The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-04-03

Camp McClernand. Iron Landing
Tenn, Msrch 9th 1862.
Sir.
This fine Sunday morning finds US
again at the above landing on the Ten
nessee River, abolt mlNs0bove Fort
Henry; hating toi the present, for want
of transportation, as there is 50 many
troops here for the same purpose. We
came here yesterday about 10 o'clock
and now lay cooped up between hills Of
dangerous leigh, a,d steepness, patient
" awaiting further orders Destination
unknown. perhaps Florence Alabama.
There is just atthis time, heres moment
of considerable magnitude, some say
one hundred thousand men are collecting
at any rate there IS large 'ilcet OF
Steamboats," collecting, at and near
here.
Preparations for our departure from
Donslson were perfected on Thursday
9th, we were all packed, Tents struck,
and all the "Camp Traps aboard the
Wagons. Patiently we waited for the
order forward march,; the whole
dav was thus spent in anxious waiting /;
and as 4 matter of course, the boys
fer luck OF better employment, the
meanwhile went TO turning up things,
Yelling, scufliing and smashing mp things
generally. BY the way the l4th bears
the name Of caring for No and a
rcgardlessness for what may come after
them.
The other Reg. of the Brigade
left or Thursday, and as they did not
get started soon enough, We could not
move until they had gained marching
distance, which kept us another night.
Friday morn at an early hour we got
under way, passing out at the rear Of
the main Breas,works Of the Fort,
taking about the sams course that we
came Into the Fort, striking the "onter
carthworks' at the Point where Lau-
mans 2nl Brigade made the brilliant
charge on Saturday the 18th and where
the 14,h Iowa ani 25;h Indiana on
Thursday previous, for 5 hours, lay
under most CALLING fire from musketry
and a BRASS Battery posted inside
the Breastworks. Had it not been for
the "sharpshooters" picking off, the
Gamers as they ran from the Guns to
calsons, a greater number of our brave
men would have ''bit the dust"
Outside OF the Embankment we fled
through belt OF timber that bore
many marks, OF the heavy cannanae!e !;
here we struck the road leading to this
place, :,tording as usual, plenty Of mud
We encampea for the night in Il deep
rayinc surrounded by hills, high and
covere! with the stulnps Of 4 heavy
forest taken away to supply fuel for al
Iron Furnace, some ? miles further
back on the road. The weak, sick and
weary came struggling natter The main
body, some three fonrths Of an hour !:
for at this time We are affected with
Diarrhea. Otherwise the health is good.
Saturday at sunrise we took up our line
Of march, the roads growing better, as
we now travelled along the Greek Valley.
The Country Oh! The principal fea-
lures besides the lonely good.for.noth-
ingness, is the high stony hills, bearing
nearer resemblance to mountains there
anything of smaller dimensions. It's
only releeming feature is its "clear
sparkling" streams Of water, and fine
forests Of Timber. Chestnut, Poplar
and other valuable varieties are here
seen in abundance.
My impressions Of Tennessee, will not
bear in comparison with our town beau.
tiful Hawk Eye State" lilly and
rough the soil is combination of Clay,
Gravel and a redish sand compounded
largely with Iron. Thus giving the soil
its red color.
As an agricultural country it is worth
little, the tillable land is in the valleys
along the streams Of water, here the
soil is good. As to improvements, it
appears as though man here did not
wish to alter natures work with any i'm
provements Of his. EVERYTHING in this
line appears to be twenty years behind
the age. Here you see the old fashioned
log House; fences overgrown with
Briers and Brush, "Old shabby stables,
and the farms do not exceed IS or 40
acres in extent; the most charming
feature is the orchard; the size Of the
trees indicate an ancient date of settle
ment. Farming utensils, what they
Al