Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-09-17
From Arkansas.


SbiTmiSh.ng, etc
ICor. dependence of the Chicago Tli5ssne7
OLD Town LANDING, Ark, Aug. 10 1862
On the 2Sth Of July, Col Hovey of the
23d Illinois infantry, commanding the
second brigade of Gen. Steeles division,
then at Helena was ordered to have his
brigade ready to march by land and
steamboats, in two hours, and to report in
person to Gen. Curtis for further orders.
The brigane consisted of the SD Him
OILS infantry, Normal regiment) llth Wis
consin infantry, LIST Missouri and 10th
Ohio batteries of artillery and two com
panies of the 9th Illinois cavalry As US
ual with this brigade, 1t was ready at the
hour and the Infantry on steam boats, and
the artillery, cavalry and transportion
wagons on shore. were pushing along
south into the land Of cotton. Sun down
and twenty miles travel brought us to Old
Town Landing. on the banks of the father
of waters, iii Arkansas
y couple of busy days sufficcd to get
our camp in order to initiate the men in
to their new enterprise Gathering cotton.
And though it has been often said that
white men could not gather cotton and
live, our hoys have nailed that falsehool
to the counter by Gathering some $4,000
WI 49, tta4'a iAtb 'fi4 iAh bit 4bphill8 81
healthy as to surprise the southerners
who have seen them.
Our first lot Of cotton came from the
plantation OF the notorious Matt Ward
the murderer of But er. Matt seems in
stinctiyely to have known that there were
schoOl-mastcrs about, for the Normal
boys had hardly got their camp in order
before in giided Matt with Gen Curtis
Safeguard in his pocket! We took
his cotton, nevertheless, aud he must set
tie his claim aud loyalty together
But 900 much detail Will make this let-
ter too long. Enough that Col Hovev is
a working man; but he soon gathered
all the baled cotton iii the vicinity, and
ginned and pressed great deal which
was found lying around loose and that
he thus began 60 extend his cotton field
into the Mississippi We had TWO steam
ers, and part Of the time three, at our
service Their fires were like that in the
valley of Gehenna-they never went out
Soldiers, cannon, horses, mules and wag-
ons were loaded on these time after time
and frequently at midnight; and hurried
down the Mississippi TO Il point conven-
lent to some hidden pile of cotton, known
only II the rebel owner. a tey faithful
slaves, and Col Hoyey. The nearest
neighbors were frequently astounded to
learn that any cotton near them had eS-
capped the fire. How in the name Of
God, inquired one of them do you know so
well about that of which have nothing p
'Bv knowing another thing of which you
appear to know nothing" was the reply
-'the trGe character of the Negro"
The Mississippians at length showed
fight and we'll disciplined body of
riacmen hung always on our skirts, and
several times gave us the contents of their
rifles How they fought viii now be seen.
On one occasion they stole up ike as
Sassins upon n Clubhouse, fired three
balls into Henry Hays, company c, SD
Illinois, and then fled. Hayes, though
badly hurt, Is recovering,
Or the second dav of August a consii-
cradle skirmish occurred in Cohoma coun-
~, Miss, about nine miles from the river,
at SunHower Landing, in which the enc
my, though superior in numbers, We're
defeated
The forces on our side engaged were
parts Of companies +, X and B of the / It'll
( Wisconsin infantry; part of company X
of the 23d Illinois, and part Of com
pany of the 5th Illinois, cavalry, all en-
gagged amounting 10 not more than eighty
men. The euemv's force was near poo.
well mounted, well drilled, and armed
( with Maynards rifles of very long
range
/ Our little force was ont accommodating,
I by order of Col Hoyev. The cavalry
I which was IN advance, was first fred on By
+ the euemys pickets They were armed
I only with pistols, and finding the range
+ too short fell back
Capt Whittlesy of the Wisconsin It'll,
I who was in command OF our force sent
I company X of the 23d ahead deploved
+ as Skirmishers, the balance of the force
following rs 4 reserve. They soon came
+ up with the enemy IN force, and pitched
/ into him. But the rebels took advantage
/ of the longer range of their guns, and
+ endeavored to regulate their distance ac-
/ covdingly. Capt w then sent forward
such companies as were armed with rihed
muskets, 20 take the place of those who
I had been fighting with old United States
muskets The result was soon manifest
ed in the flight of the rebels, and the final
dispersion in the eancbrakes. Casualties on
our side were: Three men wounded, (all
( of the llth,) and none of them mortality
/ On the enemy's side, one man killed, two
mortality wounded and ten badly wound
/ ed
While this fight was in progress, other
parties, of Col Hovey's command had
! loaded the boats with other cotton. all re-
turned TO camp at Old Town next morn
ing.