The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-10-15
WHOLE NO. 3l3.
Army correspondence.

IRiEND LINES AS cEaCldtlClS are
fashionable, will state that have "fallcn
back" upon Corinth and as the Times ia.
vors reliable news will give you line or
two concerning the evacuation Of Iuka, and
what befel certain party, his hair breadth
escapes and verious adventures.
Iuka was doomed. Her fate was sealed.
Four secesh had been seen riding towards
the fated city, and the runor f.w rapidly
with fear distended wings that thousands
upon thousands o; guerrilas were coming
down upon Iuka! Then began the great
feature Of the day. Men were put in mo-
ton, artillery was placed here and there,
and preparations for a retreat commenced,
consistent with the magnitude Of the move
ment. Seoa the hattie commenced and
about eighteen rebels poured in murder
Gus volley upon the town. Our troops
fought bravcly for awhile. Three shells
were fred at the rebels when they fed in
disorder, leaving their dead and wounded
upon the battle field.
Now the scene changes, and skedaddic is
the word. Contraband upon contraband,
old and young, white and black, took up
their line Of march for freedom--thc rail-
road from Iuka 10 Corinth being the path
way whereon they rushed toward the goal
Of their happiness.
The army train was soon in motion and
everything movable was upon the march,
The r. r. being torn up between the towns,
large quantities Of army stores and piles of
cotton had to be left to the tender mcrcies
of the rebels, prorided they came back after
the great scare.
All day Sunday watched the flying c.n-
trabands as they poured into Cornth-somc
in rags, some in nigger cloth, and few in
decent apparel. How the poor women with
small infants to carry, ever lived to walk
twenty -onc miles, with such burden in
their arms, beneath a scorching sun, is a
mystery to me.
But my anxiety was upon the non-ap-
pearancc of eur mutual friend +. W. De-
Bcrard. He was at Iuka in trade when the
order was given to retire. lie loaded his
teams and started them off in charge of as.
sistants, and then remained behind to wit.
ness the finale Of the scene, and if possible
secure some cotton bales which had become
his property. All day Sunday watched
for him, hoping that he had not been taken
prisoner, still wondering why he delayed
The rear guard Of the i'll fated regiment tha,
was ordered to hold the town came in and
| anxiously inquired if they had seen our
friend. No, he was not with their num-
bers. Then he was lost, surely, and 6
dreary captivity had fallen to his lot
Sabbath night was spent in gloomy fore
bodings and we were sure when morning
broke over the city Of Corinth, that on,
friend had "gone up the spout" We hat
r almost written a culogy upon his man,
virtues, when 10 in the distance hors
was deserted, bearing marked resemblanc
to the steed surnamed Pegasus, belonging
to Orpheus G. Kerr, a worthy member Q
the Bavarian corps connected with tn
Mackerel brigade. Our friend was so ia
elevated from the ground that he coul
have answered the place Of the lofty pol
put by Gen. Pope three miles from Corintl
to overlook that place during the great sieg
which has passed down to history. Tn
parallel is good one, from the fact tina
both were in lofty places, and neither on
could have been Of the least account as ia
as seeing the operations of the enemy va
concerned.
1t was his last chance. He had riskc
his neck to keep his liberty, and won both
Not hair of his head was injured, al,hous
the ground became his bed for a singl
night, and the lcafy canopy Of tree HI
covering.
!. His return was hailed by US with JOY
O., and We congratulated him that he had es
capped frem the rebels, and his horse fror
the crows who followed him in large nun
, bers to forcclose mortgage they held up
on his body.
Our ,nd's loss was thousand dollar
worth Of cotton and few other traps whic
had to be left in the great "skedaddle. ~
Gen. RoSecrans was "powerful' mad whc
he found that the Colonel in command ha
retired" and immediately sent his owl
division back who drove the rebels in con
fusion out of the place and wrought grea
-. victory over Price-this was the "bat,lc c
e Iuka, accounts of which have ere this reach
I'd you. Had the Colonel in comman
stood bravely at his post, he might hav
5 earned good reputation, the love Of hi
! command, and of the people, instead Of re
proaches and disgrace.