Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-03-06
THE REPUBLICAN.
PLYMOUTH, IND.
Thursday, March 6, 1869.
Army Correspondence.

4 EDITOR nEFUBLICAS.
Dean SIR-It has Just occurred
to me that promised to post you occa-
sionally as to the whereabouts and doings
of the 4sth Ind. VOL l should have writ
ten you sooner, but until now could not
find time. Pardon the delay. and l will
attempt to give you some brief notes con-
cerning our boys. many Of whom are from
your county.
! Thursday afternoon. February 9th, we
received orders to prepare four days ra-
tions at once. and in the evening at dress
parade Col. Eddy told us we were to
march in the morning. and that our desti-
nation was Cairo. In few stirring words
he addressed the men. Forty Eighth"
said he. ARE you ready? AYE" re-
sounded along the line. The Colonel re-
piled Il expected such response. but /
want louder one." when such q shout!
can almost hear it yet. Then. cheering.
and shouting. and packing up. consumed
the evening. and much of the night. The
next moraiag at o'clock. We bade good
bye to Camp Ellis. marched down to Co
shcn, went or board the cars and were soon
rapidly on our way to swell the grand ar
| my Of the Union. We reached Cairo at
s o'clock. Saturday evening. All along
the Illinois Central we were greeted with
cheers. and waving Of handkerchiefs,
! hands, hats. bonnets and aprons; and the
nearer We came to Cairo the more enthnsi-
astic became the demonstrations. All par
ticipaied. Male and female, old and young.
black and white. / saw one old woman
run to the door of her house. raise both
her hands and commence waving them;
then, not satisfied with this. she seized her
bonnet. and swung it with all her might.
These demonstra ions were not confined TO
F, the towns. bat wherever there was log
hut or shanty by the roadside. it was all
, the same. r
Cairo is one great mud hole. When we
: left the cars Sunday morning we waded to
what would have bcch our quarters had we
stayed there We felt rather blue at the
prospect. but in about an hour we were
eve1oyed TO receive orders 10 so up the
river. We supposed we We're going to Ft
Henry or Fort Donelson. and we proba-
!. bly, should have gone TO the latter place
: and been participants in the fight and in
the glory Of the. victory. If NE had beer
armed sooner and drilled more in the man.
usl of arms. When the boat stopped hert
we were ordered ashore. and have now 9
/, fair prospect OF remaining here some time
-Four companies Of our Regiment. one O.
: which is Capt. Crumpacker's. COMPANY
!. {. are detached to man Fort Anderson al
}. this place. There is vast amount o
> government business done here. Troops
5 and stores are arriving and departing con
4 stantly. There is something on foot jus
>. now. What it is cannot tell. onl,
. know that there are to-day thirty or fort,
c steamers-laden with troops. perhaps sc. .00
= = in all. lying at the wharf. You will prob
ably know what they are here for befor
this letter reaches you. All / know j
y. make splendid show.
a- You are perhaps aware that this town
- to Kentucky what Charleston is to Soot
he Carolina-all "secesh" There are fe,
: good Union men here. but they are yer
? scarce. A great many houses. shoul
: think nearly or quite one half, have bee
> abandoned. Their owners have "skedatl
To- died" and very acconmodatingly left the
y fine dwellings for the use and occupatio
Of the United States. Some are occupie
by troops. some are used Is hospitals. som
Tor quartermaster's stores The Gcners
) Hospital is the Court house. Tbos. II
Flournoy's house is our rcgimental hospita
The Presbyterian church aud some othc
in buildings are used as hospitals for on
te wounded brought down from Fort Donel
" son. Psducah is evidently very hand
: some town IN the summer; aad in tim
OF peace must be . place of considerabl
, activity. But secession has killed It as !
At does every thing it touches. There
y = scarcely any business Ione except what j
e done for and By the government. Who'll
g rows of brick blocks stand with close,
doors. Houses are every where tenantless
except as occupied for government purpo
ses. The trail of the serpent is over then
all" Goldsmith's Deserted village find
fitting counterpart in this city. wher
= secession. the offspring of treason has don
its perfect work. 1t is sad to contemplat
j. the wreck that is seen here; yet one canno
help feeling that it is righteous retribu
tion. An old lady Of sixty or sevent,
J. PEARS told me day or two since. that tn
very day our troops landed here from Cal
70. By order Of Gen. Fremont. the bill
!, were TO have been posted warning Uaio,
citizens to leave within Eve ds5s. The,
were then printed, and were sfterwartl
found in the Office. The old lady said sh