER
mon, however, it was a very profound and
able discourse upon the present distinctions
among men, and the coming of their fall,
when all men shall stand upon their intrin-
sic merits AMI fidelity to duty. The sermon
evincei real democratic, catholic spirit,
which is so seldom found in these days.
By the way, the great service which the war
is destined to exert on the country, in my
opinion, is the revival Of the ancient purely
democratic feeling, which looks upon men as
equals, and judges them by their merits, in
dependently of the advantages of wealth,
position, family, or accident Of any sort
Let the war give us back this same old spir-
it, and it will be the greatest blessing that
could have happened. The aristocracy, as
the New York Herald calls it, of Virginia,
Kentucky and Missouri, as we'll as Mary
land, are beginning to quail before the de-
termined front Of the administration.
I will write you again on Tuesday.
H.J.C.