Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-12-05

AS we entered Cairo on the morning of the !
oath, tie "boys" were singing:
Oh hear my I, ne love weep. III /
hear my true lovc sigh, 81 b f L
Away down In Cairo,
Dis nigeS's gwine to die.
Sometimes there is more Of the prophetic
in such words than is intended. At that
time we expected to stay here but few hours,
and now the probability is we will stay here
month, and may be all winter. We are
more comfortably situated in our present
quarters than we expected to be, conse
quently less dissatisfaction. Long faces were
more numerous, and longer than are gene.
rally seen, when the S5th received orders to
go into camp here for officers and men were
all bent on going down the Mississippi and
having hand in the "big strike" that is soon
to take place. /, for one, do not feel willing
to give it up yet, but the powers that be will
decide without any reference to my feelings,
and have no doubt all will be for the best
AT the rate troops are passing here daily
I think it will not DO long until they have
all that they can use. The 32d Iowa passed
down yesterday. The gunboats appear to
be getting ready; several Of them have dis
appeared from their anchorage within few
days. Our regiment constitutes the guard
for this post Gen. futile is in command.
Company A is at Mound City, miles up
the Ohio river. They brought in rebel pris-
oner, the first one taken by our regiment
Eleven men and officers are three miles up
the river guarding the magazine boats, 26
City Guards" IS guards for fort, Quarter
masters Department and camp, 20 for Pris
on and guard house, six are detailed as
Military Police" to pick up struggling SOL
diers and jolly tars who may happen out
without a regular permit. Our company has
been detailed to guard the rebel prisoners,
about 1000 of whom were sent 10 Vicks.
burg this week to be exchanged. One item
must give you: visited Prison-place {"
when they numbered about 1870 men.
mingled quite freely among them, and so
far as heard any expression they all
regarded the increased democratic maj
critics " at the North, at the late elections,
as the vote of their party and as the triumph
of their cause. They talked about their
,ights-a Dsspotism- 7yrants, &C., just like
Ed. Thayer, Bob. Wallace, Chambers and
their kind, only they did not show
as much bitter feeling against all anti
slavery men as Thayer & Co. do Some
expressed themselves very strongly against
jeff Davis and his Government Part of the
time we have one company on duty at Bird
Point. Company 3D. was over on Wednes
day, and had a good opportunity to take
items. The once beautiful plantation is all laid
waste; not an acre now cultivated or enclosed.
A very fine orchard, part of the trees now
torn down. The once famous residence Of
the man (Mr. Bird)s who gave fifty thousand
dollars to the Southern Confederacy, and
offered the same amount if they would retake
Birds Point, is fast being destroyed. Every
door is left open for man or beast, the kitchen
| and parlor, the windows and fine frescocd
walls arc being battered down. The wrecks
of the Cairo & Fulton r. r. still remain,
Engines, passenger and freight cars, part of
them are now buried in the mud. The OPEN
ing through the woods and the embankment
show where ,oas arailroad. The graveyard
now without fence, has two long rows of
graves of Iowa soldiers, now sleeping their
last long sleep, away from friends and kindred
some marked as killed at Charleston and some
at Belmont. Many of them were from the
Iowa 10th. This spot ought to be cared for
by Iowans. .G.
Last night was awake n by the discharge
Of one Of the large guns of the fort, (about
80 yards from were sleep,) but scarcely
had the Kissing noise Of the ball ceased when
the whistle Of the boat was heard to plead
for no more of that kind, ard the steamer
which was trying to run the blockade, by
silently steaming up the Mississippi, in the
darkness of the night, wheeled about went
back to the junction of the two rivers and
up tho Ohio to the landing, to render her
account. The health Of our regiment is full
as good as it has been at any time. 81
Corporal Zahn, who was sick when we left
Muscatine, is on duty again.
O. W. Sedgwick has been promoted to a
clerkship In the Transportation office in this
city. He will fill it we'll.
Saturday, 10 Il. M-Last night the
ground was white with snow this morning
the weather is quite warm and pleasant
This morning Dan Seller, from the 18th
Iowa, made his appearance in camp He
looks well and brings good report from the
boys below. HENRY, 35th Iowa.