The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-06
For the Gate City j

/ lDcldenls VI our downward trip, Iaus-
ing at Memphis sfew hours, the several
companies were permitted 10 deploy upon
an excursion Of sightseeing in and about
the city. In the meantime Col. Mellow
ELL Lieut. Gel Corse ana e,hcr officers
old acqnaintances-came aboard, with
whose familiar faces and good cheer We
we're delighted. / cannot now notice
these gentlemen as my feelings would
dictate, but ! must say that a. vehe-
ment and capital talker the Colonel Ger.
taiuly cannot be surpassed. portly and
in the pride of his strength and the heat
of his ambition, he impresses every one
Immediately with the conviction that he
is eminently adapted to command. Quick
and decisive and strong he must be equal,
one would think, to any emergency tina,
might arise in the hurry and scitemen,
of conflict with the enemy. Ii was
with reluctance We broke our short nc
quaintance and parted perhaps forever
Some day we may devote letter 10 Mem
iphis, but We must pass for the present.
We landed at Helena Thursday night
and found lodgment on terra frma on
Friday about. mile above town on the
bank OF the river, without other casualty
than morbid appetites for something bet
| ter than "hard bread" and desire to rest
agai upon the bosom of mother earth
| The MnnelIaha is fine boat, and Capt.
| White, its commander, It generous and
spirited man, who gave up every
thing TO the soldiers, and even fed the
Es,ck from the delicacies Of his own table,
but most Of the men, of course, had to
remain on deck and upon the guards by
night and by day, and do but simple
justice in saying that for many Of the
| boys the trip was hard one. Let sym
pathetic and admiring people know and
appreciate the soldiers privations and
suherings The humble boon is all be
asks, and one which be certainly deserves.
We pass, and now, sir, for rebellion prop
er.
We are here upon the northeastern
out-skirt of the encamped army of tht
South West Within circumference oil
some twelve miles are gathered twenty
thousand soldiers, ready Cor the conflict
and eager to avenge our country's wrongs
When the opportunity will be offered viii
depend propably upon the conduct of the
rebels and the rise of the river In the
meantime you NAV count upon more thor
ough preparation tor the work to which
We are assigned. The 18th arrived to
day. and took quarters some three miles
west Of town. They are a proud regi
ment, and led by gallant commander
and We shall wait to hear a good repor
} from them. Yesterday | made vi.it Il
> the Iowa 4th Cavalry, brigaded with tn,
Iowa 9th and other regiments under Col
Vandeyer acting Brigadier. After a shor
! interview with some old friends, whom
, found we'll generally and in good spirits
! rode up to squad Of twenty rebels set
ting upon their ponies-they seem to hav
no horses-under half dozen white flagf
, who had come in the evening before wit
. some prisoners for ex change. Here wer
E at last some of the veritable Texas Ran
0 gers about whose devil-daring and cruelt
we had heard so much Of Irode aroun
them with mute wonder and curiosity an
finally enquired of one "How long hav
you been in the war;" "About min
months" Where do you live when
} home "In Texas" How do you lik'
{. the service 81 don't like it. / thin
VIC could be doing better work than KILN
each other" We were happy and pros
. porous nation, said I, and would it nj
!: have been better for US to have rename
a united and great people2 eyes, if
At this moment peculiar shout and con
!, motion in the rear interrupted our col
: versation, and | turned my horse jul
in time to see an old government WACO
turned over emptying its contents in il
j. teresting profusion upon the ground.
! belonged to the rebels and was before Il
J suffers tent Of the Iowa 9th, and vi
loading preparatory for its departure Il
! rebeldom. The exchange Of prisone
IS having been effected, Col. Vandsver ha'
T out of courtesy, consented to allow Il