Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-09-03
Communicated.
Old Town Landing, Ark, august 16, 1862.
DEAR TRIBUNE:

. ''AA' lii " o. the IfEi c.. Ill IN
: down by Steamboat, while the left win,
.. to which CO. "E'' is attached. marche,
overland Us guard for baggage train hav
ins real warm time
{ cuc chief object here appears to be cot
ton, for which parties have been sent out
until tie article has become beautiful,
4 less in this vicinity, some or 5000 bale>
having been sent up stream On the 2nl
inst, bile over in Mississippi or one O
;he5e cotton satherin1 expeditions, we
anne upor a force Of about $50 rebel.
drawn up in line neara pile Of burning
cotton 10 which onr contrabanI guides
were leading Us with our teams to get
'oaded. Co. 'E being in advance we i'm.
mediately opened FIRE on the enemy. who
returned 1t with some spirit, when it W. :
discovered that their guns were of much
iohger rance than ours. and while their
bullets whistled quite lively about our
ears, ours fell far short Of the marx. do
M little CT no damage whatever. To
remedy this evil we pus'Ie steadily for
ward hoping to get in range, b"t they fe |
bac' at C responding pace keeping the
same distance between us Co b be-
ing armed with Mimic mriskets. which arm
is Of exceeding LONG range. was then bro't
to the front when the euemy discovering
the difference fell back with much greater
a!acr:ty. Now they were driven rapidly
back keeping up a random fire for mile
or more. when it comm dark. taking all
the stock and building small fire TO i-ht
us through the oanebrake, We returned TO
camp, minus cotton. Corporal Hunter OF
/ 90. e received slight flesh wound in
-hlEhi another man va. str rs on foot
/ ~ i spent bali ha ely breaking th70u IA
the shce' no others ofour company Wete
side, but will get wei, no other casualties,
Our force cn-s-.i vas nos above l2j nan.
All acted brave!y, doing their du5y with
much coo,nass The affair sane Of at
Judge Tsuton's plantation, Coaao-,A Go,
/ Mississippi : vcr-l similar excursions
/ have been na:e ia t.l..t direction bat with
ga. trouble
Did the proceeds Of the cotton thus
zathered 20 into the Government Trearu y
no objection. would l.. made to the basi-
ness, but when this ;mpo' tant point is
yelled in Doubt, ana more til II snsp. p.ci0ns
are entertained as to who -r th. 81 crs
is our efforts, ii IS natural that freeman
should raise objections to bein.- made what
/ sccSssion.Sts terra -. band Of cotton thei-
ycs' for the -oie henefs mayhap, of q few
i.n;n, krayes holding high and re-
salaSii,le places und-, TIE government
There !. great ci,ance for speculation on
cotton .,ken in the n,ne of :nclc Sam,
and somebody i certain: sa,.ns sdsan-
age of 1t; who :!sis some! odv is is the
mystery. OF coarse it cannot he the pri-
yate so,GIe- who enlisted 10 serve h.. cuun-
try in lis hour oi' peril. r.s.ir.., lie, sad
sacrificing all the comforts of home and
friends that the Union IN. =. bc rn;, ntaiI
"a entire Who, then, are the traitors or
rather thieves Cav ti-y I-e among The
commissioned 70 lead thousands Of free
fence of oar glorious cs...e7 | fear, in
deed. they may he !: 20. alas for our dis.
trac;ed country On .oin- out for wLa;
IS termed an armed reconnaissance, the
forage train i invariably ta.cn ,.!on--
If a negro Is met the first question asked
i DO YOU know OF any cotton ahou: here
Tie second. Are there any Secesh
around p Cotton appears Of most i'm
rortance. and to fight cur country's enc
mics, As we are sworn to Go, q lhinor coa
sideration. On starting c5. on such eSfe
di;iuns the universal prayer q the 10y
is that al cotton suuat may bo III flames
: THIS matter needs speedy investigation
that the guilty ones may be brought to {
, speedy Justice
The health of this command is bad
Since leaving Helena the Brigade has a1-
, eca.cd almost man per d-y buried, sem
pie Scorr II. nf Co =" we buried today
with military honors lie was geod sol
der and deeply mouFned by his comrades
Two Of our company are now very slcI
in the reg;mental hospital, and two hav
= been sent to hospitals in =. Louis, beside
! 10 to Is in camp unfit for duty The or.
dc- fogbiddins fur.oushs is doubtless nee
! sessary, lp- could eonyaleseent soldier
q be allowed to visit their friends and |
a bronthe The invieorating Northern an
they would come out as good mea as eve
: and then return 20 their posts with renew
ed strength anl yi-or; while in this eli
!, mate. w:ta nothing bu, the army r.st;on+
Il Is d iieul; for them to regain their usC
: n strength after serious illness Dis
charges are played cut entirely. On
:. surgeons are reported TO say they VI;
i bury us all before giving any more dis
r charges. This is n wrong principle, fo
: / know men in this regiment who hay
been unfit for duty for months, and vi