The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-09-10

board the IhoS. Il. Tuu. nothing OF
especial interest on the trip. Passengefs
discussing the probability of the boa: being
fred into by the Guerrilla rebels, but nos
body died of their fears. Stopped few
minutes at Cairo and Paducah-hefe entef;
ed the Tennessee river, and it is q most
beautiful stream, the river banks being
quite regular in their outline and covered
right down to the waters edge, even Dip
ping the limpid waters with their ovcrhangs
ing boughs Of freshness.
The banks are usually so low that they
overflow during high water; and that ae-
counts for there being only now and then
an opening up to the rivers edge,-theri
you may see small low house usually I'M:
painted, with low chimney standing up
against the end Of the building.
Paducah, Ky, is pretty large village:
The buildings look old and out Of taste,
and as whole The town bcspeaks general
supineness. Gen. Smith, under Fremont;
fortified this place in advance OF the rebels
who were marching forward for the same
purpose.
Lo! we are almost up to Pittsburg Land.
ing. Here is the stream where SO many Of
eur poor soldiers were drowned while try
ing to cross over during that awful 9th Of
April, 1s62,-there you see the carcass Of
a mule or horse that was drowned, floating
about. We land and pass up the pebbIy
bank; see the tenting ground, and few
z, ayes Of our brave soldiers. Here you
see thousands of sacks of oats and corn
lining the river bank, which has been spoil:
ed through exposure and negligence; but it
belongs to Uncle Sam and as rule nobody
cares. Here you see where Gen. Buel
crossed his army over just in time to save
the Union army from falling into the care Of
that adroit Gen. Bcauregard-there stitch
in time saved more than its nine. The
main battle was fought about three miles
back of here.
We pass up about six miles and We land
at Hamburg, it being a better landing than
Pittsburg. Upon the first river bottom
you find about 20 acres cleaned of as
smooth as a fair ground; this is used as .
kind Of public square and storage ground.
Upon the second fiat you find the small
village of Hamburg Most all the buildings
are one story and not but few painted
quite portion Of them log. The town
must haze fallen into dilapidation even be-
fore the war; not much regularity except
upon Main street. One small dingy COLOR
ed church, though not used as such now.
Most Of the inhabitants left about the time
Of the Pittsburg battle. The buildings are
used as quarters for officers, soldiers, and
different Offices, store houses, &c.
Spent three days here, then started with
a four mule team for Rosencrans' head
quarters, miles east from Corinth and %
miles from here in southerly direction
After passing just out of town we came
upon the corduroyed road, there being six
or seven miles of this kind between here
and Corinth. 1t is made by laying rails,
small poles, timbers, limbs, &C., across
stringers laid upon the ground. There is
two roads nearly parallel to each other;
one used for out teams and the other for in
teams. This road was made after the
Pittsburg battle, while going upon Corinth
from this way. About three miles out and
you emerge into an opening, say 40 acres |;
trees formerly girdled, some standing with
dead branches just ready to fall.
The fences all rsil-have been mostly
taken for the roads. You see perhaps .
small log house so open you could throw
cat though the walls, with perhaps a six
lighted window or two, an opening in tho
gable end answering to window for the
chamber; cotton house, or rather an
open shed, built by setting large round
posts, say 10 in. through, into the ground
about 7 feet high, then putting round plates
and beams upon these posts, and pinning
the corners these timbcrs to the top of the
posts, then putting on cheap, not shaved,
shingle roof-the lower part open. A pig
stye large enough for two pigs, perhaps {.
log corn crib that will hold two loads Of
corn. The above constitutes q southern
cotton plantation, where the darkies dance
to 'de fiddle an dc bow" What cotton
plantation A spcndid plantation way
down in Tenn, 40 acres half cleared land,
building not worth Is cents to northern
man, and now you have it. Though there
are, am told, some large plantations in
some sections, and few good houses and
conveniences. The largest plantation I
saw for distance of 25 miles, had 100
acres Of partially cleared land, common
farm house, though not tasty like well. to-do
farmers houses north-poor out buildings.
There were 13 slaves attached to this plan
tation short time since; half or more of
them went into the army. A few days
since some Of them went back and would
have killed the planter, but for the timely
aid Of an officer who happened to be there.
This is strictly a timbered country, gent
y undulating; usually good soft water
Timber in this section mostly oak, and some
elm and beach some sections large pines.
Not any roads that have been kept up by
law in this section; consequently poor
roads and no bridges. This section Of tho
country looks as though the people had
squat upon their land made roads from
opening to opening, and had very little re-
gard to survey, either in roads or the out
lines Of their fields, or anything else. In