The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-10-11
Army Correspondence.
CAMP OF SD ILLINOIS,

Friend Osman-After a long silence,
caused by i'll health and considerable
marching, l resume my history of this
regiment On the 9th ult our division,
under Gen. Hurlbut, left Memphis for
| som.Dhere-we did not know and could not
find out whereas of late our Generals
are attempting to keep their own secrets.
1t was very amusing to listen to the re-
marks of the " boys concerning our desti.
nation. One was certain that were going
down the river-the boats were in fact
waiting for US at the levee Another knew
that we were gong to Fort Pillow. where
we were to haye an easy time as garrison
for that point. Others said Humbolt was
the place; and SO on, till nearly every
prominent town in this part of Dixie was
named, and the fun of the thing was each
one knev all about it. Of course he did
why shouldn't he?
However, after the usual delays, We
finally got started about noon that hot
Saturday, marched through the town and
took north easterly direction across the
country The day was excessively hot,
the marching was in quick time, and the
troops not having been accustomed to
much eXertion or exposure to the sun
tor some TWO months, fell out badly before
We had gone 5 miles l hunted up the
Brigade Surgeon and told him that our
men positively could not stand such
marching in the heat Of the day; that I'M
less we marched more slowly and rested
more frequently we could not muster a
hundred muskets at the end of two hours.
After some delay, the matter was attended
to, but We had already left dozen or two
good men along the road some of whom
probably died (tor the Surgeons could
give bat a very short time to each being
compelled as they were TO follow the regi-
men,) We halted that night after march
ing some 10 miles. The next day march
ed about 20 miles, and there rested for
one entire day.
/ noted good many things on the route
which | have not time UI room now to
narrate. Still can not omit TO mention
/ that, on our second day = march, some
straggiers from the various regiments
broke open a barge building, the lower
( portion of which was used as store and
the upper room a. q Masonic Hall, and
finding therein IA couple OF secesh flags,
u drum and some wooden swords. belong
/ ing, evidently, to the Knights Templars,
. they set the building on fire and Suraed
it and some Outbildings TO the ground, on
the superstition that they were destroying
place OF rendezvous for guerillas. Our
/ flag was sent forward to Gen Lanman,
who remarked that he did not fancy that
style of warfare "a; if the flag had been
taken in battle he would have priced il
/ highly; as it was. he did not care what
became of il. l learned that humber OF
I those supposed to be engaged id the burn
Ing were arrested, but do not know what
disposition was maze Of them. | only
know that while some approve the act
the great majority Of ours, at least. thought
/ it wanton, uncs lied for, and likely to pro
, duce far more harm than good.
Al, along our route, after the first day s
march, we saw fields of cotton, some in
blossom and others white and ready for
pickiny: but the hands were scarce
and much of il mus: be wasted, as the
RIggers, thinking the miilcnIuIn Tor them
had come, followed Us by the score until
finally almost every corporal, even, had
| his darkey. j tried one for few Gays
but soon became disguised with his lazi
ness and ;mpudence, / sent him off |
would not give the boy ! took with me
d
/ thoroughly convinced that they Were i'm
mensely better off here before the war
began than than they ever will be again
and really pity them when | see them
/ leaving their comfortab Die homes TO follow
cur army
But ! am getting garru.ous-po~.ibly
seine aboiltlonist might say reasonable,
and so | will briefly say That we arrived
here on the evening of the 18Th having
been eight days q days resi) ga the
march. We had OF course no ,-apcrs. let
ters, or other Information a. to what was
gong on up IN America Or else. here, and
/ were dismayed TO learn that our Eastern
army had beer driven out OF Virginia, and
that the rebels threatened Washington,
Baltimore and Philadelphia, even; that
our Western army was defending the
| Ohio But when heard that Mcclellan
had been reinstated as chief in command
in the field and heard that the new troops
were rapidly Fastening to the rescue of
our country, began to hope and to be-
lieve that all would vet be we'll; that the
audacious rebels would be thoroughly
whipped before many weeks, and that
We would once more have a country ]
see no reason Why before six months have
passhd We ought not to conquer a glorious
peace.
On the Goth Sept, our brigade, under
Gen. Lanman, again received marching
orders and started toward Grand Junction.
the place where we spent a couple Of
weeks last June. As We took all our
tents and camp equipage, presumed that
we were not to return here, though, as
usual this fall, we know nothing about it.
1t appears, however, that the rebels had
in some way become better posted, for on
Sunday the 2lst, when within about three
miles Of the junction, we received infor-
nation that some 10000 of them were
attempting to get in our rear, capture our
wagon train and if possible surround and
take us prisoners or cut US to pieces or,
in the expression now in use, "gobble US
up" We Immediately changed front and
marched rapidly back, a part of the time
on the double quick, and after going some
s mics found that we had got about 10
minutes the start of them at the point
where they expected to intercept US
Finding that they were pressing us pretty
hard and wishing to give our tram time
to get completely out of danger, Gen.
Lanman halted the column aud rapidly
formed line Of battle; then few cavalry
scouts were sent out, who were soon Zap
parently} chased in by some rebels. As
soon as our boys got out Of and they In
range, our artillery opened on them in fine
style, firing some eighteen rounds and
sending them to the right about in double
quick. Before they could comprehend
our movements We were again on the
march, and they were completely distanc-
ed and outgeneraled.
On Tuesday, the 23d, our Generals evil
IDENTIFY expected an attack, for our whole
force here was out in line of battle and so
remained for several hours, when seeing
no enemy we quietly returned to camp
There is some reason to suppose that Price
designs to pay us a visit, bat If he does
he will find US fully prepared to give him
fitting reception rather think if you