The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-04-11
From the Regular Army.

RECRUITING RENDEZVOUS. 18th I. S. Inf.
Batavia, y. u, March 81, 1862
To the Editor Of The Colelonian
A skip from Iowa. in the third week of
March, where ard when there were two feet of
snow, to Chicago, where there was none, and
then jump to western New York, where
there is six inches,-al this | must stick in
my note book as incidents of journey of
7G5 miles, ride of thirtv-six hours. Not
very important is this, to be sure, but it
shows diversity of climate not to be expect
ed in SO narrow range Of latitude. \ year
ago in February happened to be penned up
, in Galena, lll.-and let one stay in that city
of lead q few months and he wW feel penned
up in body and soul-we were blessed with a
snow storm serenity hours in duration. Thir-
| ty-six of these seventy the snow fell rapidly,
and the remaining time it fell lightly, and at
! the end of that time there were three feet of
new snow upon the ground. Now how was
it at Chicago, 100 miles west. and only few
south? Why, in that time there fell only
four inches, and that did not stay two days
On the first of this month, in Dubuque, Iowa,
twelve miles from Galena, about eighteen in
ches of snow fell. "A big snow storm. At
Chicago, in the same time, fell two or three
inches. In the summer of 1859 there was a
very dry time in the vicinity of Chicago and
grain suffered much. On the Mississippi riv-
err in the same latitude there was much more
rain, and very perceptible difference might
be noticed in favor of tie grain there. Dur
ing the following summer, but comparatively
little rain fell on the Mississippi, and the
grass suffered badly. In the vicinity of Chi
cago so much rain fell that the grain was
badly beaten down, and of course the farmers
grumbled at the rain, as much as they did at
The drought the summer before but the far
mers in n. w. Illinois, S. w. Wisconsin,and
over the river in Iowa, were growing for a
contrary reason. Indeed, in the summer Of
1860 there was marked difference in the a.
mount of rain that fell, in much narrower
limits. Galena was nearly dried up-I don,
wonder while thirty miles north, near the
Platteville Mounds, rain was more abundant
Why thunder showers should have such an
affection for the Father of Waters one year
and the next leave him for the sandy beach
of Lake Michigan, is more than your humble
correspondent can account for.
Though there is diversity in climate, in
New York, Illinois and Iowa, there is none
i. in the eagerness for news from Island No
> 10. ut Dubuque man took up the morn
ing paper to seek the answer to the question
is Island No. 10 taken yet?" At Chicago
? if Island No. 10 was not taken, the paper
was laid down in disgust. And here in New
York if, by reference to the daily paper, it is
known that Island No. 10 is still in rebe
. hands, no other Geographic news is import
ant. "Any news this morning." NO" ant
the interrogation goes off, knowing that Islant
No. 10 is not taken YET and the newsboy.
; may yell in his ears, "Herald, sir? till the,
: split their throats: there is no news in it
Everybody is mad at Island No TO- "Wha
in thunder are Pope and Foote up to-" Tit
4 fact is, Columbus and Nashville and Bowl
r ing Green went SO easy that We think ISLAND
: No. 10 is very impertirent for not surrender
ing as gracefully.
: came by the Lake Shore route, and i,
Ohio saw some fearfully tenacious looking