The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-09-05
From ,hc seventh Regiment.
CAMP MONTGOMERY, Near Corinth,

as we'll as the Rebels, is simply absurd
We ran get along here as well as the IA.
iives that have met with, and in point
of fact, much letter than those living
hereabouts. My duty has required me te
make the acquaintance of most of those
living within two or three miles OF GU,
Camp ontside of Corinth, and | must say
that sorrier set of Butternuts / never
did see--and that is seeing considerable.
| Lean, lank, pale, miserable looking crea-
lures, perfect embodiment of the idea
of white trash" OF ten of these farm
ers,-l beg their pardon. planters-living
close by, whom ! saw at the Provost Mar
shal's Office day or two ago, one half
could not write their names, and the 9th.
er half could not read each others sigma
lures, and but one in the whole number
could spell the name Of this county-Tish-
omingo, correctly. The same day, some
Of the wives and daughters of these gen.
tlemen came in, not one of whom boosted
Of the plebeian accomplishment Of wri-
ting. These are not poor people, 30 fur
as property is concerned; a. the most Of
them are farmers, and some of them own
slaves. But they make rather poor show
for comfort with worldly goods, they live
in tumble down rattle traps of houses. old
and dilapidAted, without being ohinked,
daubed or plastered Their fences ne
rotten and rickety, and not one in ten
could keep out Keokuk COW and gen.
eral air of untidiness and thrif,lcssnes.
pervades the whole plantation.
| possibly shocked the tender sensibili-
ties Of lumber Of these planters day
or two ago BY assuring them that the ne
groes of Keokuk who had no kind master
to provide for their wants lived in better
houses and enjoyed more Of the good
things of this life than tie great majority
OF the Iishomingo county planters. One
of them 'allowed he would rather die than
live among free niggers.' / intimated to
him the opinion that it would not be de-
sirable in him to live where the negroes
had chance to take care of themselves,
unless he thought himself competent to
do the same for himself. He farther "al-
lowed there was no chance of him and
agreeing which being sjustifable conclu-
sion on his part, / did not dispute.
One of our boys was out with forag-
ing party few days ago and had dis
cussion with Dixie lady in which he
commended that the immediate cause of the
war was the attack upon Sumter. The
secesh fair one eontended that the South
was right in that affair but added that
She had "always blamed jeff. Davis for
not hanging old Sumter when he had
him, and letting him off to Boston, I
do not mean to say that the kind of pco-
pic that | have described embraces ali the
residents of this country, but l do affirm
that they do now, and did before the war,
constitute q large majority of the white
inhabitants; deplorable as it is, it is not
the less true.
The late orders of the War Department
have completely changed things here in
many respects. We are now allowed to
take anything from the enemy that he has
that we have any use for. Negroes being
put on the same footing as other things.
The first trip We made out we obtained ten
Of the finest specimens contraband / ever
saw, they we're immediately promoted to
the position Of M. DIS, i. Q. mule drivers,
vice soldiers returned to their mpanies.
Some Of the boys thought it was rather a
hard joke on them to be superseded by
"nigger," but little reflection enabled
them to see that if = "nigger" has any
rights Of any kind at al the hight to drive
mules stands prominent and unquestion-
able. We have some rs men in the repi-
ment, no one but ! brute can .ea tia nav
they enjoy their newly acquired liberty
and wish them enslaved again.
The news from home in regard to the
enlislments and war fever i quite cheer
ing to the boys. They know there are
plenty of ss good soldiers in Iowa vet as
those who at Springfield. Belmont, Fort
Donelson, Pistsburgs Landing, and Pea
Ridge won undying glory for themselves
and their country by deeds of valor and
bravery, and now they ais needed We are