Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-06-20


time, have been discharged, and others have
been sent to hospitals down the river. In
the field there appears to be but few cases Of
sickness in the hospitals. The farmers in
this region are now cutting their grain, which
seems to be rather light this year. OF the
state of agricultural pursuits here, their con.
dition may be imagined when tell you what
saw a few days since. The field hands
grading their grain with common grain
cradle and sweeping the grain from the fin
gers with their hands. They seemed to un.
derstand the use Of. the implement about as
well as did the Spaniard the use Of candle
shutters; picking up a pair, shutting the can.
die with his fingers and shutting the snuff
up in the snuffer box, at the same time re.
marking "what ingenious contrivances those
Yankees do have" The farming utensils are
Of the rudest and simplest kind. The dwell.
ings are constructed Of logs, and what boards
that are used for floors, doors, and the like,
are generally split slabs The ehimneys are
built Of sticks and mud. The house general,
consists Of two compartments, connected by
the roofing. In this open space, between the
what might be termed two buildings, at noon
you may see the family gathered around
their table and enjoying their dinner in the
the shade, and yet out of doors. Usually
nigh the buildings are peach orchards, which
are bearing beautifully the present year
Generally there arc one or more dogs around
the premises; low, stiff-hared looking ours,
looking as though they were i'll used and
worse fed. OF the stock of the farmers, they
really have none that can be called such. A
few sheep which at this season are poor look
ing, and by a sheep grower would not be
considered as worth keeping over. From
their appearance, l should not judge them to
be good shearers. Their cattle are also of
poor quality, little care being used in select
ing color, size or shape. There arc but few
cows kept, and those are poor mixers. The
hogs are not to be compared with the west
crn races. They 60 about the woods half
starved, getting scanty subsistence through
the summer until fall, when they are fattcn-
cd upon acorns, which grow in abundance in
these parts. There is but very few planta-
tons here. You 60 through the woods for a
long distance guided by bride path which
at length leads to a plantation, and then you
pass on into dense forests or open timber,
through which you can ride for an hour or
more, and see no signs Of human life.
One year ago to-day, the Third Iowa were
sworn into the United States service, and
soon after entered Missouri and commenced
the active duties Of a soldiers life. There
are few regiments in the Western army that
have seen more service than has ours, and
the prospect now seems to be that ours will
be in active service until we are discharged.
There is to be no time for idlcness in the ar
my in this region. There are too many i'm
portant places to be occupied, and somewhere
an army that must be whipped or driven in
to the Gulf. What our present destination
is u be, am unable to inform you, but ap-
pearance seems to indicate that we may travel
toward Memphis. We have several engines
running over the road from Cerinth west
ward to bridge which has been destroyed.
ST. CHARLES.
P.S. The report this evening is that Sher-
mans and Hurlbut's Divisions arc to proceed
to Memphis. A road through swamp,
some three miles in width, west of us is being
built, also a bridge across the Tuscumba
river, and when these are finished, which
will be in few days, we shall doubtless pro-
coed on our march. ST.. G.