Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-01-24
Editorial Correspondence.

this point. Orders were received by Col.
Murphy of the 9Th Wisconsin Thursday
evening, to get his regiment together and
hold himself in readiness to march at an
hours notice. This looks like business.
tits also understood that several regiments
have been ordered from Benton Barracks.
to 20 down the river, all of which taken in
connection with the intelligence we have
from Cairo, points to that locality as the
one to which these troops are to be sent.
Col Murphy and his men are anxiously
and momcntarily expecting further orders
and hoping that they may be relieved at
once Of the tedium of life they have been
enduring for the last SIX weeks We hope
they may be gratifed in this respect, for
certain it is that they are dragging out
miserable existence here doing nothing,
beyond drawing their rations, except guard
the bridges on the Iron Mountain Rail
Road. and by their presence hold in check
all unfriendly demonstrations on the part
of rebel citizens There is a much larger
force here than is necessary for these pur
poses, and besides that, this do nothing
policy" is not one for which Wisconsin men
are particularly adapted. They are hear
tily sick of this species of warfare. They
are live men and therefore would prefer to
do live business.
TIE Sth is now in good fighting order.
The three companies, which were away
guarding the railroad bridges, returned
Friday and the regiment is now full. The
boys are delighted wi h the idea of tramp
and say that marching orders cannot come
moment too soon. Some new pants
were received this morning which are to
be distributed among the men most poorly
clad and will give the regiment a more re-
spectacle appearance. They are in funds
now, also, which shows that Uncle Sam is
not unmindful of tt interests of his boys
-.s5rs.'Ass mo "drr1es. Inc fore
part of this week Pay Master Cheney was
here and paid off both regiments. 1t took
$4,000 to 60 round and was mostly in
Government bills. Specie was only paid
when necessary in making change.
| believe | said something in one of my
former letters about the roughness Of the
country here. How people manage to live
cannot imagine. Such land as that in
this vicinity would not sell in Wisconsin
for FIVE dollars an acre. Lresume | have
seen only the poorest and least valuable
portion of the State, hope SO, also. for
the credit Of Missouri for if what has
come under my observation is fair sam
pie of the rest, then indeed, have we all in
Wisconsin been taught to believe that Mis-
souri,. for agricultural purposes, is better
State than she really is. | was out in the
country the other day some thirty or forty
miles from here, and thought perhaps
should see better country, but not sin
gle good farm did | come across. You
don't find a neat, comfortable, good farm
house in days ride; or at least | did
not. in the direction | went, but did see
any quantity of them that looked like des-
truction, and in Wisconsin would hardly
be accounted as fit for barns. Another
thing | could not fail to observe and that
% ha Of T
not seen one outside of St Louis ''Thqts
,chdts The matter" nth Missouri today =
Too much negro and too few school heus-
es are what has brought her and other
slave holding States where they are nov
The masses OF the people are ignorant and
are led on by the few smart, designing
demagogues that are always to be found
in every community. If there was no such
thing as SLAVERY in Missouri, and school
houses were substituted f r her slave pens,
the people here would get along well
enough. But now they are anything but
prosperous, enlightened or happy.
have been somewhat amused, and dis
gusted too, at the manner some men here
have in dealing with the Government. /
allude now to citizens of this place whose
property 1t became necessary for the troops
to take possession of when they encamped
here. OF course. these men should be
paid for the use of the same. but when we
see them claiming three or four times the
amount they Should, it naturally excites
ones risibilties. For instance The en-
campment of the two regiments is upon
plot of ground that has never been en-
closed and perhaps occupies forty or fifty
acres in all, including the parade ground,
and the owner thereof presented bill
few DAYS ago of fifty dollars FIR the use of
il one month. For vacant building
about IA by 20 feet on the ground and a
story and a half high, which would be dear
enough to buy at IS dollars. taken posses
sion of and used as a guard house. the
svnor demanded so month. | might
epumerate other cases of similar nature
which happened to come to my knowledge,