Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-04-02

FROM THE LYON GUARDS.
Fosr ScoTT, March s, 1862.

Friend Taylor Alb bout 4 o'clock, P.
NJ, of Friday, Feb. 28th, the 12th were
ordered to be in readiness to march tho
next morning at S o'clock, with two days
rations IN their haversacks. we had n
busy time that evening ia making our
hasty preparations. We arose Saturday
morning at 3 o'clock, completed our
preparations, and at o'clock Company
A marched up in front of the ColoneFs
quarters. He opeued the windows aud
cried out, "Bully for you,' and tnen or
dered us back to our quarters to wait
until the rest of tho regiment were
ready. 1t was nearly o'clock before
the regimen Mt was in motion, and even
then two or three companies were want
ing, who joined US afterwards.
The morning was lowering, and soon
fine drilling rain began to fall. The
weather became colder in the afternoon,
and the rain froze as it fell. The roads
were in very good condition, leading
over rolling country, with patches of
timber here and there; but we made a
light march, and encamped for the night
IN an opening on the Delaware Resefva-
ton. We pitched our tents, cut guam
tity of brush, spread cur blankets over
it, and slept as we'll as we could. Dis
lance II miles. .
On Sunday we took up our line of
march again, and Travelled all day
through the timber on the Delaware
Reservation. The roads were in bad
condition, and our march was slow and
toilsome. Our knapsacks were trans
ported for US, but We carried the rest Of
our traps, and this day we carried our
blankets, so that we might not be with
out our bedding if our teams should not
overtake us. The day was raw and
windy, with now and then furry OF
snow. Clearings and settlements in the
timber arc quite numerous. Towards
shutdown we reached the Kaw or Kan
sas, and encamped in the timber on its
banks. The 9th Wisconsin accompanied
us, and encamped near Us. As soon rs
we could eat a hasty supper of coffee,
pilot bread, and cold meat, we rolled
ourselves up in our blankets, and thus
ended our Sabbath days journey.
Long before daylight of Monday
morning, the voice of Col. Bryant was
heard in our camp, going from tent to
tent, rousne the inmates to make their
coffee and get an early start. 1t was
very cold, and the ice which was running
the night before had closed up. We
crossed at Wyandotte Bridge, four miles
ot~,4 K".,o"s c'ty. whea 80 gained
the high ground, and the sun appeared,
it presented beautiful appearance, be-
ing surrounded by halo as brilliant as
anything Of tho kind [ ever saw in the
North-we We inferred from this that
we should have cold weather. We saw
nothing more of he 9th, as they took
another road that morning.
A march of five miles brought us Out
Of the timber, and then an extensive
prairie lay before us. The roads were
in good condition, and we made rapid
march. There was little or nothing to
attract and interest us. About 1880, P.
NJ, we reached the village of O-la-the,
twenty miles from Wyandotte Bridge,
and almost in the center of the prairie.
We remained there nearly two hours, land
then moved forward to Spring Hill, a
distance of len miles, and encamped for
the night. The team belonging 10 our
company did not come up, having met
with IN accident, and we spent that cold,
disasrecable night, without our blankets,
as best we coald: some of us with 9TH
err companies, some in barn, and others
by the camp fires. Distance 80 miles.
Tuesday morning, about sunrise, the
regiment was i'll motion. Company A
remained 10 wait for their baggage. l
eft, and went ahead with Company E.
The country we passed over that day
was rs rough as any portions of Wis
consin that [ have seen. The soil APP
peared to be very fertile, producing a
luxuriant growth of prairie grass. We
set fire to this in several places as We
marched along. and the fierceness of the
| flames, as they were swept on by the
high winds, accounted for the almost to-
tai absence of bush, tree, or shrub.
Here and there, in the ravines and gull
lies, single tree appeared, aud along
the streams and water courses there is a
scanty growth OF stunted aud gearled
| trees that have been scorched and scared
| by a hundred fires. We noticed, in one
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