Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-01-29
( TERMS: $500 per Amman.
mo. 40.
A year ago Hannibal was prosperous,

A year ago Hannibal was prosperous,
growing, End enjoyed an extensive trade;
now it is dull and lonely. The railroad
to St. Joseph is employed for little else
than government purposes. The rcbek
lion seems to have paralyzed the business
of the country. We, that is the 18th,
remained in town over night. | found
quarters at a boarding house, and had al
opportunity of talking about the state of
the country with those | found there.
They gave woeful account of things;
laid it all to the election of Lincoln;
said they might be still enjoying their
former prosp Gritty if they had their for
mer president; that the South could
never be conquered by aboIisionism;
they (the South we're fighting for their
rights, etc, nevertheless they were good
union men $50 they soid), GAS good as
tho Lord ever made" made up my
mind that Southern union men were
rather shaky.
Early on the tle morning of Wednes-
day we started for St. Joseph. The
rolling stock of the read has been de-
ssroyed by the rebels to such an extent
we were compelled to make our trip in
freight cars. All the men suffered from
the cold, and | heard old Iumbermen,
who had brnred the rigors of our
Northwest winters, say they never suf-
fercd so much in their lives before. Much
Of the road runs through beautiful
country, prairie diversified with wood
land, and, as yet, thinly settled. Troops
were scattered the whole length of tho
road. At Macon City, the terminus of
the North Missouri Railroad, we found
three hundred cavalry and seven hun
dred infantry. they told lis that the
damages on the n. NJ. R. R. were re-
paired, and the first train had como
through the day before. They enter
tanned us while the cars stopped with the
accounts of their skirmi8hes and scout
ings. They were jolly set of fellows,
though they had received no pay since
| they entered service, and were attired in
| muztiforne taken from the Secesh.
AS we passed along we were greeted
by cheers from uhionists, or met the
surly gances Of rebels. Now and then
we caught sight of picket or sentinel
guarding bridge. Each place had its
story. Here bridge or station house
had been burned, and there the track
torn up.
We arrived at st. Joseph at o'clock
on Thursday morning, and never did a
| weary and suffering band hail the pros
pect Of deiverance with greater JOY than
did the 18th. But we were disappointed.
We stopped only long enough to change
engines, and then rolled on to Weston,
where we arrived at day break. We
were warmly received hero by the 18th
No. regiment. They took US to their
quarters, warmed us, gave us hot coffee,
and did all they could to make us COM
Portable. It was decided that we should
remain here for the present, and we are
quartered in the various churches in
town. Company A occupies the NJ. E.
Church South, not that interesting fra
ternity itself, but q ruinous old edifice
owned by them, where, perhaps, in by
gone days, Atchison and Stringfellow
gathered their bands, and melted the
border rufiaDs to deeds that made Wes-
ton Infamous, but now, for once, it is
used for holy purposes, and we worship
here the God of Liberty and Law.
They tell us that there will be work
enough for us, and that Lane will never
leave us idle. We are rs anxious as
ever to know what is to be done with us.
All sorts of rumors are afioat, but we
can only act the soldiers part, obey and
wait. Yours,
3. B. CoMsTocK.