The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-12-18
Correspondence.
Camp at Oxford, Miss,
Dec. Z, 1862.

Dec. Z, 1862.
n. G. WIErISa, ESQ:
The history ofthe llama Co. Rifles,
or Co. &C." 10th Iowa Vols, lnfar try
has not been clronicled, to the know
ledge of your correspondent, to later
period than Sept. 10Th, the battle Of
Iuka.
Although not the happy preseason Of
pen SO prolific As the pointed quilts Of
Frank and "ToM," will, with your
permission. attempt resume OF the
sketches of those graphic writers-no-
ticing briefly the most prominent Incl
dents in the existence OF soldiers who
are DESTROYS that fhc present war may
end in a manner which will reflect adj
di,ional lustrc to the flag Of onr country
and who while trying to perform their
duties in the field, turn their eyes cx-
pectantly towards rama County, Iowa
as our semi occasional mails arrive, ever
hoping f.r, the welfare Of those loved
at lone.
! 'sHome" is eacred word, II a sol
der. /, nerves his arm upon the 4
Of battle, and impels him 70 heroic
Efforts to preserve orr institutions. /
is tho subject Of his thoughts a. IL
wraps his blanket around him to enjoy
his nightly repose, and the word is
upon his lip, when reveile calls lin to
duty. Living, his mind is almost con-
staHt!y anticipating its associations,
and diving his fain,est tones show that
its memories are clustering around him
But | am wandering from my subject
After the battle Of Inka, which old
soldiers admit was for couple of
hours, che Of the bloodiest, ifnot the
blodiest ever fought in modern times
the 10th proceeded to Jacinto, where
encamped fora few days, ,nntl it became
evident that Price, Van Dorm and
Nillipigne proposed paying our Cor
| inthian brethren 4 visit, when it was
removed to Corinth. The battles at
Corinth were fought Oh the Sd and 4ti
days Of October, the events of which
have passed into history yet there
were incidents which may not be un.
interesting to those of your readers who
had relatives and friends engaged with
our forces on those days.
The 10th Iowa occupied several po
sitions during the Sd, exposed to great
danger, which demonstrated that drill
discipline and experience under fire,
coupled with that bravery which as
your correspondent believes, the men
! naturally possess. world enable it to do
its whole duty. About 8 o'clock it was
discovered that the rebels were forcing
our center, and with view Of directing
their attention to our right, our brigade
was ordered forward towards the
enemy's left. A dense forest inter.
vened, but into it we went in column
until we had reached a clearing when
we were ordered "forward into liner by
Major McCalla commanding. In &C.
conplisling this movement, we found
ourselves near the edge Of the r r.
cut four feet in depth, and within $50
yards Of rebel battery, which imme-
diately opened upon US. The only thing
for ue to do was to spring into the cut
in fresas of us, sheitering ourselves under
the opposite bank. For Fl teen minutes
grape and canister shot ratified like hail
around us, many Of which rebounded
to our feet from the opposite bank.
Anticipating charge and fearing the
presence Of others in the woods, the
enemy for a few minutes ralned crash.
ing tempest of shot and shell all through
the timber we had just vacated. While
getting into the cut five or six of the
regiment were killed, and several
wounded. But one Of our Co. was
hurt: Serg't J. w. Cover, who carried
the colors, just As fearlessly as he used
to in the Streets Of Toledo, was struck
by sharpnel shot on the clasp Of his
belt, which glancing, carried away a
portion of the clasp and gave him a
slight wound in the side.
The enemy attempted to get an en-
hladine fire to bear upon us, but just as
they had brought enc Of their pieces to
the track, left flank movement had
saved MS.