The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-07-12

Rsbel DaseEtsss Coming Nessh.
he " Wooden Horse at Yoyktovn-7Rs Con.

The " Woodtn Horse at Yo,ktopn-7As Con.
scriphoa.
From the N. 7. Post.
The presence in this city Of deserters from
the rebel army is not now uncommon. A few
have arrived here during the progress Of the
war, and many others are reported to be on
the way. A majority Of them are Of Northern
birth, and at the South were objects of more or
less suspicion.
Yesterday two men who have recently been
rebel soldiers came to this city from Boston,
where they arrived in the steamer Mississippi,
from New Orleans. One Of them, Andrew
Rowan, was in the Confederate service one year.
He was private in the Tenth Louisiana regi-
ment, which is now on duty at Richmond, but
escaped and travelled to Baton Rouge, and Civ
ing himself up to the Federal commandant,
obtained pass to New Orleans. The other is
named Mclean and belonged to the rebel gar.
rison Of Fort Jackson.
Rowan was at Yorktown with his regiment
when the siege by the Federal forces was in
progress, and thence endeavored to desert
He was caught, however, taken back and con-
.demned to Imprisonment in the guard house
for two months and to ride the wooden horse"
four hours each day. The rebels constructed
the machine for the special use of deserters,
1t consisted Of a pole so arranged as to be
capable of a movement like the gailoping of q
horse. The victim was placed on it with his
limbs tied and given an active ride for two
hours in the morning which was resumed in the
afternoon and the process most painful one,
regularly repeated. The number Of would be
deserters became so great, however, that al
though another instrument was afterWard
made, Rowan did not receive his full share OF
riding, for want Of time.
A second attempt to escape was successful.
Though the distance between the opposing ar
mics vas very short, Rowan thought it impos-
sible to accomplish it, and therefore went
South. He was assisted by one OF the men
on the railroad, who sometimes went IN charge
of one Of the trains and thus easily evaded the
strict guard maintained near the lines After.
ward be travelled through the rebel States, and
witnessed all the effect of the Consumption. -
Near all the towns through which he passed
there we're encampments and bodies Of men
drilling in military movements. These bodies
we're not generally very large, but there were
. vast number Of them. Passing trains con-
tanned considerable numbers Of troops, and it
was evident that the rebel armies are constant
~ receiving important additions to their
strength. a
The passage through the different towns was
attended with much danger, but about two
weeks ago Rowan reached Baton Rouge, which
was occupied by considerable Federal force
under Gen. Williams.
Arriving in New Orleans Rowan took the oath
of allegiance administered by General Buffers
Provost Marshal. He was one of the large
number of Confederate soldiers whom we have
already reported as pressing forward for that
purpose, and fully confirms the previous state
ments in relations to that matter, adding that
the deserters are coming in from all directions,
and from every considerable body Of troops,
in the rebel States. Many who desert the
ranks do not, however, reach the Union lines.
They are either caught or find places of safety
among the people.
Of thirty who left the Tenth Louisiana reg
ment at Yorktown, with Rowan, all were lost
sight Of by him, and he is not aware that any
Of them reached New Orleans, where they en-
listed. But the fact that be travelled princi-
pally by rail, while they had no such advan-
tage is asuf6ciett explanation of their non ap-
pearance at the time when he sailed on the
MississDni a few DAYS apo