Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-10-02
Correspondence of the Charles City Intelligencer.
Letters From the Army.
COMPANY X, 81 Iowa INFANTRY,

COMPANY X, 81 Iowa INFANTRY
FoRT PICKERING, MEMPHIS, Sept. 10, 1862. I
Friend Hildreth-Aside from the
boat loads Of Donelson and Island No.
10 prisoners, who have been waiting
here to be exchanged, there is but little
interesting. Rumors are rife of the
near approach of the enemy; but ru-
mors here are cheap. News has Just
come in of fight at Bolivar, Tenn,
in which the rebels were repulseh.
A number of prisoners, captured by
the 9th Illinois at Coldwater, have
just been brought in. The rebels ex-
pected to surprise Col. Grierson and
make him an easy prey, but in
stead of that they were most beauti-
fully fogged, losing 90 killed and
wounded, and so prisoners,
Gen. Sherman lately made speech
to the loyal citizens of Memphis, and
told them that, whatever the cloud
now darkeniDg our horizon might por-
tend, he was sure it was only mo-
mentary darkness, which would soon
give way tn the light of noon day
sun. The General was quite bitter in
regard to the treatment Pope had re-
ceived, and said that one thing was
certain, Pope dare fight
The prisoners who were on their
way to be exchanged became very
mutinous when told they could not GO
on shore but gnnboat ran up along
side and. running out its guns, said
"be STILL" and there was a great
calm.
The Notifications of Fort Pickering
are ready for receiving the guns
which are rapidly being mounted. Ii
will be a very strong place. and woe
to the army that comes within reach
of those heavy siege guns.
An order has Just come for the Pro
vost Marshall and his clerks to start
at once for their Division at Bolivar
We start at 5 p. NJ.
September Is, 1862.
Here we are at Bolivar, and how il
rains ! 1t seems as if the food.gates
of heaven are opened, and the long
pent up summers rain is coming
| down with a vengeance. How the
wind comes roaring in loud gusts, dri-
wing the rain like vast sheet of wa
ter against the walls of our canvass
home 1t cannot penetrate our good
tent and we will make merry, or per-
chance out will come the old letters,
and we will re-rcad "good news from
home" Let it rain /: we were here
first. On our way we came by boat
and cars. We stopped at Fort Pillow
and landed provisions, aud | had a
fine view of this Fort of Strength.
Nature has dcne most OF the work
here, although there are few en-
bankmcnts thrown up to afford bet
ter elevation for guns. Properly speak
ing, it is not a fort, but fortified
camp. 1T was very strong from the
river but weak from the land side.
One thousand men now hold the place.
Columbus is better fortified, and is
indeed the strongest place | have
seen. 1t rises almost perpendicularly
from the river, and think could new
er bc taken from that side
Directly across the river is the field
Of Belmont, where the 9th Iowa did so
nohly.
At Jackson, % miles from this city
| (Bolivar) the cars ran off the track on
high bridge. The cars were full OF
soldiers going to join their commands.
and great many were killed and
wounded. With my usual good for
tune, was not hurt, although the SOL
der in the same seat with me was
killed.
There is not much excitement here
now. The whole army is filled with
Indignation at the treatment of Pope
by those jealous officers of the East.
All manner OF comments are made but
all agree that the Eastern Generals
got into a bad scrape and Pope was
sent for to help them out of it, when
suddenly they shipped him. 1t SENS
strange, We must now trust to little
Mae, and all may yet go well
Pope is a dashing mamie will
fight. lie only needed his Western
troops TO have given Stonewall Jack.
son finishing stroke.
Mail matter for the Sd should be
sent to Cairo, Ill. WINFIELD.