Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-11-21

LETTER NUHBER v.

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\ LETTER NUMBER v.E9ge0 = 9
I{Ll CoRINTH, Miss, Nov. Z, 1862.
There is probably no other place in tn
world so rife with all manner Of rumors as
large military camp, hence it is prudent t
believe none Of the stories that circulate rela
tive to an advance of the enemy, the move
ment Of troops, and battles being or about Il
Ebe fought. oweyer it is certain that larg'
force IS now out for some purpose, but whithel
they have gone, or what special object they
design to accomplish, is perhaps unknown t
every one lower in rank than a division com
mander
Much has been done of late about remova
Of the quartermsster's stores, shops, &C., from
this place to jackson, Tennessee. But as we
have heard nothing from Lieut.. Eaton, post
quar- er master, in regard to it, feel disposed
to set it down amorg the other idle rumors,
which are constantly afoat amongst govern.
ment clerks, soldiers and mechanics. In
view Of the situation Of things here in that
department, one would think that the object
to- be attained must be very important one
! to render such a removal necessary, and pro-
ductive ofgood to the government and its
cause. The quartermaster's store-houseis is a
building 400 feet long by 60 wide, situated
near enough to the rail road to make trans.
fer of goods from the cars a very easy matter,
and is usually well filled with all the various
stores belonging to that department, though
there are from twenty to thirty large wagon
loads taken away daily. ,,.l.-+r. i-.
The repair shops near by, are sufficiently
extensive to afford constant employment to
about one hundred and thirty hands, such as
wagon makers, ambulance builders, trimb,ers,
harness makers, blacksmiths and shoers and
there are now scores and hundreds of cd
army wagons and ambulances awaiting their
turn-including an acre or so of captured
secesh vehicles, which it certainly could not
be considered idolatry to worship, they being
like nothing else on earth, in the sea, or in
the waters under the earth. '"-+
The superintendent, Capt. Win. Meyers,
has things so systematized and arranged that
an old wagon or ambulance no matter how
badly broken, can be put in excellent running
order on the shortest notice. ThIs,it will be
seen that a removal would necessarily be at
tended with enormous expense. However
it is lamentabIe fact that military men and
government officials generally have no regard
for expenses, often expending vast sums which
result in no good to the government, or any
one but themselves. r..G ia
Happening in the camp of the "Pioneer
Contraband Corps few evenings since, one
Of the officials "a Muscatine county MANI in
formed me that there was to be contraband
wedding at eight O'clock, and invited me to
remain and witness the ceremony. A large
wall tent, occupied as head quarters by the
Captain, had been cleared of all superfuous
fu, niture and illuminated by four adamantine
candles. The front of the tent had been
thrown open and as the hour approached
crowd of the interested and curious congre-
gated on the open ground in front of the tent.
In due time party of the sable sons and
daughters of Africa, marched in pairs across
the camp avenue between their own quarters
and those of the officers, and entered the
back tent or Captains kitchen, where they
made the necessary preliminary arrangements
and awaited, for a few moments, the arriva | of
the chaplain of the 63d Ohio, who had been
engaged to unite the anxious pair in holy
wcdlock's silken bonds. The chaplain arriv-
ing, accompanied by several other officers,
took his position Immediately inside the tent,
when walters number two stepped in from the
back tent, followed by walters number one,
who in turn were followed by the future hus-
band and wife. The ceremony was performed
n very solemn and impressive manner, and
apparently to the great satisfaction Of the
motley crowd of spectators, composed of Off
GERS, soldiers and citizens-white men, black
men and black womon. The bridegroom,
Thomas, was medium, sized, jet black 1indi-
yidual, with heavy suit of bushy hair, white
teeth and beardless face, and was apparently
as we'll pleased with himself and his cireum-
stances as heart could desire. The bride,
Lucy, was we'll formed, dignifed and withal
rather good looking qnadroon girl, whose
hair was long and staight enough to admit Of
.'putting up" with comb, in q knot, at the
back of her head. The whole party was
much better attircd than expected to see
them under circumstances Of camp life, and
the thousand attendant privations and incon-
veniences. ErRaEa & y Sd
The ceremony over, they came out into
the bright moonlight, and forming large CIR
Gle, wbiled away the hours gaily on the Eight
fantastic toe," infinitely to the qualification of
participants and beholders, while all around
the large circle, within hearing Of the music,
were little private side dances, performed by
one or two together, on old endgates Of wag-
ons, &c. VI 9.Ioaa -. "a
When left them, it was with the impress
sion that they were, in the language OF a.
Ward, "gay and festive" throng as one
need wish to see. z..ee.J o. =.
!. Iowa News. 7-
HOMICIDE. Reem,. Of Knoxville,
Marion county, member of the aad regi-
ment, was shot and killed at Oskaloosa, on
the night of the 10th inst, by Alfred H.
Bowen. Itappears that Reem happened to
be passing the house Of Bowen just at the
time when mob was assaulting it with
stnnes when R0vven suoposinp him to be one