The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-01-24
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
FROM THE SECOND REGIMENT.


FROM THE SECOND REGIMENT.
CAMP CARTHAGE, NEAR COLUMBIA, XVI
January 10, 1862.
Editors Pioneer and Democrat:
We are encamped some three miles from
Columbia, on the sacred, but exceedingly
muddy, soil of Kentucky, all anxious for
fight, and, at last, thank Heaven some.
what near one. The 9th and 14th Ohio
are close to as, and Company G, of Ohio
LIST Regiment of Artillery. We start to.
morrow, at Z A. NJ, for Somerset, en- route
to the Cumberland river, to beat up Mr..
Zollicofer's quarters. He is represented
as strongly entrenched, and as having some
10000 to $4,000 men. Three steamers
have been dispatched with reinforcements
to him, and there is no doubt that he is in
strength, and we shall have hard fight.
Schepf has repeatedly sent for additional
force and artillery, and is wanting to stop
| boats on the river.
This country is hard one to travel over,
and if Jordan's any harder, 1 don't think
care much to see it. Stiff clay, moistened
with constant, teeming rain tries the muscle
and patience of the men; and the commits.
stoned officers may thank their stars that
shoulder straps don't entail the carrying of
knapsacks. l should say that nearly all the
Kentucks we have seen, from Louisville to
this place, are more or less secesh; and as
for the southern chivaIry, and mental culti-
walton, that - to use camp phrase-is
"played out )" and any mention of this Ste
reotyped idea before the I'd Minnesotans, if
they return to st Paul, will be received
with shouts of derision.
am sorry to say that, at last, Death
has cast the dark shadow of his wing over
Company D, and the men have to lament
the loss of private Edward Gibson. He
died in the hospital at Louisville, and it
may be some consolation to his friends to
know that he was esteemed by us all as a
worthy man, and a warm hearted, soldier
like comrade.
am sorry to say that much bad feeling
exists in the regiment, and no small guam.
tity of it in Company D. Petty jealousies
and spite reign supreme, and the men are
determined to fight on their own hook, and
not through any liking or respect for their
officers who command them. Col. McCook.
who commands the 9th Ohio, and is General
of our brigade, is every inch soldier, and
the constant wish of the I'd Regiment is,
that it could be commanded by such man,
instead of ladylike old gentleman, who is
far more fit to be Bishop than a Colonel.
am the last man to put on deuiy before the
corpse is ready but there is an end to pa
tience, at last, and that of Company D is
entirely exhausted.
st. Paul and the neighborhood may be
proud of such set of intelligent and reso.
lutte young men, who only want comman-
der but who, for lack of it, are entirely
adrift. One of our officers had much more
than gentle hint to resign, yesterday, but
though the love and esteem of the company
were worth nothing, the "vle dross" of the
pay is good to have in the house. AS an
ardent friend OF mine said (: "Patriotism
be id; nine-tenths of the officers in this
regiment have made a speculation of their
commissions, and would be half starved if
they hand't them y and believe he was
far from wrong.
Quartermaster Grow, who was somewhat,
and think wrongly, blamed at Lebanon,
is an exceedingly effective and hard. working
officer. He understands his duty, and does
it. He has been appointed Brigade Quar-
termaster, and is we'll fitted for it. The As
sistant Surgeon has been very attentive to
men on the march, and is doing all be can
for US.
have little more to say, except that
jackson, who shot G. Ali, of Company j,
was let out on bail at Louisville returned
to bis house, hanged poor negro woman
who cooked for our boys, and then went off
hot foot, to Buckner. This is the kind of
business that eXcites our ire.
There, all my bile is out for the present,
and, as I expect to be in fight soon, will
try to be in better temper next time, more
especially as he who aquo pede pulsat. will
be laying some of US low ere long, and will
settle many outstanding accounts. Vate
atque UaLde vale.
8o'CLoCK, p. M-Two of the three
steamers have been captured on the Cum
berland. Large quantities of ammunition,
heavy guns, &c, have been taken, and ma.
ny of the enemy killed. This makes us bet.
ter of, and places Zollikofer in bad fix.