Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-07-18


letter to the GAZETTE left us. OF late oul
facilities for writing have been bad. Some
Of the time we have been without writing ma
tcrial, and for some days past there have
been but few mails sent out.
We came to La Grange on the 22d Of June
and have been encamped at different point.
outside of the town for most of the time. Or
the evening of the Both we started out upor
a march towards the South West. We wen
out ten miles the first night and stopped up
on plantation until morning, when we agar
went on and reached, carly in the day, {
place known as Cold Water, distant eighteen
miles from La Grange. The place receive.
its name from a stream Of cod water and
cold springs. There were several plantations
in the vicinity. We stayed at this place un
til the Fourth, when, while our friends Of
Cedar Falls were no doubt celebrating, We
made a trip to Holly Springs, Mississippi
distant six miles south of Cold Water. The
town is the finest place l have seen in the
South. 1t is laid out in squares, and is or.
namented with every variety of shade trees.
1t is a place Of Summer resort for the South.
erncrs during the Summer months. The in
habitants seemed to be at home, and the
buildings did not have that deserted look that
has so often met our view in the marches We
have made upon the sacred Southern SOIL
The women, many of them were courteous,
but expressed themselves as being strongly
Seccsh. 1t is said that there are but six
Union families in town, and one of these, a
jeweler, left with us, taking such of his prop
crty as was movable. A Mr.. Oliver Baker,
formerly Of Des Moincs, Iowa, rather than
fight when the Consumption act was passed,
he hired substitute, paying him eleven hun.
dred dollars. Occasionally we found those
who were not disposed to be hospitable to
us, but many were. Of the former class,
two of eur boys found one, matronly lady,
and requested her to furnish them a dinner.
The lady excused herself saying, " she should
be glad to do so, that they had plenty to eat,
but her negro had the rheumatism and was
hardly able to get about the house." Gu
boys pushed their way into the kitchen,
where they found the ncgress exhibiting her
rheumatic affections in dancing a jig. She
expressed her readiness to perform the duties
Of a cook, but here the lady put in another
objection, That they really had nothing to
eat" but the negress whispered to the boys
that their pantry was full, but the mistress
had possession of the keys. AT this juncture
our boys concluded to change the face of af-
fairs, and boltcd for the garden, dug some
potatoes and onions, went to the hen house,
broke the necks Of several chickens, and re-
turned with their spoils and ordered dinner
prepared forthwith. ........
We found one contraband with milk to
sell. Upon asking him if it was buttcr.milk,
ever ready for trade, he replied "that it
was not, but that it was just the same, sour
only it had not been churned"
We left the town and returned to Cold
Water upon the 9th, taking with us some
rebel stores that we found in the place just
as we were going out of the town slave
came up and followed along, running around
to brother slave, he babe him an affection
ate goodbye, and exclaimed to him, "Ise
gwine, Ise gwine," and on he came, follow
ing us to our camp. Contrabands frequently
come into our camp; they are ever ready to
give us such information az they can. We
had one within our lines a few days since,
that could read quite well. He seemed to be
we'll informed concerning the state of the war.
We asked him if he was allowed to read pa
pers. "Oh, no, but steal them from the
house and read them. Once got whipped
for picking up paper in the room and read
ing it." He expressed his determination to
run away when favorable opportunity off
cred itself and seek his own freedom. The
slaves represent that since the rebellion has
broken out, they have been much better used
than before. @- -- - eat-E "a 49,
Upon the 9th We started for La Grange,
which place we reached the day following
The roads are now very dusty and during
the heat Of the day marching is no agreeable
task still l find that our troops stand such
fatigucs quite well, and from what have
seen, should judge that Northerncrs endure
the heat much better than the men of the
South. The people Of Holly Springs express
ed their surprise at the robust appearance Of
our troops in comparison with their own, and
they had good means Of judging, for rebel
troops were in the town the same day we en-
teredi it. The sick and wounded were brought
from Corinth to Holly Springs, and at one
time it is said there were nigh four thousand
hospital cases in the place. was informed
that Of these there were perhaps four kun
drcd that terminated fatally.
Our expedition passed off without any
CASUALTIES, save that Lieut. Barnes, aid to
Gen. Hurlbut, a quartermaster, one cavalry
man and one teamstcr, were fired upon by a
guerilla band, while they were out some three
miles from the camp at Cold Water, buying
provisions. All are now doing well, and will
soon be out, though Lieut.. Barnes was wound.
ed twice, being shot once after he had fallen