Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-12-05
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENTS.
CAMP OF THE 18TH Iowa INFANrRy,}
SPRINCFIErD Mo Nov ~ ,60 {


CAMP OF THE 18th Iowa INrANrRy,}
SPRINGFIELD, No., Nov. II, '62.
DEAR JOURNAL After an absence of 81,
weeks duration we are again encamped a
} Springfield, having arrived here on the 14tl
inst. During these few weeks we hav'
accomplisheda great deal, and have seen som'
hard service. We have secured the country
of Southwestern Missouri and Northern Ark
ansas, have travelled a distance of over five
hundred miles, and have succeeded in routing
the rebels and driving them far beyond the
Boston Mountains of Arkansas.
Although, Us was anticipated when our
army moved South, no general engagement
has taken place between our forces and those
of the enemy, it was not owing to lack oi
energy in our men, but simply to the fact that
"catching comes before hanging" and as the
enemy never stood their ground, Of course no
hard battle occurred The Southern troops
may fight well, but it is the opinion of the
boys of the 18th that they run a great deal
better.
Six weeks ago, Missouri was threatened by
an invading army. The rebel forces, in three
divisions, under as many different Generals,
were advancing across her southern border
from Arkansas, and insanely boasted Of being
able to take possession of all the principal
points in Missouri, and even to penetrate to
St. Louis. But, to-day, they are scattered to
the four winds, and the majority of them will
probably return to their homes, "wiser if not
better men, so that, instead of wintering in
St. Louis, they will probably spend the winter
peacefully around their own firesides.
When 1 wrote you last, our army was en-
camped at Pea Ridge, waiting for something
to "turn up" We left that camp on the Goth
of October, travelling in southwestern direc-
ton to Huntsville, Usage Springs and Fay
etteville, marching sometimes all day and all
night without resting-in one instance going
forty-seven miles in twenty-four hours. The
boys all stood the march like old veterans,
Notwithstanding we traversed one of the
roughest and rockiest roads to be found in
Arkansas.
After remaining at Fayetteville one day, our
army started on the march northward. Pre-.
vious to this, we had been expecting to push
on southwark to Fort Smith, on the Arkansas
river, and probably to Little Rock, both of
which places are strongly garrisoned by
secesh troops; but, owing to the scarcity of
subsistence for the men and teams, the ap-
preaching inclement weather and the great
want of proper clothing among the men,
many of them being entirely barefooted, this
movement had to be accomplished. |
On the road back, we saw numerous evidences
of the destructibility of passing army-the
fences destroyed for miles and miles, houses |
desolated and sometimes burned, broken-down |
vehicles, dead horses and mules, and all the |
dreary concomitants of war met the eye all |
along the route. We made the journey back |
in two weeks, stopping several days on the |
road
During this, our first campaign, the 18th,
as already intimated, saw some rather rough
times-about as hard as generally can fall to |
the lot of soldier-asd we are probably en-
titled to the appellation Of having " seen
service" We have discovered, also, that in |
order to become "bold soldier-boy" one has |
q great many privations to undergo. Having
spent several weeks in rowing among the hills
of Arkansas, we now 60 under the name and |
title of the Arkansas Travellers especially
the skirmishers and their commander.
l forgot before to state that our regiment
was highly complimented by Gen. Totten, at
who remarked that ''they are of
the right stripe, and will prove themselves
heroes when the time comes."
One division of our army is now encamped
in the neighborhood of Pea Ridge. The
of this command is at present |
about twenty miles South Of Springfield. As |
soon as equipped they will probably move
South, when our whole force is expected to |
make another advance into Arkansas. Wheth- !
er our regiment is included in this move am
not at present informed. We are now at
Springfield for the purpose of drawing our
winter clothing, which we expect to receive in
a few days. The health of our regiment,
which has been very poor, is now rapidly i'm.
proving, and ere long, under the genial inhu-
ences of few weeks rest, the'ranks will be
full and the sick-list blank.
Company E still enjoys good health, and
has suffered less from sickness than any
other. In fact, it is acknowledged by all to
be the "Bully Company" Of the regiment, and
under the command Of our gallant Captain
(Steph. Estle) we always expect to maintain
that title.
Major Campbell, than whom truer, braver
and more patriotic man never 'trod the tented
feld," has been appointed to position on
Gen. Totten's staff, as Judge Advocate and
Provost Marshal Of the I'd Division, Army of
the Frontier fn
The weather for the past few weeks has
been very pleasant similar to September in
Iowa. The only troops now stationed at this
place, with the exception of.our regiment, are
about / 200 Missouri State troops and one
battalion Of the Sd Iowa cavalry. Besides
these, there are however about 1,4o0 sick
confined in the different hospitals here, every
available building in the city being now used
as a hospital. These sick soldiers belong to
the different regiments Of this command.
'n s7t- s'sa'iia i s. MS.
CAMP BowEN, BENTON Co., ARK.,
al'e November 9th, 1862.