The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-02-11
From the Ninth.

Ey' The following extracts were ia
ken from letter received from Orderly
SAMPSON of Company c., 9th Iowa, by
his wife, who kindly permits us to make
the extracts. 1t is dated
On the Left Bank of the Gasconade,1
Thursday, Jan. 30th, 1862. :
1t is now after seven O'Clock P. M.
Most of the regiment have got over the
river, and they are now getting the trans
portation over. 1t has been a tedious
day for us. But will commence back
a day or two. We left Rolla early Tues
day morning. Marched about nine miles,
and the latter two or three in the rain,
the mud being very deep all the way
About 8 P. M. we halted in the muddi.
est place you ever saw. We pitched our
tents, and shoveled out some of the mud !;
opened bitches to carry off part of the
water, cut brush and poles to spread our
blankets on. During all this time it
rained very hard, drenohing us all COM
pletely. But by late hour we mana
ged TO get dry enough to lay down, and
| must say slept very well. When we
got out in the morning the ground was
covered with about two inches of snow,
and it continued to snow quite h ard
We struck our tents, intending to push
through and cross the Gasconade, but
after marching about two miles found
that we could not cross the river on &C
count of its rising, so we pitched our
tents again, but upon better ground than
before. Struck tents, marched, and
pitched tents again. However, we made
ourselves quite comfortable, and were
ready the next morning to advance
across the river. Still about three inch.
es of snow, but not quite as cold AS yes
terday. We found the river about three
and half feet deep. and about fifty rods.
wide. Could not ford it, but found an
old fiat boa. ""lhich would hold about $50
men, and on this we all passed over and
are now trying to get the teams and wag-
ons over. The tent and provisions be-
ing in the wagons, many of the compan,
les are still in open air,around their camp
fires. The scenes OF this day are not to
be described by me, for am not capa-
BILE. But you may be sure it is very
rough. No serious accident has We. han
pened, however. 1t is evident we have
had three days of AS rough marching and
poor camping as we will be apt to see.
Our wagons are still over the river. but
we have succeeded in getting the off
GERS tent and one other, over, and made
out to make some coffee and get little
meat and hard bread. Nearly all the men
stand it well, and if you could hear the
cheering, singing, talking, laughing and
jesting, you would not think them un
happy.
We commenced getting across the riv-
er about II o'clock, A. NJ, and it will
be ! or 12 tonight before all will be
over. Well. we, (Lieut. Bull, Lieut..
Rice, myself and Mr. Young, are all
fortably fixed In our tent--a fine fire
in the stove, beds made on the ground.
Lieut. Rice met with quite an accident.
One of the men came in with a cup of
hot coffee and dropped it on his foot, he
having nothing but stocking on. 1t
will prevent HIM from walking for
while. Well. the past three days have
reminded me Of what we have often read
of revolutionary times. 1t has been
rough indeed. But it is fact that such
things are not SO bad to go through as
it seems TO read and think about it.
We are now really advancing towards
Springfield, and now that we are across
the Gasconade shall get along pretty fast.
J. p. S.