The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-04-17
Letter From the iowa seventh.

Letter From the Iowa seventh.
FRIEND Norris Believing that Iowa
would like to hear Of the whereabouts, con-
dtion and prospects Of her 7th, we win en-
deavor to keep her posted, partially at least,
if allowed space in the columns Of your ex-
cellcnt paper. Our camp is near Pittsburgh
Landing, Tenn, some ten miles above Sa.
vannah. Our situation is high and arried
there being an abundance Of excellent spring
water convenient. The weather las become
settled and Is delightful; nature is beginning
to revive from the slumbers Of a dreary win.
ter, and is being clad in her beautiful drape.
ry, and bedecking herself with gems and
wreaths of flowers As she stands forth in
all her gorgeous hues and smiles, unrivaled
in beauty, the feathered tribe gaze upon her
and the little birds become enchanted and
congregate to wonder and admire they
daily hold twittering, warbling concert, in
a beautiful leafy bower near our tent, and
the most cozy spot in the vicinity, "a plumb
thickct.) The boys appear to catch the in.
spiration the kindling eye, the Frightening
countenance, bespeaks Frightening hope
and renewal Of energy. O! the burning
patriotism in every heart. Our country, o
our country, we WHY disinthraA thee, Q,
"Dixie's land" shall drink our blood.
The general health Of the regiment is i'm.
proving. There are Is or 100000 troops
encamped here, and there will probably be
something "did" before long. "Secesh'
MUST stand from under. Our own Laumar
is confirmed Briga dier General, prou,o
ton worthily bestowed upon the "bravest o.
the brave" In accordance with Governor
Kirkwood's circular, desiring an expression
Of the field and company officers ofa reg't
in order to assist him in making appoint
ments to fill such vacancies, our officer,
met on the 9th inst, to give expression
and determine who they should recommend
az the proper man to fiII the vacancy occa,
stoned by the promotion of COL Lauman.-
On the first formal ballot, Maj. Rice received
II votes, and 1t. Col. Parrot 8, % votes
being cast whereupon Major Rice rendered
the officers his thanks for the confidence
placed in him, and stated that it was pos.
sible it would devolve upon him to recon-
mend some man for Major that he felt q
delicacy in so doing except upon the ex.
pressed preference of the officers of the reg't,
and that whoever they recommended, he
should recommend. The officers then pro.
ceeded to ballot for Major, first upon infor.
NAL, then upon formal ballot. On the first
formal ballot Capt. McMullin received ma.
jority of all the votes cast. All are jubilant,
especially the rank, in the hope that these
gentlemen will be confirmed by the Cover.
nor They are among our most brave and
efficient officers; they have proved them
selves humane, as well as brave, and look
upon poor soldier in the ranks, as man,
not machine, and trea; them accordingly
Give us officers that can feel for their fel.
lows woes and wants. For the efficiency OF
the regiment we trust Rice and McMullin
will be confirmed.
Now, to our friends in Iowa, we would
say work your political wires, so far as
State and civil officers are concerned, bu,
in the selection Of our military officers. will
yon please stand aside and give US chace
to choose, or recommend our own officers
We are in the field fighting our Oountry's
battles, and it matters not to us whether our
officers are from Desmoinc, Dubuque, Ot
tumwa, or where not, it is the men we are
after. and the right men in the right place
Soldiers are the BEST judges Of this matter
IA hint to the wise," dc.
In the event ofa company having unsus
pectingly chosen Captain who looks upon
them as fools and serfs. (himself being a
dotard and egotist,) boasts relationship
with Secretary Cameron or some other noted
fdnctlonary, conceives his identity an em-
bodyment Of Solomon and Nero combined,
and would appoint beardless boy; who had
never smelled burned powder, over the rank
Of An officer who had nohly done his duty
in more than one well contested action, and
bears honorable scars, against PRECEDENT
against the expressed will Of his company
irst because said boy was related to some
"big-body" we would suggest to the Cover
nor to prefix in his circular the word nodss'
before MOaptains." Such an instance may
never occur, but should it, the prefix might
be Of use. This is only intended as sug.
gestion.
In III our travels in the 'Lspd Of Cotton,
We have nowhere sssn school house, mol
even in = county sest. Slavery is the moth
er Of ignorance and laxiness. The country
through naturally good, looks MISERABLE and
delapidated. Jef's. menials, black and
white, are ignorant as horses. Ifany differ
ence is preceptible, 'Cuffy' appears shrewde,
than the ignorant whites. none apparently
have more than 100 words in their vocabu
larry, and talk the fiat 'tucky hoe. If ths
South were peopled fora half century by a
free, intelligent and enterprising people, i
would make one Of the best, most wealthy
ana populous countries under the sun. Blu,
this can never be while their peculiar in
stitution" exists. Wesley's summing Of the
Substitution" was correct one.
Captain Kittredge has returned. He look.
well. A SOLDIER.
Some OF the Fort Donelson Sscesh priso-
ners, confined at Chicago, have written .
laftsv ~ kbo NoShy,llo Do <r:ok ,rh;ob Al -,