The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-12-23
Yours, Il C.,
JED LAKE.
CAMP AT WATERFORD, Miss. Dec ii $50

CAMP AT WATERFORD, Mss, Dec. IA, 80
FRIEND Rich Since l last wrote YOU
from Hurricane Greek, we have been on
the move. Our division has been sub
divided, and the commander of the right
wing OF the army Of the Mississippi has
been sent to another post. On the 10Th
inst, Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman, an
nounced to the whole column tina, he
had been assigned to a new command,
that required him to return to Memphis,
but he hoped to meet us again at Vicks-
burg, till then he bid us farewell. We
supposed then that our other army rela-
tons would remain unchanged, but the
next morning Brig. Gen. Lauman an
nounced TO us that he had been ordered
TO new division, and that the eth To-
wa would move TO Waterford as soon as
practicable, and report to Col. Dubois,
at Holly Springs. The Colonel has gone
to-day to report. What our destination
is we do no. know, but the pI aspect is
that we will be set to guarding bridges
on the Central Mississippi R. R. We
are now on the railroad seven miles from
Holly Springs, and four miles from the
Tallahatchie. The 103d Illinois and the
18th Indiana, are also here, and | un.
derstand the 117th Illinois is TO report
here. We may be put into a brigade
again and move IN soma direction differ
ent than we now suppose, but the pros.
pect before US, with the peculiar state of
the country around, renders it almost
certain TO us, that our duties will be the
inglorious but very important, of pre-.
venting the rebels from destroying the
railroad. One thing. however, is certain,
we will be likely to receive news from
home if we stay here. As is, our re o,
iment have not received any news since
we left Cairo, on the Goth ult, except
what we got by visiting the 9Th Iowa.
| also understand that our mail has been
sent by way of Memphis. If that is the
case we will have TO wait until it is sent
back TO Columbus, Kentucky, and thence
to Corinth. There is no communication
with Memphis any other way unless by
a large armed force. Thieves, rebels,
bandits and guerrillas, infest that coun.
try, both in and about the city. Ii is a
| place of so much Importance, that
should suppose our army would open
and keep open communication with il by
railroad, to Grand Junction.
The country around Waterford is
mighty poor. The ancient landmarks OF
the proprietors OF the soil, which consist.
ed principally of ten rail fences, have
disappeared. Ancient stables, sheds aud
outhouses, are fast going the same road.
You see an unoccupied building to-day,
in good repair. To morrow the doors
are gone, then the floors, next the siding,
then the roof, and In a short time the
frame has all gone to cook the pork and
beef, and boil the coffee, OF the Yankee
soldiers. Foraging in this part is quite
different from that at Chuluhoma, where
wrote you from some three weeks ago.
There neither the rebel or Union army
had been in large force till the time oil
our advent, and forage was plenty with
in our lines. Here Prices whole army
were stationed for several weeks. Then
Grants army lay here awhile, and for.
age within five or six miles is rather
scarce. But every day sees from Eve TO
ten teams, and from thirty to sixty men,
from each regiment, 60 out foraging un.
der the direction of the quartermasler.
They have some ways TO so, but gener-
ally return well laden with corn and fOd.
der, and in the bottom of the wagon ii is
not strange TO find few dead hogs,
chickens, sheep. turkeys, DC, or bar,
rel of sugar, molasses, or salt. Freq uent.
y it also happens that the expedition re-
turns accompanied by several fine con
trabands, who are Immediately set at
work to do the cooking and drudgery