The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-07-12
Army Correspond ence.


we are atsacneo, mas moved on Memphis.
ward, and we are left here solus to hold |
this important point may be mistaken,
but it seems to me We are in position of |
peculiar exposure, if not of danger.
In this little town and all around il all |
are avowed rebels but one, and he not
long ago presented secesh flag to rebel |
company while at Holly Springs, Is miles
from here, there is rebel force variously
stated at from one to five thousand men. |
We have less than 500 men fit for duty, |
and If the division moves on from La
Grange as it is now said it will we can
obtain no reinforcements within support
ing distance. But if attacked we shall
not be caught mapping, for we have vigi-
liant camp and picket guard, and Col.
Cushman has posted US behind railroad
embankment in such manner that we
can repel force three times our number
and give them an exceedingly warm re-
ception. If officious meddlers had only
let our regt. alone as it was originally
organized on the Coils plan, with our
cavalry and artillery companies, we could
successfully resist an attack of a far greas
err force than the rebels dare bring against
US here, while now we are in danger of
being badly defeated if not entirely cut to
pieces any night or day still it is quite
possible that we shall not be at all mo-
| Tested.
There is but little to say about this
place. 1t Is small r. r. village, FIVE or
six years old has one large hotel, very
| few business houses, and few rather fine
looking residences, with perhaps 25 small
houses occupied by niggers and "poor
white trash" as they are called in south
ern parlance. Individuals Of the African
persuasion are considerably numerous
one man owning about $50 that he boards
clothes, and lodges in return for such
little chores as cotton and corn cultivating
that they attend to for him.
| This man raised cotton last year in
! order to burn it, method Of planting
which may be very chiyalric, though it is
| difficult for northern man TO see where
| the profit comes in. | presume that he
docs not see it by this time as observe
that his crops are mostly corn, oats and
potatoes, this year.
The people here are highly gratifed
with the treatment they receive from our
boys" since we came here, admitting
that they have been less annoyed by us
than they were by their own troops when
they were here. They have really nothing
to complain Of from US; the men are not
inclined to disturb them, and they (,he
| men understand that the Col will pun
ish any occasional offenders as severely as
though they were in Ottawa
| The same old flag that waved over us
at camp Cushman now floats triumphant
| ly here, having been raised the other
morning amid the cheers Of our men and
! the liveliest strains Of music from both
! bands the citizens, however, Uuionlst %
| included, looking on in sullen silence
The health OF the Regiment at large is
better than it has been-the sick list
averaging about 10, though the Surgeons
prescribe for some 50 per day. l., Col.
| Hit is quite sick, but have every reason
| to hope that he will be around again in a
| few days Lieut.. Win Earl has not been
! really well for four weeks; of late he has
| been seriously sick, but is better how
! Both Of these officers are at farm house
near %.
1t Wheeler is dangerously sick, and
has been moved 10 the house Of secesh
doctor in town; though still prescribed
! for 10y Surgeon Harris, 1t is quite doubtful
whether he RECEIVERS
Company X, Capt. Leahy, has recently
lost an excellent MANUSCRIPT William II
Stober-one who was well liked by all
who knew him. both in the company and
out Of it. lie was taken few DAYS since
with q serious form of disease of the brain.
and though he had the best attention OF
the Surgeons o: the Rest.. assisted by the
advice OF the Division Surgeon, and the
most unwearied watching and nursing by
Capt. Leahey, Lieut. K Warner, Seryt.
Fitzgerald and others, he never rallied,
but died after abou, IS hours sickness.
The loss7was all the more felt since this
company has had less sickness than any
other, and / may as we'll add here that
the Captain Is always on hand, never neg.
lecting any of his duties, and that the
company has won an honorable position
among us.
There have been some promotions re-
Gently in our reGt., viz 4: Frank j. Craw.
ford, Warner and John Edward. all to
be Lieutenants Their friends say they
all deserved the honorable positions gain.
ed No one, however, was more heartily
congratulated than Lieut.. Craw ford, all
admitting that he was fully entitled to
the rank and honor bestowed lie has
OF late been detached from the regt to act
as Brigade Commissary He is well liked
IN his new position, and will probably be
still further promoted to the rank of
Captain.
We hope that We shall soon have regu-
lar safe communication open SO that we
may hear from our friends and that those
who have attempted to favor US with those
little sundriss which are always so exceed.
ingly acceptable to soldiers, deprived as
we are OF all the comforts of life to which
we have been accustomed, may be more
successful in their benevolent and kind
efforts next time. 1t may be well enough |
for me to repeat here that all we have
ever received was one small box of med. |
cines sent by E. y. Grisgs, and the few
bottles of quinine forwarded by C. B |
been made to pay for those other goods so !
unfortunately lost
La GRANGE, Tenn, July Z, 1862
Since writing the above. many things of !
interest have TRANSFERRED hereabouts, but |
have only time to state them briefly. |
About the 25.h ult Gen. Hurlbut had |
reason to suppose that we would be at |
tackled, and accordingly ordered us up |
here. The Col sent off his baggage train
and the sick of the regt. and also sent a
dispatch to the General saying that he |
thought he could hold the junction till |
other troops arrived from jackson to ,e.
lieve us; that he thought the post too
important to abandon, and requested per-
mission to remain, which was granted. |
Every thing was then put in the best DOS.
sible condition for defence. Co B was |
sent forward to act as skirmishers. The
rest Of the regiment was ordered to lie on
their arms, and all night the Col was I'D |