Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-01-31
UUR, ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
CALIFORNIA. Mo-, Jan. 10th.

and thirty prisoners, and in the stable we have
as many horses, the property Of said prison
ers. Now as these horses are dependant OH
the government for their subsistence Colonel
Hall has wisely determined that they shall
contribute their, might in aiding us in our
work of bringing back secession scoundrels |
to justice. To this end our detachment by
the aid of our late acquisitions, has been con-
verted into sem-cavalry, for the purpose Of
scouting through this and adjoining countiesf
Last night Capt. Beach, Ed. Kirkindall, WIN
Mikesell, Henry Kessner, Billie Richards, Jim.
McC ulla, Hugh Prouty and myself returned
from q three days trip in the wilderness. Our
adventure, if not profitable, was pleasant
one We left here the 10th, at 2 o'clock P.
NJ, destined for no particular place. Our ad-
venture was one in search of secesh. and we
cared little which direction VIC took, as we felt
sure that we could not miss our game That
night we stopped on a plantation owned and
occupied by Isaac Hill. MIR. Hill ia one of a
large family, reputed to be secessionsts; ii
was, .howevtr, apparent, from Isaac's CONVEX
sat,on, that he was a quiet, inoffensive man,
and pretty well satisfied With the government
as it is, and was opposed TO all innovations
which tie Confederates might advise. Mr..
Hill does not take the "nesos papers" and
was very much surprised upon learning thai
disastrous fire had occurred at Charleston,
destroying property to the amount Of 81 ,00O,-
900. The next morning bright and early we
were ready to resume our journey, but we:e
considerably disappointed upon finding that
the Captains horse was too lame to travel.
MIR. Hill had no horses that were fit to ride,
but what were we to do? The Captain con-
c,r nc ~
enquired how far it was to j. A. Lathams'. -
Mr.. Hill replied that it was but mile and a
half, and pointed out the direction. Prouty
offered the Captain his horse, and we started
post haste for Lathams'. The information
filed against this gentleman charged him
with being a secessionist, and saying that the
Federal troops could not take him. Here the
Captain determined to get horse in place
of the one disabled. Upon our arrival we
found Latham absent; his wife said that he
had gone to Hugh Point on business. The
Captain very ingeniously made known his
| wants to Mrs. L., who strongly protested to
loaning a horse, for fear OF displeasing her
husband. The Captain was memorable, and
notwithstani ing the tears of Mrs. L. he took
the black marc, promising to return her at his
earliest convenience Thus provided for we
again resumed our journey, and at noon ar
rived a. Mr.. Faylors, in the neighborhood of
Ratliff's Mill. Mr.. I. is good Union man,
and is engaged N buying cattle for the gov
ernment. From Mr.. Taylor we got much
valuable information, and after dinner we set
out for V rsailles, the home of Mr. Deming,
formerly a partner of Captain Beach We
reached the town at o'clock r. NJ and hile
riding along the Captain recognized Mrs
Deming's mother, who was at the time car
rying In wood. He asked her if that was the
residence of Mr.. ID. She replied that it was
"Do you know me ?" said the the Captain.
81 do not" she answered. as Mr.. Dcming
at homer" mo, Sir" as his wife ?" "She
is" "Please tell her to step to the door, =
Mrs. Deming made her appearance. "What
do you want Of me? who are your" she asked,
advancing Captain was quiet. b. As she ap-
4 preached she recognized him. "Why, Ben
Beach, is that you? thought that never
would shake hands with Federal" said she,
offering him hc1 hand. From her we learned
that Mr.. Deming hid gone to Arkansas. He
is probably engaged in some illicit trade with
tie Confederate army. He had been absent
from home but week. She seemed greatly
rejoiced to think that we had missed our
game, and said that If her husband had been
at home we would not have found him, as
messenger had preceded us by three-fourths
of an hour, crying at the top of his voice,
"The Fede?als are coming, the Federals are
coming" 1t seems We may use every pre-.
caution, but still our plans are check mated
Some one is sure to communicate our APP
proach, and thus are our efforts rendered use
less. After seeing the sights to be seen at
Versailles, town that boasts of not having a
Union man in it, we left, more than ever i'm
pressed in the belief that the Missouriars are
constitutlonally towards, to allow little
squad Of Federal soldiers to drive them from
their homes, when they with clubs could have
easily captured US all. Verify, secesh in
Missouri has about played out. That night
we stopped with Col. Wood he has two sons
n Prices army, and is strong secessionist
H. owns thirty slaves; here we Jared well. -
The old gentleman gave us the best he had,
and in the morning we were somewhat sur
prised when he told the Captain that we hid
incurred no expense, and that he was satisfied
if we would 60 without molesting his proper
ty. From Col. Woods We turned our horses
heads toward California, and soon left per-
haps one of the happiest families in Missouri
made SO by our most WELCOME leave. After
ride of 20 miles we arrived in time to take
dinner at the house of one Ransbury, no.
| torous secesh, whom we are on the lookout
| for. He has once taken the oath and violated
| it his wife is an amiable woman, and seems
to regret very much her husbands impru-
dence. She informed us that so wagon loads
of corn, H. tons of hay, and horses OF
Mr. Ranshury has been confiscated by the
government Mr.. r. lives in the woods, and
dares not como home only at certain times
Capt. Beach advised Mrs. r. to try and pre-
vail upon her husband to give himself up to
the military authorities, and thinks if he
would do so that he might live at home with
out being molested. On our return we again
past Mr. Latham's land fortunately found him
at home. He explained matters, and Sid
that he would bring proof of his loyalty, and
| permitted the Captain to take the horse on to
| California. Tomorrow he will come after
her and then We will know whether or not he
is loyal citizen.
Although We brought something hcme with
US. it is evident that an occasional chase after
the devils has a neutralizing effect. Yes'er-
day the oath Of allegiance was administered
at head quarters to 100 recreant rascals. They
begin to see the error of their ways, and it
will not be long before secessionism in this
country will be utterly wiped out. Those
who refuse to take the oath are sent to jeff
erson City, and are there kept in "durance
viie' until they come to our terms. We
hear nothing of Price of late. Some say that
he is at Springfield, and others affirm that he
has gone to Arkansas; wherever he is I
think tina: he will trouble Missouri but little
longer. If at Springfield he will soon be
compelled to leave, as an expedition leaves
Rolla tomorrow Sigel commands.
Our boys are all well, and enjoying them
selves hugely. E. G. II.
A YOUTHFUL REPRoBATE.-A young lad