The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-04-23
McGREGOR, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL q, 1862
Correspondence.
On BOARD Transport ANTELOPE, !
Cairo IN April 10Th 1852

Cairo, Ill.,, April 18th, 1862.
Dear Times Here am after long day
Of trouble and anxiety oil ready for u jour.
ney into secessia. Perhaps few items
picked up in my journey southwark to this
place may amuse some Of your readers.
A description Of my journey to Chicago
per r. r. would be tame affair, as so
many of your readers have gone over the
same ground; but from Chicago to Cairo
must confess that I was upon new field.
But before proceeding further, let me tell
you that have seen and heard the verita.
bic Parson Brownlow, of Tennessee fame.
He spoke in Metropolitan Hall, Chicago, to
about two thousand people. He was
listened to with great interest, and some
times the silence was almost oppressive as
the old man told his wrongs and the atroc-
tiles committed upon himself and friends.
As he was relating sad scene of some
Union men being hung the large audience
bccam: so still that his voice was heard
distinctly all over the Hall--while my heart
was full of sympathy for the suffering, the
large bell Of the Central depot struck the
hour of nine and the deep, sonorous tones
seemed to be tolling a sad requiem for the
departed martyrs of liberty. The Tribune
reported the most Of his speech, but left
out this sickening scene. He said that a
certain officer from Maine who had Joined
the rebels, came to the prison and took ont
two prisoners, man by the name of Fry
and another, and ordered them hung near
the track of the railroad which runs thro'
Knoxville; so near that all who felt in
clned might kick the carcasses Of the dead
men as the train passed at snails pace
along the track, and that the men actually
kicked and with little ratans struck these
inanimate forms; and secession women
shook their handkcrchicfs at them and
made fun of them My blood boiled with
indignation as he recounted these deeds of
horror, and felt that God would bring
condemnation upon those who perpetrated
such acts.
AS we were eating supper at Centralia
train arrived from Cairo loaded with south.
ern chivalry in the shape Of prisoners, and
as was looking around, I noticed several
singular looking uniforms among the reg
ular blue of our own troops, and asking a
person to what regiment they belonged,
was told they were rebel officers out on
their parole. was then more interested
to find out how they felt upon the question
agitatlng the country and listened to their
conversation. One great fellow in grey
uniform and comforter around his neck
when told what Parson Brownow sad
about the rebels in Tennessee, denied the
charge and said it was all a lie, and finally
said he was as good Union man as his
interrogation. thought he was trying to
pull wool over somebody's eyes. You
would be aa,used at the uniforms of the
different officers. Some Of them were mere
boys, hardly tit to command their slaves
The privates were in freight cars, and as
the train passed along, such howl, and
such oaths, none but seceSsionists could
well execute. There were seven of these
trains loaded with them.
We arrived at Cairo at six o'clock this
evening, and the tide of Mound City is
certainly well applied and the mud is so
very friendly that when once you form its
acquaintance it is hard work to get rid of
it. We arrived in the midst of rain
storm and it has rained nearly all day, be-
sides sending US shower Of hailstones
which ratified furiously around this noted
city for some time. As the boat is getting
under way you must wait till next week for
more particulars.
xxx.