St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-08-01

We were only 400 to their 800. We
took possession of brick seminary,
and threw up Notifications, and sent
to Quincy, Ill.,, and to our Colonel
Williams, for succor. Meantime the
rebels came up and brought forward
a 9-pounder, and soon the balls began
to play around the house. Three pas
scd into the house, and went out with
out leave! Three more field pieces
were brought to bear upon us, and
the balls fell fast but as the rebels
were not good gunncrs, they did not
do much damage. However, things
began to look hard ; and, just then, up
came the Illinois company with artil-
lcry, and three cheers went up from
our boys as they unlimbcred and
opened fire. The first discharge dis
mounted one of the cnemy's pieces /;
the next struck two horses and tore
them to pieces. Here we had sad
accident. One of the Iowa boys
jumped up to watch them, when his
gun caught and went of, and shot him
through the heart. He fell dead and
was hastily buried where he fell.
Gov. Wood, of Illinois, now came
up, and fell on their rear with his cav
airy. We killed 80, took IS prisoners
and one piece of cannon. They had
no flag, and were armed with rifles,
shot-guns and muskcts. Tom Harris
left his horse and took to the brush.
1t is a question who is the best run
ncr, Harris or Jackson! This was the
first skirmish We have yet been in.
Not one of our company was injured,
and not many Of our troops.
The next day we were joined by
nearly 1000 Illinois troops. The rcb-
el rascals have been burning six OF
the Hannibal and st. Joseph Railroad
bridges. We were next ordered to
this place. On our way we found a
party Of rebels trying to tear up the
railroad track. We fired on them,
killing seven, and captured seventeen
more. One of them was a lEthodist
minister!
We are having good times now
have plenty to eat, drink and wear,
having received two suits of clothes
which is just two more than should
have had had stayed in Floyd
We have made up, at times, quito a
exit" Of housekeeping utensils, and
we hope by the time we reach home we
can have our friend, Esq. Wilbur. full.
I'll his promise to marry us all for
nothing, and have quite a start
towards keeping house
For the benefit of some of your rea
ders, | will mention some of the things
"lying loose around our canvas home
Well, there are rations of bacon,
bread, beans, sugar, coffee, all mixed
up rather promiscuously; and piled
on them are boots, coats, valises, tin
cups, plates. lookingglass, camp
kettles, and, lastly, your humble ser,
want, lying on his face writing this
letter! Outside our tent are stacked
our muskcts, secured as "bright as a
dollar" You must excuse all blum,
ders in writing, as my writing facili,
ties are poor! Could you not drop
an occasional paper to us down here?*
Some think we have very hard fare
well, sometimes we do, but take it all
in all we are we'll satisfied, and very
happy, good for nothing boy is
Your correspondent,
WINFIELD.
| eIhe Intelligcnccr is mailed to your address
regularly each wcek.-ED.
z. L. Jackson, one of the volunteers
from this town, in Capt Smiths
Company, Sd Iowa Regiment, writes
home to his wife, as follows, undeI
date of
CAMP CHILIIcoTHE, Mo, July II, 1861.
We have had one goot
old fight. One week ago last Monda,
we received notice that the enem,
were encamped about one hundred
miles East Of here. Soon We were ol
the march to see what they wer,
} doing. We went down to Monroe ant
} then went across the country to a lit
tie town called Shrinkey. When W,
arrived there the town was deserted
We proceeded on further South sever
miles, to town called Florida. Whel
we had gone about half way, an,
: were carclessly marching along be
tween two groves, the enemy wer
lying there in ambush, and opene,
! fire upon us.
Our cannon was in the rear, but W
, soon run it ahead and sent charg
after them The cannon was loade,
+ with railroad spikes, old log chains
| &c, and when it went of you woul
, have laughed to see the pieces c
men and pieces Of horses flying i
, every direction. We just moved
road right through the miserable rel
els-killing ten or twelve men an
+ seven horses. The rest fled.