The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-11-25
Correspondence of the Guardian.

! Correspondence oil the Guardian.
CAMP DEFIANCE, CAIRO, TIuNoIs)
Nov. 18th, 1862.
FRIEND Rich After separation of
nearly four weeks, the eth Regiment is
once more united. Onr six companie les
left Prairie du Chen, Tuesday afternoon
last, by railroad, for Cairo. We came
by way Of Madison and Chicago, travel
ing mostly in the night, SO that we saw
but little Of the country. We pitched
our tents in Camp Defiance, Friday NOR
ming, Nov. l4th, The weather has been
perfectly delightful until last evening,
seeming more like June than November.
Last evening it commenced raining. and
this morning the boys say that each man
carries his farm with him, on his boots
For one, if were called upon to choose,
| would rather stay here in the mud,
than spend the winter in the Indian
country. But | do not think we shall
rebel prisoners a short distance west Of
our camp. Some three or four hundred
came up on boat yesterday, under con-
voy of one of our gunboats. They are a
motley looking crew, clad in all sorts of
dress. Some Of them are well enough
dressed in every day citizens rig, some
are ragged and dirty, some few have
military overcoats, but have not seen a
man yet in uniform. Some OF the pris-
oners are hard looking customers, and
as mulish as you please, while others
have evidently seen better days Some
say they are tired of the war, and cay
they never will fight again in the rebel
ranks, others say they will fight us as
long as they live and curse us when they
die. There are several hundred contra
bands here, some at work in arieus ways,
and others living in a camp constructed
Tor them. passed by their camp yes
terday as they were cooking their dinner.
Nearly all saw were women and child
rem. Cairo has been too often described
to need any attempt on my part. Suffice
it to say, it is just about such city as
one would expect to find in Egypt.
There are several gunboats lying in the
Ohio, opposite us. Three iron clad ones
were here last night, cannot learn their
names. They are formidable looking
monsters. with low. slanting, iron-clad
sides, pierced by 3 heavy guns When
next they pay their compliments to the
foe it may not be impossible that we may
be /" there to sse." Day before ysster-
day / paid visit to the far. famed NOR.
tar boats. There are twenty one Of them
They lio near the shore in tho Ohio,
about mile above town. | boarded sew
eral Of them. They are nearly, il not
quite, alike. measured one with stick
| made it sixty feet long, by twenty five
feet wide. Two heavy sticks of timber
pass entirely round the boat. making a
bresstwork about two feet high. Iron
plating, nearly half an inch thick, fast
sned to the outside of these timbsrs. rise
about seven feet above the deck, forming
a complete defence against any rebel
sharpshootsrs, who may be lurking on
the shore. These plates are pierced by
thirty.two holes, evidently for sharp.
shooters, placed upon the boat The
mortars are mounted upon heavy plat
form near the center Of the boat. The
one examined weighs 17,l68 pounds,
was cast at Fort Pitt, in 1861. The bore
is thirteen inches in diameter and cast