Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-05-16
avar Correspondence.
St. Louis, May 7th, 1862.

St. Louis, May 7th, 1862.
j. T. MoAK:
Dear Sir Il promised to jot you
down whatever Of interest occurred on my
journey to and from the government grave
yard at Shiloh. find less time and incli-
nation for such amusement than I antici-
pated.
But little has yet occurred worthy Of
note, and in writing of that little | must
be brief. Soon after leaving you and
King Lears' prayer meeting in Chicago,
our party, consisting of Genl Wadsworth,
Doct. Weleott and others, thirty-fve in all,
left the fremont for the St. Louis depot.
We were soon slowed away, sardine fash
ion, in the sleeping car, which Gen. W.,
with commendable foresight, had Sc cured
for our benefit. At II IL P. NJ. we sped
away, lightning express, for Dixie, and
from thence until 6 A NJ were oblivious
to all the surroundings. At s "a. NJ. we
breakfasted at Springfield, taking the land
lord, who was none other than our old
friend Mosely, of Oak Grove, completely
by surprise, after the most approved mill
itary style, there being two mouths on our
he felt worse about it than we did how
ever, we managed to satisfy the cravings
of nature. Time was called and we were
again aboard, moving en-" to the
cred harvest of death" The scenery
soon began to change. We left woods ma
ked and sere here the trees wero in full
leaf and the peach and apple orchards, and
the wild flowers, were all in bloom. At
II NJ. we run into the sand opposite St.
Louis and were soon ferried over the
treachorous Mississippi. After the usual
provoking delay, fret, and furry, we reach
ed the landing, getting the sanitary stores
safely over and piled on the levee, Mr.
Sprague Of our city rendering essential SER
vice. The Sam Gaty, chartered by Gov.
Salemon for hospital purposes, was up the
river and not expected to arrive till P.
NJ. She came on time, heavily laden with
government stores, and ours are now load
ed ready for start. We shall not get
away before 10 A. M. Tomorrow if we do
then. Everything seems to- move Slow
| am not accustomed to this manner Of do
ing business. They make more fuss and
noise in moving little produce here than
they would in moving thrice the amount in
our northern cities. The motive power is
mule, whip-l and cursing-no steam, ne
labor-saving machinery-alI muscle and
brute force,
We went aboard of the Gaty as soon as
she arrived, sought our rooms and attempt
ed to rejuyenate a little, but tba5 was out
Of the question. The boat is G rickety,
tumbledown concern, and is as likely to
run to the bottom as on the surface of the
water. Besides this, it is dirty and foul,
and the pro7ender served up upon it such
as would vomit a respectable dog The
water for drinking and washing purposes is
taken from the river and resembles second
quality of tavern coffee. The boat, I con-
clude, must be one of the military ne
cessities we hear about of late
St. Louis is frantic with business, the
government operating very extensively in
a commercial way. run across Quarter
master A. 0. Hall, Of Barstow's cavalry,
who was experimenting the leading of the
Sioux City, bound for Fert Leavenworth,
with portion of that regiment. Captain
off and company went up three days ago.
Mr.. Hall seemed to be at ease and capable
OF discerning some order and efficiency in
the Babel-Gke confusion around him, but
to one uninitiated, it was extremely chaot-
ic. We went aboard of the old Essex this
morning, She has been heightened some
forty feet and is now being planked and
sheeted A number of 40 inch eolumbi-
ads weighing 1000 pounds each, were al
ready on board. think she is pierced for
twelve. They had a terribly destructive
and convincing look.
Our medical staff and stores are ample,
and we hope to leave in the morning and
be able to make glad the hearts of the IN
fortunates in camp. When We get down
to where our army is painting " hell on the
sky SO terrifcally, will write you again
providing | have opportunities for sending
my letters through, Yours &c,
S. BAIRD.
From the First Wisconsin Cava Try.
CAMP HALLECK,
| Cana Guardian Nov 1850