Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-04-30

had several balls shot through his hat, but
was not hurt The rebel force was about
one hundred. They lett all their camp
ecu page behind, which was taken by our
troops, together with a considerable
amount of forage, which our army very
much needs. They may make stand at
Pocahontas. Ii is rumored they have
quite a force there. But as our regiment
IS in the second division, we will not get
the first chance at them. 1t may be some
time before We get as tar as that. We will
probably go as far as Donophan and stay
there awhile / wish we could move along
faster, and do what we have to do before
the extreme hot weather comes. fear it
may go hard with us, bat we must De con
tent to take things as they come
h re orr army may succeed in taking
Isla, No. 10 soon, for then it will take
bat little time to Gear the Mississippi
down as far as the Arkansas river, and
then we can get our supplies by water.
Il will he almost impossible to get supplies
enough through from Pilot Knob to Ar
kansas with mrle teams) to subsist our
army OF eight or ten thousand n,en. We
might find plenty of contraband provis-
ions, but that we can hardly expect.
We have had splendid weather since we
left Pilot Knob have had but one storm
of rain, and that was a heavy thunder
shower last Thursday mght. Ii has made
everything look green. The grass is grow
irg nicely, and will soon afford plenty OF
feed for our teams. Peach trees are in
full bloom, while the forest generally
looks nice and green.
Our march thus far has not been as hard
as we expected. The country is very hill
y, but we found plenty Of good water.
The streams are nice clear water, with
pebbly bottoms. and an old resident CT this
place says the roads and water are Just
as good from here to Pocahontas. He
says the route we are to take will avoid
the swamps we so much feared. BY the
way | must tell you bit Of this mans
history with the rebels. In the first place,
he Is strong Union man, and | should
Judge, had been quite a leading man in
this part of the country, and for that rea-
son they have tried their best to get him
out OF their way. He has proved to be
too smarS for them so far.
One evening last summer, about nine
O'clock, while sitting on the porch of his
house every log house here has porch)
with his hat, coat, and boots of, he heard
in the distance the CHATTER of horses feet,
and suspecing what might be up, ran
around behind his house with his son.
Very som about two bundled cavalry
were paraded before his door. He heard
them 10 his house, thea in the barn, aud
thinking it time for him to leave, started
{, + Tie woods. aud succeeded in escaping
to Pilot Knob. You can judge his feet
were sore, after travelling about sixty miles
barefoot over this rough country. He LETT
large family at home, and did not hear
from them tor more than two months.
The rebels DESTROYED fifty head of fine cat
tie and all his crops. But he is paying
them off now. He is a perfect terror to
them, is acquainted with the whole c0un-
try, and leads the Indiana cavalry where
they make good strike every time. They
took a secesh captain the other day (who,
by the way, was hard looking customer),
aud they could hardly keep the old mao,
Reeves, from shooting him down.
You will hear all sorts OF rumors about
US, but you must not believe them. We
hear very absurd stories about our being
all taken prisoners, baggage and all. Bot
we are all hoping to see home in few
months, and having the pleasure OF living
under good and free government, that
not only our fathers made free for US, but
that we, like honest children, have faith
fully msintained.l Z. s. 0.